The international window is now wide open so lots of summer internationals, regional championships and World Cup warm up games kicking off this weekend. Paul Williams (pictured top left) refs the Lions match on Saturday as they move down to Sydney to play the Waratahs. Clara Munarini (top right) is in Pretoria as she refs the Springbok women against Canada, before the men’s match against Italy is refereed by Hollie Davidson. The other women’s warm up is in New Zealand with a Black Ferns 1sts v 2nds takes place – not an official test match (30-player squad sizes), but Maggie Cogger will ref that one.
We have round 3 of the Asa Rugby Champs with Craig Chan moving on from 2 weeks of Indian Premier League 7s to referee XVs match in Sri Lanka. There’s six more matches in the u20s Championships in Italy with full teams of 5 for those. Staying on international age grade, there’s a Six Nations Summer Series being played in S Wales. It’s mainly u20s with a couple of u23s allowed. Pleasingly, there’s an all-female referee team for the 3 rounds. Elsewhere in the men’s summer internationals, Damian Schneider from Argentina (bottom left) swaps 10degrees for the 34 degrees and 80% humidity of Fukuoka as Wales trave to play Japan. The only domestic action we have for you is in South Africa where the Currie Cup competition kicks on. Aimee Barrett-Theron (bottom right) oversees the Leopards-Griffons matchup.
Enjoy your weekends
Keith
Asia Rugby Championships – round 3
Sri Lanka v UAE
Referee: Craig Chan (HKC)
ARs: Matt Rodden (HKC) & Sunny Lee (HKC)
TMO: Simon Dodd (UAE)
Performance Reviewers: Dilroy Fernando, Dewi Rowlands
Korea v Hong Kong China
Referee: Ibuki Tetsuka (Jpn)
ARs: Koki Yamauchi (Jpn) & Tetsuya Hirakawa (Jpn)
TMO: Tasuku Kawahara (Jpn)
Performance Reviewers: Peter Hudson, Tasuku Kawahara
Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 warm-up match
South Africa v Canada (in Pretoria)
Referee: Clara Munarini (Ita)
ARs: Precious Pazani (Zim) & Zoe Naude (SA)
TMO: Egon Seconds (SA)
NZ Black Ferns v Black Ferns XV
Referee: Maggie Cogger-Orr (NZ)
ARs: Natarsha Ganley (NZ) & Erin Doherty (NZ)
TMO: Estelle Whaiapu (NZ)
Lions tour matches
NSW Waratahs v B&I Lions (Sydney – Saturday)
Referee: Paul Williams (NZ)
ARs: James Doleman (NZ) & Angus Mabey (NZ)
TMO: Richard Kelly (NZ)
FPRO: Marius van der Westhuizen (SA)
ACT Brumbies v B&I Lions (Canberra – Wednesday)
Referee: Pierre Brousset (Fra)
ARs: Paul Williams (NZ) & Nika Amashukeli (GEO)
TMO: Marius van der Westhuizen (SA)
FPRO: Eric Gauzins (Fra)
Men’s summer internationals
New Zealand v France (Dunedin)
Referee: Nic Berry (Aus)
ARs: Christophe Ridley (Eng) & Takehito Namekawa (Jpn)
TMO: Damon Murphy (Aus)
FPRO: Brett Cronan (Aus)
Maori All Blacks v Scotland (Whangarei)
Referee: Nika Amashukeli (Geo)
ARs: Jordan Way (Aus) & Matt Kellahan (Aus)
TMO: Oli Kellett (Aus)
South Africa v Italy (Pretoria)
Referee: Hollie Davidson (Sco)
ARs: Matthew Carley (Eng) & Andrew Brace (Ire)
TMO: Andrew Jackson (Eng)
FPRO: Tual Trainini (Fra)
Argentina v England (La Plata)
Referee: Angus Gardner (Aus)
ARs: Luc Ramos (Fra) & Gianluca Gnecchi (Ita)
TMO: Olly Hodges (Ire)
FPRO: Mike Adamson (Sco)
Japan v Wales (Kitakyushu)
Referee: Damian Schneider (Arg)
ARs: Karl Dickson (Eng) & Luke Pearce (Eng)
TMO: Ian Tempest (Eng)
FPRO: Glenn Newman (NZ)
Australia v Fiji (Newcastle)
Referee: Pierre Brousset (Fra)
ARs: Ben O’Keeffe (NZ) & Angus Mabey (NZ)
TMO: Eric Gauzins (Fra)
FPRO: Richard Kelly (NZ)
USA v Belgium (Charlotte)
Referee: Sam Grove-White (Sco)
ARs: Morné Ferreira (SA) & Talal Chaudhry (Can)
TMO: Cam Russell (Can)
Chile v Romania (TBC)
Referee: Federico Vedovelli (Ita)
ARs: Francisco Gonzalez (URU) & Gonzalo de Achaval (Arg)
TMO: Marcelo Pilara (Arg)
Brazil v Arg XV (Venue TBC)
Referee: Robin Kaluzniak (Can)
ARs: Frank Mendez (Chile) & Caua Ricardo (Brazil).
TMO: TBC
Georgia v Ireland
Referee: Andrea Piardi (Ita)
ARs: Adam Leal (Eng) & Ben Whitehouse (Wal)
TMO: Matteo Liperini (Ita)
World U20s Championships – round 2 (Fri 4 July)
England v South Africa (Rovigo)
Referee: Tomas Bertazza (Arg)
ARs: Marcus Playle (NZ) & Furuse Katsuki (Jpn)
TMO: Leo Colgan (Ire)
FPRO: Graham Cooper (Aus)
France v Wales (in Rovigo)
Referee: Morgan White (HKC)
ARs: Marcus Playle (NZ) & Luca Bisetto (Ita)
TMO: Quinton Immelman (SA)
FPRO: Leo Colgan (Ire)
Argentina v Spain (in Rovigo)
Referee: Peter Martin (Ire)
ARs: Furuse Katsuki (Jpn) & Riccardo Bonato (Ita)
TMO: Graham Cooper (Aus)
FPRO: Quinton Immelan (SA)
Australia v Scotland (in Viadana)
Referee: Lex Weiner (USA)
ARs: Griffin Colby (SA) & Franco Rosella (Ita)
TMO: Dan Jones (Eng)
FPRO: Aled Griffiths (Wal)
New Zealand v Georgia (in Viadana)
Referee: Filippo Russo (Ita)
ARs: Griffin Colby (SA) & Jeremy Rozier (Fra)
TMO: Aled Griffiths (Wal)
FPRO: Dan Jones (Eng)
Ireland v Italy (in Viadana)
Referee: Ben Breakspear (Wal)
ARs: Jeremy Rozier (Fra) & Alberto Favaro (Ita)
TMO: Dan Jones (Eng)
FPRO: Aled Griffiths (Wal)
6N Women’s Summer Series
France v Italy
Referee: Emily Hope (Eng)
ARs: Jess Kavanagh & Josh Sealey
TMO: Jenny Davies
Wales v Ireland
Referee: Mary Pringle (Sco)
ARs: Alice Torra & Jack Davies
TMO: Jenny Davies
England v Scotland
Referee: Chloe Pelle (Fra)
ARs: Siobhan Daly & Max Clements
TMO: Jenny Davies
South Africa: Carling Currie Cup First Division (Men’s)
Eastern Province v Border Bulldogs
Referee: Jonathan Lottering
Leopards v Novavit Griffons
Referee: Aimee Barrett-Theron
Valke v SWD Eagles
Referee: Phumzile Mbewu
Carling Currie Cup: Women First Division
SWD Eagirls v Valke Women
Referee: Yohane Halgryn
Pumas Women v Griquas Women
Referee: Aneke Smith
Leopards Women v Limpopo Blue Bulls Women
Referee: Siyanda Pikoli
