There’s a double helping of appointments here as your favourite refereeing website editor will be taking a well deserved Christmas break next week! We have this weekend’s appointments and, where I’ve found them, the betwixtmas weekend ones too. Santa has come early for a few folks with Scotland’s Ru Campbell (bottom left) and Hanru van Rooyen (top right) from SA both making their URC debuts this weekend, and in the Gallagher Prem, George Selwood debuts in round 8 (top left).
The Celtic Challenge resumes for another season as the Scottish, Welsh and Irish women’s players outside of the elite competitions continue their development. It’s a similar story for the match officials, so good to see Wales’ Jess Kavanagh refereeing the Brython Thunder v Glasgow Warriors match
We have appointments from the Prem, Champ Rugby, PWR (all England), Scotland’s Inter District men’s comp, the men’s Ereklasse from the Netherlands and a full run of Japan’s League One leagues. Finally, there’s the arbitros for the Liga Iberdrola women’s league matches in Spain . Everyone else, I think, has a festive break for a couple of weeks at least.
Have a very Merry Christmas wherever you happen to be. Here’s to another great year of rugby ahead in 2026. If you appreciate these updates, you can always send a wee gift via this link
Enjoy!
Keith
BKT United Rugby Championship – Round 7
Cardiff Rugby v Scarlets
Referee: Ben Breakspear (WRU, 15th league game)
ARs: Ben Whitehouse & Ben Connor
TMO: Keith David
Leinster Rugby v Ulster Rugby
Referee: Andrew Brace (IRFU, 111th league game)
ARs: Andrew Fogarty & Tomás O’Sullivan
TMO: Olly Hodges
DHL Stormers v Lions
Referee: Hanru van Rooyen (SARU, league debut)
ARs: Marius van der Westhuizen & Stephan Geldenhuys
TMO: Quinton Immelman
Benetton v Zebre Parma
Referee: Gianluca Gnecchi (FIR, 45th league game)
ARs: Filippo Russo & Luca Bisetto
TMO: Stefano Penne
Glasgow Warriors v Edinburgh Rugby
Referee: Eoghan Cross (IRFU, 32nd league game)
ARs: David Sutherland & Finlay Brown
TMO: Mark Patton
Hollywoodbets Sharks v Vodacom Bulls
Referee: Griffin Colby (SARU, 9th league game)
ARs: Aimee Barrett-Theron & AJ Jacobs
TMO: Marius Jonker
Ospreys v Munster Rugby
Referee: Sam Grove-White (SRU, 57th league game)
ARs: Craig Evans & Andrew Moule
TMO: Andrew McMenemy
Dragons RFC v Connacht
Referee: Ru Campbell (SRU, league debut)
ARs: Rob McDowell & Jonny Mackenzie
TMO: Mike Adamson
England: Gallagher Prem
19-21 Dec – Round 7
Leicester Tigers v Gloucester Rugby
Referee: Karl Dickson (102nd match)
ARs: Ian Tempest & Neil Chivers
TMO: Andrew Jackson
Northampton Saints v Sale Sharks
Referee: Christophe Ridley (91st match)
ARs: Harry Walbaum & Greg Macdonald
TMO: Ian Tempest
Saracens v Exeter Chiefs
Referee: Luke Pearce (165th match)
ARs: Dan Jones & Calum Howard
TMO: David Rose
Harlequins v Bristol Bears
Referee: Anthony Woodthorpe (49th match)
ARs: Adam Leal & James Clarke
TMO: Dean Richards
Newcastle Redbulls v Bath Rugby
Referee: Hamish Smales (20th match)
ARs: Jonathan Cook & Wayne Falla
TMO: Peter Allan
26-28 December – round 8
Sale Sharks v Harlequins
Referee: Ian Tempest
ARs: Christophe Ridley & Jamie Leahy
TMO: Hamish Smales
Bristol Bears v Newcastle Redbulls
Referee: George Selwood (1st Premiership match)
ARs: Luke Pearce & John Meredith
TMO: Andrew Jackson
Gloucester Rugby v Saracens
Referee: Adam Leal
ARs: Karl Dickson & Veryan Boscawen
TMO: Stuart Terheege
Bath Rugby v Northampton Saints
Referee: Craig Maxwell-Keys
ARs: Hamish Smales & Jonathan Healy
TMO: Dan Jones
Exeter Chiefs v Leicester Tigers
Referee: Anthony Woodthorpe
ARs: Joe James & Simon Harding
TMO: Dean Richards
Bristol Bears v Sale Sharks
Referee: Joe James
ARs: Craig Maxwell-Keys & Greg Macdonald
TMO: Dean Richards
Newcastle Redbulls v Gloucester Rugby
Referee: Christophe Ridley
ARs: Richard Gordon & Wayne Falla
TMO: Peter Allan
England: The Champ
19 Dec
Richmond v Doncaster Knights
Referee: Jamie Parr
ARs: Iain Kiy & Nikki O’Donnell
Bedford Blues v Worcester Warriors
Referee: George Selwood
ARs: Charlie Gayther & Veryan Boscawen
Ampthill v London Scottish
Referee: Hamish Grant
ARs: Iain Kiy & James Pidding
Hartpury v Caldy
Referee: Sara Cox
ARs: Andy Wigley & Mike Woods
Coventry v Nottingham Rugby
Referee: Benjamin Wood
ARs: Henry Pearson & Kieron Henry
Ealing Trailfinders v Cambridge
Referee: Michael Lamb
ARs: Richard Gordon & Kevin Williams
Chinnor v Cornish Pirates
Referee: Joe James
ARs: Jack Sutton & Simon Adams
26-27 Dec
Cambridge v Coventry
Referee: Alex Thomas
ARs: Michael Lamb & Mike Woods
Nottingham Rugby v Hartpury
Referee: Andrew Jackson
ARs: Jack Sutton & Kieron Henry
Bedford Blues v Richmond
Referee: Hamish Grant
ARs: Matt Sharpe & James Pidding
Worcester Warriors v Chinnor
Referee: Harry Walbaum
ARs: Charlie Gayther & Iain Kiy
Cornish Pirates v Ealing Trailfinders
Referee: Jamie Parr
ARs: Ben Simpson & Kevin Williams
Caldy v Ampthill
Referee: Henry Pearson
ARs: George Ounsley & Gregg Dawson
London Scottish v Doncaster Knights
Referee: Morgan White
ARs: Benjamin Wood & Holly Wood
England: The PWR
20-21 Dec 2025
Harlequins Women v Bristol Bears Women
Referee: Alex Thomas
ARs: Morgan White & Holly Wood
TMO: Nikki O’Donnell
Sale Sharks Women v Saracens Women
Referee: Henry Pearson
ARs: Jamie Leahy & Simon Park
Loughborough Lightning v Ealing Trailfinders Women
Referee: Andy Wigley
ARs: Gareth Holsgrove & Jenny Burrows
Leicester Tigers Women v Gloucester-Hartpury Women
Referee: Matt Sharpe
ARs: James Pidding & Darryl Chapman
France: Top 14
Round 12 (20-21 Dec)
Stade Français Paris v Racing 92
Referee: Pierre Brousset
ARs: Pierre Bru & Flavien Hourquet
TMO: Denis Grenouillet
Montpellier Hérault Rugby v Castres Olympique
Referee: Ludovic Cayre
ARs: Ludovic Carrillo & Laurent Millotte
TMO: Jean Luc Rebollal
Stade Rochelais v Aviron Bayonnais
Referee: Benoit Rousselet
ARs: Christophe Bultet & Benjamin Hernandez
TMO: Herve Lasausa Lespy Labaylette
US Montauban v Section Paloise
Referee: Tual Trainini
ARs: Jonathan Gasnier & Cedric Hueso
TMO: Eric Briquet Campin
USA Perpignan v ASM Clermont
Referee: Thomas Charabas
ARs: Benoit Albert Bonnafous & Vivien Praderie
TMO: Jean Lespes
LOU Rugby v Stade Toulousain
Referee: Kevin Bralley
ARs: Cyrille Boulay & Damien Dauvissat
TMO: Philippe Bonhoure
Union Bordeaux-Bègles v RC Toulon
Referee: Adrien Marbot
ARs: Stephane Crapoix & Jonathan Dufort
TMO: Julien Castaignede
Round 13 (27-28 Dec)
Racing 92 v US Montauban
Referee: Vivien Praderie
ARs: Aurelie Groizeleau & Benoit Lapassade
TMO: Cedric Marchat
Castres Olympique v LOU Rugby
Referee: Pierre Bru
ARs: Christophe Bultet & Thomas Charabas
TMO: Denis Grenouillet
Aviron Bayonnais v Stade Français Paris
Referee: Jeremy Rozier
ARs: Cyrille Boulay & Mathieu Noirot
TMO: Philippe Bonhoure
ASM Clermont v Union Bordeaux-Bègles
Referee: Kevin Bralley
ARs: Flavien Hourquet & Thibault Santamaria
TMO: Herve Lasausa Lespy Labaylette
Section Paloise v Montpellier Hérault Rugby
Referee: Benjamin Hernandez
ARs: Stephane Boyer & Julien Caulier
TMO: Eric Gauzins
RC Toulon v USA Perpignan
Referee: Jonathan Dufort
ARs: David Beun & Pierre Baptiste Nuchy
TMO: Cyril Lafon
Stade Toulousain v Stade Rochelais
Referee: Luc Ramos
ARs: Thomas Chereque & Jonathan Gasnier
TMO: Jean Lespes
France: ProD2: rd 15
18-19 Dec
AS Béziers Hérault v RC Vannes
Referee: Thibault Santamaria
ARs: Nicolas Bridoux & Ludovic Sacarot
TMO: Cyril Lafon
Colomiers Rugby v Valence Romans
Referee: Pierre Baptiste Nuchy
ARs: Sylvain Jaymes & Adrien Maset
TMO: Christophe Berdos
FC Grenoble Rugby v US Dax
Referee: Vincent Blasco Baque
ARs: Thierry Mallet & Thomas Monteux
TMO: Philippe Bonhoure
Stade Montois Rugby v Provence Rugby
Referee: Anthony Lac
ARs: Stephane Coulon & Abdjallil El Khaoulani
TMO: Patrick Dellac
SU Agen v Stade Aurillacois
Referee: Remi Aiguebonne
ARs: Richard Duhau & Hugo Dutreuilh
TMO: Laurent Sclafer
US Carcassonnaise v Soyaux-Angoulême XV
Referee: Jeremy Rozier
ARs: Sylvain Brayelle & Julien Camus
TMO: Akim Hadj Bachir
USON Nevers v CA Brive
Referee: Evan Urruzmendi
ARs: Aurelie Groizeleau & Mickael Simon
TMO: Patrick Pechambert
Biarritz Olympique PB v Oyonnax Rugby
Referee: Julien Caulier
ARs: Vincent Chouquet & Mathieu Noirot
TMO: Cedric Marchat
Celtic Challenge Cup – round 1
Clovers v Gwalia Lightening
Referee: Dermot Blake
ARs: Kevin Beakey & Ciaran O’Flynn
Wolfhounds v Edinburgh
Referee: Padraic Reidy
ARs: Ethan Lyons & Ross Shaughnessy
Brython Thunder v Glasgow Warriors
Referee: Jess Kavanagh
ARs: Will Goodwin & Jez Parsons
The Netherlands: Ereklasse (Men’s)
RC The Dukes v RFC Oisterwijk Oysters
Referee: Wissem Letaif
RC DIOK v AAC
Referee: Katherine Ritchie
Rotterdam RC v Hoek van Holland
Referee: Bram Oudman
RC Eemland v Breda RC
Referee: Lars Looten
RC t’ Gooi v RFC Haarlem
Referee: Thomas Binns
Castricum RC v Haagsche RC
Referee: Edwin van der Spek
Scotland: Inter District
Glasgow & The West v South
Referee: Michael Todd
ARs: Lee Fish & Alistair Watt
Caledonia Reds v Edinburgh District
Referee: David Young
ARs: Bob Nevins & Willie Anderson
Japan: League One: Div 1
KUBOTA SPEARS v RICOH Black Rams
Referee: Takehito Namekawa
ARs: Atsushi Yamamoto & Meitetsu Shimizu
TMO: Tomohiro Koyama
FPRO: Koki Yamauchi
SUNTORY SUNGOLIATH v TOYOTA VERBLITZ
Referee: Masaki Kondo
ARs: Takahiro Kano & Yuma Higashimura
TMO: Tasuku Kawahara
FPRO: Ibuki Tetsuka
PANASONIC WILD KNIGHTS v URAYASU D-Rocks
Referee: Ibuki Tetsuka
ARs: Masaki Kondo & Takahiro Kano
TMO: Daiki Kako
FPRO: Takuya Arai
SHIZUOKA BlueRevs v TOSHIBA BRAVE LUPUS
Referee: Katsuki Furuse
ARs: Shuhei Hamada & Ryotaro Shindo
TMO: Tomohiro Koyama
FPRO: Koji Taniguchi
MITSUBISHI DYNABOARS v CANON EAGLES
Referee: Koki Yamauchi
ARs: Takehito Namekawa & Atsushi Yamamoto
TMO: Mayumi Takahashi
FPRO: Kazuo lechika
HONDA HEAT v KOBE STEELERS
Referee: Toshimasa Sekiya
ARs: Ryosuke Yamatani & Kohei Yoshino
TMO: Tasuku Kawahara
FPRO: Hibiki Ikeda
League One: Div 2
HANAZONO KINTETSU LINERS v NEC GREEN ROCKETS
Referee: Motonori Mizutani
ARs: Ryosuke Yamatani & Shinji Iida
TMO: Nobutsugu Oda
FPRO: Kazuo lechika
KYUDEN VOLTEX v KOTO BLUE SHARKS
Referee: Tetsuya Hirakawa
ARs: Taiga Hirose & Kouichiro Makino
TMO: Yosuke Kimura
FPRO: Katsuhiko Ishii
RED HURRICANES OSAKA v TOYOTA INDUSTRIES SHUTTLES
Referee: Souta Ouchi
ARs: Masamichi Tatekawa & Shinji Iida
TMO: Nobutsugu Oda
FPRO: Kenji Koide
KAMAISHI SEAWAVES v HINO RED DOLPHINS
Referee: Teruki Inanishi
ARs: Kohei Oosawa & Takahiro Watanabe
TMO: Minoru Fuji
FPRO: Kazuhito Taniguchi
League One: Div 3
SKYACTIVES HIROSHIMA v KURITA WATER GUSH
Referee: Rikito Nobuhara
ARs: Yohei Yonekura & Kouichiro Makino
CHUGOKU ELECTRIC RED REGULIONS v Yakult Levins
Referee: Hibiki Ikeda
ARs: Tetsuya Hirakawa & Junichiro Yotsuji
LeRIR0 FUKUOKA v SECOM RUGGUTS
Referee: Yusaku Murata
ARs: Taiga Hirose & Tomohiro Abe
Spain: Liga Iberdrola (women’s) – round 8
Silicius Rugby Majadahonda v Rialta Crat Coruña
Referee: TBC
Club De Rugby Sant Cugat v Olimpico De Pozuelo CR
Referee: Eduard Marti Martin Serralta
Simon Verde Sport Cocos Sevilla v Colina Clinic El Salvador
Referee: Federico Javier Japas
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