The Autumn international series picks up some steam, albeit with outside the formal window opening. Angus Gardner (pictured top left) is in Twickenham for the Eng v All Blacks tie. Japanese referee Takehito Namekawa (top right) is in Ireland as a second string All Blacks take on Munster who parted company with their head coach this week. And Craig Evans has the other match up in Scotland as they host the Fijians. There’s also a couple of Rugby Europe internationals too. Im told the Norway/Denmark match is the first time in some 20 years that Denmark women’s XVs will play a match.
Outside of that, the Top14 and ProD2 continue for another week before they break for the international window. They hand two matches to international referees with Nic Berry in La Rochelle for their match with Stade Francais match we believe Reuben Keane may have the other match in Castre, but that’s not confirmed.
There’s only one match left in the southern hemisphere with a Heartlands XV taking on an NZ Barbarians XV. Stu Curran referees that one before he heads off for his off season.
Around the north, we have the Hong Kong China women’s prem and a whole phlanx of domestic action around England, Scotland, Portugal (Paulo Duarte, bottom left, on Prem Championship), Netherlands (Katherine Richie, bottom right refs RC ‘t Gooi v RC DIOK) and in Dubai.
Enjoy your weekend
Keith
Autumn internationals
England v New Zealand
Referee: Angus Gardner (Aus)
ARs: Andrea Piardi (Ita) & Jordan Way (Aus)
TMO: Marius van der Westhuizen (SA)
FPRO: Marius Jonker (SA)
Scotland v Fiji
Referee: Craig Evans (Wal)
ARs: Christophe Ridley (Eng) & Luc Ramos (Fra)
TMO: Brett Cronan (Aus)
FPRO: Quinton Immelman (SA)
Munster v All Blacks XV
Referee: Takehito Namekawa (Jpn)
ARs: Matthew Carley (Eng) & Anthony Woodthorpe (Eng)
TMO: Damon Murphy (Aus)
Rugby Europe Conference
Latvia v Estonia
Referee: Victor Lungu (Mol)
Rugby Europe Trophy
Lithuania v Sweden
Referee: Francisco Serra (Por)
ARs: Diogo Miranda (Por) & Maria Heitor (Por)
Women’s international
Norway v Denmark
Referee: Romain Rouzairol (Nor)
ARs: Emmanuel Jacques (Den) & Joshua Stock (Nor)
Hong Kong China: Nan Fung Group | AIRSIDE Women Premiership
Societe Generale Valley RFC v Kroll USRC Tigers Women
Referee: Francesco Cammisa (25th WPrem Appointment)
ARs: Thomas Ngan & Katsu Shichiji
HKFC Natixis Ice v Sandy Bay CWB
Referee: Steven Yuen (34th WPrem Appointment)
ARs: Patrick Kwok & Jan Tang
DLA Piper Kowloon Women v Gai Wu Falcons
Referee: Craig Chan (10th WPrem Appointment)
ARs: Sunny Lee & Hendro van der Merwe
2024 NZ Heartland XV Match
NZ Heartland XV NZ Barbarians
Referee: Stu Curran
ARs: Jamie Bell & Alistair Payne
France: Top 14 – round 9
ASM Clermont v Union Bordeaux-Bègles
Referee: Adrien Marbot
ARs: Ghyslain Elias & Herve Lasausa
TMO: Julien Castaignede
Castres Olympique v Montpellier Hérault Rugby
Referee: tbc
ARs: Vincent Blasco Baque & Nicolas Bridoux
TMO: Eric Gauzins
RC Toulon v LOU Rugby
Referee: Evan Urruzmendi
ARs: Stephane Boyer & Vivien Praderie
TMO: Jean Luc Rebollal
Section Paloise v Racing 92
Referee: Tual Trainini
ARs: Benjamin Beuriot & Christophe Bultet
TMO: Patrick Dellac
USA Perpignan v RC Vannes
Referee: Ludovic Cayre
ARs: Cyrille Le Gall & Mathieu Noirot
TMO: Denis Grenouillet
Stade Rochelais v Stade Français Paris
Referee: Nic Berry (Aus)
ARs: Benoit Lapassade & Jeremy Rozier
TMO: Thomas Charabas
Aviron Bayonnais v Stade Toulousain
Referee: Kevin Bralley
ARs: Frederic Chazal & Jonathan Gasnier
TMO: Cedric Marchat
France: ProD2 – Round 9
Colomiers Rugby v US Montalbanaise
Referee: Pierre Baptiste Nuchy
ARs: Ludovic Carrillo & Denis Daste
TMO: Philippe Bonhoure
Valence Romans v CA Brive
Referee: Benjamin Hernandez
ARs: Benoit Albert Bonnafous
TMO: Mourad Zitouni
AS Béziers Hérault v Soyaux-Angoulême XV
Referee: Stephane Coulon
ARs: Julien Caulier & Thierry Mallet
TMO: Jonathan Dufort
Biarritz Olympique PB v USON Nevers
Referee: David Beun
ARs:Sylvain Brayelle & Aurelie Groizeleau
TMO: Christophe Berdos
Provence Rugby v Stade Montois Rugby
Referee: Anthony Lac
ARs: Thomas Chereque & Christian Coussan
TMO: Laurent Sclafer
Stade Aurillacois v Oyonnax Rugby
Referee: Flavien Hourquet
ARs: Mourad Gharbi Tarchouna & Thibault Santamaria
TMO: Julien Castaignede
US Dax v Stade Niçois Rugby
Referee: Cyrille Boulay
ARs: Benoit Caballero & Sylvain Jaymes
TMO: Jean Lespes
FC Grenoble Rugby v SU Agen
Referee: Pierre Bru
ARs: Stephane Crapoix & Mickael Simon
TMO: Akim Hadj Bachir
England: Premiership Cup – round 1
Doncaster Knights v Sale Sharks
Referee: Richard Gordon
ARs: Owen Taylor & Gregg Dawson
Northampton Saints v Leicester Tigers
Referee: Harry Walbaum
ARs: Adam Leal & Calum Howard
Cornish Pirates v Exeter Chiefs
Referee: Sara Cox
ARs: Iain Kiy & Kevin Williams
Nottingham v Coventry
Referee: Jonathan Cook
ARs: Tim Allatt & John Meredith
Ampthill v Bath Rugby
Referee: Alex Thomas
ARs: James Clarke & Nikki O’Donnell
London Scottish v Harlequins
Referee: Hamish Grant
ARs: Jamie Parr & James Pidding
Caldy v Newcastle Falcons
Referee: Mike Hudson
ARs: Ian Tempest & Greg Macdonald
Hartpury University v Gloucester Rugby
Referee: George Selwood
ARs: Ben Simpson & Ryan Collier
Bristol Bears v Bedford Blues
Referee: Jack Makepeace
ARs: Dan Jones & Jonathan Healy
Ealing Trailfinders v Saracens
Referee: Joe James
ARs: Holly Wood & Mike Woods
England: The PWR – round 6
Bristol Bears Women v Harlequins Women
Referee: Dan Jones
ARs: Darryl Chapman & Jonathan Healy
Exeter Chiefs Women v Saracens Women
Referee: Charlie Gayther
ARs: Iain Kiy & Veryan Boscawen
Gloucester-Hartpury Women’s RFC v Sale Sharks Women
Referee: Andy Wigley
ARs: James Cornell & Ben Simpson
Leicester Tigers Women v Trailfinders Women
Referee: Holly Wood
ARs: Neil Chivers & Simon Park
West Asia Super Rugby
Dubai Exiles v Bahrain
Referee: Jaco De Wit
ARs: James Fairbourn & Brayden Hudson
Dubai Hurricanes v Doha
Referee: Matt Riley
ARs: Simon Dodd & JP Clements
Dubai Sharks v Abu Dhabi Harlequins
Referee: JP Clements
ARs: Matt Riley & Brayden Hudson
TMO: James Fairbourn
Netherlands: Ereklasse men’s league
Breda RC v RC Hoek van Holland
Referee: Conrad Riepe
Haagsche RC v Castricum RC
Referee: Bram Oudman
RC ‘t Gooi v RC DIOK
Referee: Katherine Ritchie
AAC v Rotterdamse RC
Referee: Jens Pardede
RFC Oisterwijk Oysters v RFC Haarlem
Referee: Dan O’Connell
RC The Dukes v RC Eemland
Referee: Phila Bitterhout
Portugal Championship
CDUP v CF Os Belenenses
Referee Tim McLennan
RC Lousã v GD Direito
Referee: Paolo Duarte
AA Coimbra v GDS Cascais
Referee: Pedro Mendes Silva
RC Montemor v Agronomia Rugby
Referee: Marco Minelli
CR Técnico v SL Benfica
Referee: Diogo Inacio
CR São Miguel v CDUL
Referee: Ricardo Castro Hawkes
Scotland: Arnold Clark Women’s Premiership
Cartha Queens Park RFC v Hillhead Jordanhill RFC
Referee: Rosie Evans
ARs: Sean Mallon & Davie Jamieson
Corstorphine RFC v Stirling County RFC
Referee: Scott Cubitt
ARs: Josiah Yuen & Walter Gaffney
Garioch RFC v Watsonian FC
Referee: Alistair Hunter
ARs: Alick Bergman & Andrew Laing
Heriot’s Rugby Women v Stewartry RFC
Referee: Gregor Wightman
ARs: Brian McGuff & Kevin McGhee