World Rugby have announced the 23 referees from 11 nations who will take charge of 34 tests in the 2025 November international window.
There’s plenty at stake for the teams who will be looking to secure the best ranking points possible ahead of the Men’s Rugby World Cup 2027 Draw in December. And the same can be said for the match officials. The selections do point towards some advance thinking around 2027 as well. There’s game time for all the expected international referees, but also some new refereeing talent picking up games too – Gianluca Gnecci (Ita), Tomás Bertazza (Arg), Morné Ferreira (SA), Adam Leal (Eng), Ben Breakspear (Wal), Sam Grove-White (Sco) and Jeremy Rozier (Fra) all selected. WRWC 2025 final referee, Hollie Davidson switches back to the men’s game as she takes charge of two tests, one in Portugal before refereeing Wales v New Zealand in Cardiff on 22 November.
In addition to the thirty-four test matches, there are 8 other matches included in the list as well. That extends the match official pool to 58 officials from 15 national unions.
Morgan White from Hong Kong China will referee the first (non-test) match, between Japan XV and Australia A on 18 October. Ben O’Keeffe (NZ) opens the test window with Japan v Australia in Tokyo a week later. Luc Ramos (France) will wrap the window up when he takes charge of the final match on 29 November when Wales host South Africa in Cardiff.
Ten referees will each take charge of two test matches, mainly from the southern hemisphere as they make the most of being north.
Appointments for the Final Qualification Tournament to determine the 24th and last qualifier for Men’s Rugby World Cup 2027 will be announced once the fourth team to join Belgium, Namibia and Samoa has been confirmed on 18 October. That tournament takes place in Dubai 13-18 December.
18 October
Japan XV v Australia A
National Stadium, Tokyo
Referee: Morgan White (HKC)
ARs: JRFU Appointments
TMO: JRFU Appointment
25 October
Japan v Australia
National Stadium, Tokyo
Referee: Ben O’Keeffe (NZ)
ARs: Angus Mabey (NZ) & Morgan White (HKC)
TMO: Richard Kelly (NZ)
FPRO: Matt Rodden (HKC)
1-2 November
England v Australia
Allianz Stadium, Twickenham
Referee: Nika Amashukeli (Geo)
ARs: James Doleman (NZ) & Craig Evans (Wal)
TMO: Eric Gauzins (Fra)
FPRO: Matteo Liperini (Ita)
South Africa v Japan
Wembley Stadium, London
Referee: Eoghan Cross (Ire)
ARs: Ben O’Keeffe (NZ) & Adam Leal (Eng)
TMO: Mike Adamson (Sco)
FPRO: Tual Trainini (Fra)
Scotland v USA
Murrayfield, Edinburgh
Referee: Damián Schneider (Arg)
ARs: Gianluca Gnecchi (Ita) & Katsuki Furuse (Jpn)
TMO: Leo Colgan (Ire)
FPRO: Olly Hodges (Ire)
Ireland v New Zealand
Soldier Field, Chicago,
Referee: Pierre Brousset (Fra)
ARs: Karl Dickson (Eng) & Luc Ramos (Fra)
TMO: Ian Tempest (Eng)
FPRO: Dan Jones (Eng)
Barbarians v All Blacks XV
GTECH Community Stadium, London
Referee: Nic Berry (Aus)
ARs: RFU Appointments
TMO: RFU Appointment
Munster v Argentina XV
Thomond Park, Limerick
Referee: Angus Gardner (Aus)
ARs: Peter Martin (Ire) & Jack MacNeice (Ire)
TMO: Mark Patton (Ire)
7-9 November
Bristol Bears v Argentina XV
Ashton Gate Stadium, Bristol
Referee: RFU Appointment
ARs: RFU Appointments
TMO: RFU Appointment
Ireland v Japan
Aviva Stadium, Dublin
Referee: Gianluca Gnecchi (Ita)
ARs: Andrea Piardi (Ita) & Federico Vedovelli (Ita)
TMO: Matteo Liperini (Ita)
FPRO: Eric Gauzins (Fra)
Portugal v Uruguay
Estádio Nacional, Lisbon
Referee: James Doleman (NZ)
ARs: Kevin Bralley (Fra) & Evan Urruzmendi (Fra)
TMO: Tual Trainini (Fra)
Scotland v New Zealand
Murrayfield, Edinburgh
Referee: Nic Berry (Aus)
ARs: Pierre Brousset (Fra) & Morné Ferreira (SA)
TMO: Marius van der Westhuizen (SA)
FPRO: Marius Jonker (SA)
Georgia v USA
Adjarabet Arena, Batumi
Referee: Luke Pearce (Eng)
ARs: Adam Leal (Eng) & George Selwood (Eng)
TMO: Dan Jones (Eng)
Romania v Canada
Stadionul National Arcul de Triumf, Bucharest
Referee: Ben Breakspear (Wal)
ARs: Adam Jones (Wal) & Ben Connor (Wal)
TMO: Aled Griffiths (Wal)
England v Fiji
Allianz Stadium, Twickenham
Referee: Paul Williams (NZ)
ARs: Luc Ramos (Fra) & Katsuki Furuse (Jpn)
TMO: Mike Adamson (Sco)
FPRO: Quinton Immelman (SA)
Italy v Australia
Bluenergy Stadium, Udine
Referee: Andrew Brace (Ire)
ARs: Hollie Davidson (Sco) & Sam Grove-White (Sco)
TMO: Olly Hodges (Ire)
FPRO: Leo Colgan (Ire)
France v South Africa
Stade de France, Saint-Denis
Referee: Angus Gardner (Aus)
ARs: Nika Amashukeli (Geo) & Christophe Ridley (Eng)
TMO: Ian Tempest (Eng)
FPRO: Andrew Jackson (Eng)
Spain v Ireland A
Estadio Ontime Butarque, Leganés
Referee: Tomas Bertazza (Arg)
ARs: Morgan White (HKC) & FER Appointment
TMO: Paulo Duarte (FPR)
England A v All Blacks XV
The Recreation Ground, Bath
Referee: RFU Appointment
ARs: RFU Appointments
TMO: RFU Appointment
Wales v Argentina
Principality Stadium, Cardiff
Referee: Ben O’Keeffe (NZ)
ARs: Karl Dickson (Eng) & Anthony Woodthorpe (Eng)
TMO: Quinton Immelman (SA)
FPRO: Eric Gauzins (Fra)
15-16 November
Italy v South Africa
Allianz Stadium, Turin
Referee: James Doleman (NZ)
ARs: Ben O’Keeffe (NZ) & Jérémy Rozier (Fra)
TMO: Tual Trainini (Fra)
FPRO: Eric Gauzins (Fra)
Portugal v Hong Kong China
Estádio Nacional, Lisbon
Referee: Hollie Davidson (Sco)
ARs: Ben Breakspear (Wal) & Ben Connor (Wal)
TMO: Matteo Liperini (Ita)
England v New Zealand
Allianz Stadium, Twickenham
Referee: Andrea Piardi (Ita)
ARs: Luc Ramos (Fra) & Gianluca Gnecchi (Ita)
TMO: Marius van der Westhuizen (SA)
FPRO: Mike Adamson (Sco)
Georgia v Canada
Adjarabet Arena, Batumi
Referee: Paul Williams (NZ)
ARs: Federico Vedovelli (Ita) & Filippo Russo (Ita)
TMO: Aled Griffiths (Wal)
Romania v USA
Stadionul National Arcul de Triumf, Bucharest
Referee: Sam Grove-White (Sco)
ARs: Saba Abulashvili (Geo) & Peter Martin (Ire)
TMO: Ben Whitehouse (Wal)
Wales v Japan
Principality Stadium, Cardiff
Referee: Matthew Carley (Eng)
ARs: Nic Berry (Aus) & Anthony Woodthorpe (Eng)
TMO: Andrew Jackson (Eng)
FPRO: Quinton Immelman (SA)
Ireland v Australia
Aviva Stadium, Dublin
Referee: Karl Dickson (Eng)
ARs: Pierre Brousset (Fra) & Adam Leal (Eng)
TMO: Ian Tempest (Eng)
FPRO: Dan Jones (Eng)
France v Fiji
Stade Atlantique, Bordeaux
Referee: Christophe Ridley (Eng)
ARs: Nika Amashukeli (Geo) & Morné Ferreira (SA)
TMO: Marius Jonker (SA)
FPRO: Stuart Terheege (Eng)
Spain v England A
Campo José Zorrilla, Valladolid
Referee: Morgan White (HKC)
ARs: Tomas Bertazza (Arg) & FER Appointment
TMO: Paulo Duarte (Por)
Scotland v Argentina
Murrayfield, Edinburgh
Referee: Andrew Brace (Ire)
ARs: Angus Gardner (Aus) & Luke Pearce (Eng)
TMO: Olly Hodges (Ire)
FPRO: Leo Colgan (Ire)
Uruguay v All Blacks XV
Montpellier, France
Referee: FFR Appointment
ARs: FFR Appointments
TMO: FFR Appointment
22-23 November
Wales v New Zealand
Principality Stadium, Cardiff
Referee: Hollie Davidson (Sco)
ARs: Andrea Piardi (Ita) & Gianluca Gnecchi (Ita)
TMO: Ian Tempest (Eng)
FPRO: Matteo Liperini (Ita)
Portugal v Canada
Coimbra
Referee: Morné Ferreira (SA)
ARs: Saba Abulashvili (Geo) & Filippo Russo (Ita)
TMO: Marius Jonker (SA)
Georgia v Japan
Mikheil Meskhi Stadium, Tbilisi
Referee: Eoghan Cross (Ire)
ARs: Anthony Woodthorpe (Eng) & Peter Martin (Ire)
TMO: Leo Colgan (Ire)
Spain v Fiji
Ciudad de Málaga Stadium, Málaga
Referee: Damián Schneider (Arg)
ARs: Federico Vedovelli (Ita) & George Selwood (Eng)
TMO: Quinton Immelman (SA)
Romania v Uruguay
Stadionul National Arcul de Triumf, Bucharest
Referee: Jérémy Rozier (Fra)
ARs: Ben Breakspear (Wal) & Kevin Bralley (Fra)
TMO: Aled Griffiths (Wal)
Ireland v South Africa
Aviva Stadium, Dublin
Referee: Matthew Carley (Eng)
ARs: Karl Dickson (Eng) & Christophe Ridley (Eng)
TMO: Andrew Jackson (Eng)
FPRO: Dan Jones (Eng)
Italy v Chile
Stadio Luigi Ferraris, Genova
Referee: Adam Leal (Eng)
ARs: Adam Jones (Wal) & Ben Connor (Wal)
TMO: Ben Whitehouse (Wal)
FPRO: Stuart Terheege (Eng)
France v Australia
Stade de France, Saint-Denis
Referee: Luke Pearce (Eng)
ARs: Andrew Brace (Ire) & Craig Evans (Wal)
TMO: Marius van der Westhuizen (SA)
FPRO: Mike Adamson (Sco)
Scotland v Tonga
Murrayfield, Edinburgh
Referee: Luc Ramos (Fra)
ARs: Evan Urruzmendi (Fra) & Benoît Rousselet (Fra)
TMO: Tual Trainini (Fra)
FPRO: Olly Hodges (Ire)
England v Argentina
Allianz Stadium, Twickenham
Referee: Pierre Brousset (Fra)
ARs: Nika Amashukeli (Geo) & Sam Grove-White (Sco)
TMO: Eric Gauzins (Fra)
FPRO: Matteo Liperini (Ita)
29 November
Wales v South Africa
Principality Stadium, Cardiff
Referee: Luc Ramos (Fra)
ARs: Matthew Carley (Eng) & Pierre Brousset (Fra)
TMO: Eric Gauzins (Fra)
FPRO: Andrew Jackson (Eng)
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