World Rugby have today announced the match officials for the first phases of the new Nations Championship and the new Nations Cup this summer.
The Nations Championship is the new international rugby tournament, to be run by Six Nations Rugby and SANZAAR, which pits the top 12 teams against each other – Northern Hemisphere v Southern Hemisphere – in a series of matches which will complete in the November window with a finals weekend at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham.
The Nations Cup brings together 12 nations from rugby’s most dynamic growth markets, competing across the July and November windows in two pools of six teams. The matches will all be hosted across North and South America in Canada, Chile, Uruguay and USA.
All together, it means competitive meaningful rugby for 24 major nations. And that also means opportunities for match officials vying to get themselves into contention for RWC27 or even 2031.
Highlights from the appointments:
– Luke Pearce will referee the first test of the inaugural Nations Championship
– Hollie Davidson will become the third MO this year to reach 50 tests (Carley, Barrett-Theron & Cox), the third female, as well as the first Scottish referee to reach 50
– Sixteen referees from eight nations will take charge of the 18 Nations Championship matches – Ben O’Keeffe (NZ) and Nic Berry (Aus) both have two each.
– Nine referees from seven nations to referee the Nations Cup – seven will referee two matches each with Damián Schneider (Arg) handed three appointments.
Congratulations to all on their appointments
Warm up tests
20 June
South Africa v Barbarians (Gqeberha, S Africa)
Referee: Morné Ferreira (SA)
ARs: Griffin Colby (SA) & Hanru van Rooyen (SA)
TMO: Marius van der Westhuizen (SA)
FPRO: Marius Jonker (SA)
27 June
Japan XV v New Zealand Maori (in Tokyo)
Referee: Sam Grove-White (Sco)
ARs: Katsuki Furuse (Jpn) & ARs: Ibuki Tetsuka (Jpn)
TMO: Koki Yamauchi (Jpn)
Barbarians v Wales (at Allianz Twickenham)
Referee: Anthony Woodthorpe (Eng)
ARs: Alex Thomas & Jamie Parr
TMO: Stuart Terheege
Barbarians Women v Wales Women (at Allianz Twickenham)
Referee: Nikki O’Donnell (Eng)
ARs: Emily Hope (Eng) & Rebecca Piddlesden (Eng)
TMO: Craig Maxwell-Keys (Eng)
Nations Championship – July 2026
Round 1 – 4 July
New Zealand v France
Referee: Luke Pearce (Eng)
ARs: Christophe Ridley (Eng) & Katsuki Furuse (Jrpn)
TMO: Marius van der Westhuizen (SA)
FPRO: Ben Whitehouse (Wal)
Australia v Ireland
Referee: Ben O’Keeffe (NZ)
ARs: Karl Dickson (Eng) & Andrea Piardi (Ita)
TMO: Matteo Liperini (Ita)
FPRO: Glenn Newman (NZ)
South Africa v England
Referee: James Doleman (NZ)
ARs: Andrew Brace (Ire) & Pierre Brousset (Fra)
TMO: Richard Kelly (NZ)
FPRO: Olly Hodges (Ire)
Argentina v Scotland
Referee: Nika Amashukeli (Geo)
ARs: Paul Williams (NZ) & Adam Leal (Eng)
TMO: Brett Cronan (Aus)
FPRO: Eric Gauzins(Fra)
Japan v Italy
Referee: Nic Berry (Aus)
ARs: Luc Ramos (Fra) & Sam Grove-White (Sco)
TMO: Ian Tempest (Eng)
FPRO: Andrew Jackson (Eng)
Fiji v Wales (in Cardiff City Stadium)
Referee: Eoghan Cross (Ire)
ARs: Matthew Carley (Eng) & Hollie Davidson (Sco)
TMO: Leo Colgan (Ire)
FPRO: Mike Adamson (Sco)
Round 2 – 11 July
Australia v France
Referee: Karl Dickson (Eng)
ARs: Christophe Ridley (Eng) & Katsuki Furuse (Jrfu)
TMO: Andrew Jackson (Eng)
FPRO: Glenn Newman (NZ)
New Zealand v Italy
Referee: Luc Ramos (Fra)
ARs: Nic Berry (Aus) & Luke Pearce (Eng)
TMO: Ben Whitehouse (Wal)
FPRO: Marius van der Westhuizen (SA)
South Africa v Scotland
Referee: Pierre Brousset (Fra)
ARs: James Doleman (NZ) & Andrew Brace (Ire)
TMO: Richard Kelly (NZ)
FPRO: Olly Hodges (Ire)
Argentina v Wales
Referee: Paul Williams (NZ)
ARs: Angus Gardner (Aus) & Nika Amashukeli (Geo)
TMO: Eric Gauzins (Fra)
FPRO: Brett Cronan (Aus)
Japan v Ireland (to be played in Newcastle, Australia)
Referee: Andrea Piardi (Ita)
ARs: Ben O’Keeffe (NZ) & Morné Ferreira (SA)
TMO: Matteo Liperini (Ita)
FPRO: Ian Tempest (Eng)
Fiji v England (in Liverpool)
Referee: Hollie Davidson (Sco)
ARs: Eoghan Cross (Ire) & Sam Grove-White (Sco)
TMO: Mike Adamson (Sco)
FPRO: Tual Trainini (Fra)
Round 3 – 18 July
Australia v Italy
Referee: Christophe Ridley (Eng)
ARs: Karl Dickson (Eng) & Morné Ferreira (SA)
TMO: Marius van der Westhuizen (SA)
FPRO: Ian Tempest (Eng)
New Zealand v Ireland
Referee: Nic Berry (Aus)
ARs: Luc Ramos (Fra) & Damon Murphy (Aus)
TMO: Ben Whitehouse (Wal)
FPRO: Andrew Jackson (Eng)
South Africa v Wales
Referee: Andrew Brace (Ire)
ARs: Pierre Brousset (Fra) & James Doleman (NZ)
TMO: Olly Hodges (Ire)
FPRO: Richard Kelly (NZ)
Argentina v England
Referee: Angus Gardner (Aus)
ARs: Nika Amashukeli (Geo) & Paul Williams (NZ)
TMO: Brett Cronan (Aus)
FPRO: Eric Gauzins (Fra)
Japan v France
Referee: Ben O’Keeffe (NZ)
ARs: Andrea Piardi (Ita) & Luke Pearce (Eng)
TMO: Glenn Newman (NZ)
FPRO: Matteo Liperini (Ita)
Fiji v Scotland (to be played at Murrayfield, Edinburgh)
Referee: Matthew Carley (Eng)
ARs: Eoghan Cross (Ire) & Anthony Woodthorpe (Eng)
TMO: Tual Trainini (Fra)
FPRO: Leo Colgan (Ire)
Nations Cup – July 2026
Round 1
USA v Portugal (in Denver)
Referee: Gianluca Gnecchi (Ita)
ARs: Jeremy Rozier (Fra) & Robin Kaluzniak (Can)
TMO: Adam Jones (Wal)
Tonga v Zimbabwe (in Denver)
Referee: Ben Breakspear (Wal)
ARs: Jeremy Rozier (Fra) & Robin Kaluzniak (Can)
TMO: Adam Jones (Wal)
Canada v Spain (in Edmonton)
Referee: Tomas Bertazza (Arg)
ARs: Mike Lawrenson (USA) & Derek Summers (USA)
TMO: Dan Jones (Eng)
Samoa v Hong Kong China (in Santiago, Chile)
Referee: Angus Mabey (NZ)
ARs: Jordan Way (Aus) & Caua Ricardo (Bra)
TMO: Adam Jones (Wal)
Chile v Romania (in Santiago)
Referee: Damian Schneider (Arg)
ARs: Jordan Way (Aus) & Caua Ricardo (Bra)
TMO: Tual Trainini (Fra)
Uruguay v Georgia (in Montevideo)
Referee: Craig Evans (Wal)
ARs: Tomas Ninci (Arg) & Federico Longobardi (Arg)
TMO: Dan Jones (Eng)
Round 2
USA v Zimbabwe (in Charlotte, NC)
Referee: Damian Schneider (Arg)
ARs: Ben Breakspear (Wal) & Robin Kaluzniak (Can)
TMO: Dan Jones (Eng)
Tonga v Spain (in Edmonton, Canada)
Referee: Gianluca Gnecchi (Ita)
ARs: Tomas Bertazza (Arg) & Mike Lawrenson (USA)
TMO: Stefano Penne (Ita)
Canada v Portugal (in Edmonton, Canada)
Referee: Jeremy Rozier (Fra)
ARs: Tomas Bertazza (Arg) & Mike Lawrenson (USA)
TMO: Stefano Penne (Ita)
Samoa v Georgia (in Vina del Mar, Chile)
Referee: Adam Leal (Eng)
ARs: Tomas Ninci (Arg) & Federico Longobardi (Arg)
TMO: Leo Colgan (Ire)
Chile v Hong Kong China (in Vina del Mar, Chile)
Referee: Craig Evans (Wal)
ARs: Tomas Ninci (Arg) & Federico Longobardi (Arg)
TMO: Leo Colgan (Ire)
Uruguay v Romania (in Montevideo)
Referee: Jordan Way (Aus)
ARs: Angus Mabey (NZ) & Caua Ricardo (Bra)
TMO:Dan Jones (Eng)
Round 3
USA v Spain (in Rayleigh, N Carolina)
Referee: Ben Breakspear (Wal)
ARs: Jeremy Rozier (Fra) & Robin Kaluzniak (Can)
TMO: Dan Jones (Eng)
Tonga v Portugal (in Manitoba, Canada)
Referee: Damian Schneider (Arg)
ARs: Gianluca Gnecchi (Ita) & Mike Lawrenson (USA)
TMO: Francisco Gonzalez (Uru)
Canada v Zimbabwe (in Manitoba, Canada)
Referee: Tomas Bertazza (Arg)
ARs: Gianluca Gnecchi (Ita) & Mike Lawrenson (USA)
TMO: Aled Griffiths (Wal)
Samoa v Romania (in Montevideo, Uruguay)
Referee: Angus Mabey (NZ)
ARs: Tomas Ninci (Arg) & Caua Ricardo (Bra)
TMO: Julien Caistaignede (Fra)
Uruguay v Hong Kong China (in Montevideo)
Referee: Adam Leal (Eng)
ARs: Tomas Ninci (Arg) & Caua Ricardo (Bra)
TMO: Dan Jones (Eng)
Chile v Georgia (in La Serena, Chile)
Referee: Jordan Way (Aus)
ARs: Craig Evans (Wal) & Federico Longobardi (Arg)
TMO: Julien Caistaignede (Fra)
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