Another big weekend around the rugbying world. To start with, we have the final round of the World Svns series in Bordeaux. Last weekend, New Zealand referees Chloe Sampson (pictured top right) and Nick Hogan officiated the respective women’s and men’s finals (Sampson’s first final – congrats!) Will history repeat this weekend? On the international scene, there’s regional competitions underway. In Mexico City, Jenny Lui (bottom left) from the USA makes her test debut as Mexico Women host Trinidad & Tobago – congrats Jenny! In Hong Kong China, Tetsuya Hirakawa leads an all Japanese Team of 3 for the Asia Rugby Men’s CHamp tie with Korea. Speaking of Japan, it’s Grand Finals week for their top League One division. Katsuki Furuse (top left) will again referee the final, this time between the Steelers and the Kubota Spears.
It’s semi-finals week in the URC with Andrew Brace and Hollie Davidson appointed to referee the two ties. Brace is at Murrayfield as Glasgow host the Bulls, with Davidson at the Aviva as Leinster play the Stormers.
In France, the Top 14 enters it’s last league round and it’s close at the top with Stade Francais (currently a point behind 3rd-place Montpellier) hosting La Rochelle who currently sit a point outside of the barrages spot. Both need to win for different reasons – Thomas Charabas referees that one. The ProD2 final will be refereed by Benoit Rousselet. It’s the last round of France’s Elite 1 Feminine and second placed Stade Toulousain Rugby host the leaders ASM Romagnat. With just one point in it, it’s a winner takes all match for the championship. Alexandra Ferre will be the lady in the middle!
It’s also the final normal rounds of the Gallagher Prem (plenty of matches have something on them), and the PWR (all 4semin finalists now known). Elsewhere in Europe, it’s the men’s Bundesliga final in Austria, with Benjamin Loader (bottom right) taking charge of his third grand finale! Congrats to him. Out West we near the end of the MLR and WER seasons, and down South, we have play offs for Super Rugby Pacific; the last round of SR Americas; and a welcome return to Super W in Australia. Amber McLachlan and Jess Ling will run out in the two matches there.
Plenty going on around the world – enjoy what you’re watching this weekend
Keith
World Svns Series – final -Bordeaux, France
Women’s event: Ella Goldsmith (Aus), Chloe Sampson (NZ), Doriane Constanty (Fra), Hibiki Ikeda (Jpn), Sunny Lee (HKC) & Maria Latos (Ger)
Men’s event: Ben Connor (Wal), Peter Martin (Ire), AJ Jacobs (SA), Nick Hogan (NZ), George Selwood (Eng) & Morgan White (HKC)
Asia Rugby Emirates Men’s Championship – round 2
Hong Kong China v Korea
Referee: Tetsuya Hirakawa (Jpn)
ARs: Rikito Nobuhara (Jpn) & Teruki Inanishi (Jpn)
RAN Women’s XVs series
Mexico Women v Trinidad and Tobago Women
Referee: Jenny Lui (USA)
ARs: Dany Rosales (Mex) & Sebastian Leighton (Mex)
Japan: League One Grand final
Steelers v Spears
Referee: Katsuki Furuse
ARs: Takehito Namekawa & Koki Yamauchi
TMO: Tasuku Kawahara
FPRO: Yosuke Kimura
Bronze play off: Wildknights v Sungoliath
Referee: Ibuki Tetsuka
ARs: Masaki Kondo & Toshimasa Sekiya
TMO: Tomohiro Koyama
FPRO: Minoru Fuji
Super Rugby Americas – round 14
Peñarol Rugby v Pampas
Referee: Gonzalo De Achaval
ARs: Sergio Alvarenga & Armen Abi-Saab
Dogos XV v Yacaré XV
Referee: Damián Schneider
ARs: Esteban Filipanics & Nerea Livoni
Tarucas v Capibaras XV
Referee: Tomás Bertazza
ARs: Tomás Ninci & Pedro Lopez Vildosa
Selknam v Cobras Brasil Rugby
Referee: Federico Solari
ARs: Juan Manuel Martínez & Sebastián Toledo
Super Rugby Pacific- qualifying finals
Hurricanes v Brumbies
Referee: Ben O’Keeffe
ARs: Todd Petrie & Warwick Lahmert
TMO: Richard Kelly
Crusaders v Blues
Referee: Nic Berry
ARs: Reuben Jeane & Louis Trisley
TMO: Brett Cronan
Chiefs v Reds
Referee: James Doleman
ARs: Marcus Plyle & Fraser Hannon
TMO: Glenn Newman
Australia: Super Rugby W – Round 1
Waratahs v Fijian Drua
Referee: Amber McLachlan
ARs: Clare Adamson & Charlotte Brunyee
Reds v Brumbies
Referee: Jessica Ling
ARs: Brayden Hudson & Ziggy Day
BKT United Rugby Championship – Semi finals
Glasgow Warriors v Vodacom Bulls (at Scottish Gas Murrayfield, Edinburgh)
Referee: Andrew Brace (Ire, 117th league game)
ARs: Eoghan Cross (Ire) & Robbie Jenkinson (Ire)
TMO: Olly Hodges (Ire)
Leinster Rugby v DHL Stormers (at Aviva Stadium, Dublin)
Referee: Hollie Davidson (Sco, 29th league game)
ARs: Sam Grove-White (Sco) & Adam Jones (Wal)
TMO: Mike Adamson (Sco)
France: ProD2 Finale
RC Vannes v Provence Rugby
Referee: Benoit Rousselet
ARs: Julien Caulier & Adrien Marbot
TMO: Cedric Marchat
France: Top 14 – Round 26
Aviron Bayonnais v USA Perpignan
Referee: Pierre Bru
ARs: Richard Duhau & Anthony Lac
TMO: Philippe Bonhoure
Castres Olympique v RC Toulon
Referee: Jonathan Dufort
ARs: Damien Dauvissat & Benoit Lapassade
TMO: Christophe Berdos
LOU Rugby v Montpellier Hérault Rugby
Referee: Pierre Baptiste Nuchy
ARs: Christophe Bultet & Stephane Coulon
TMO: Denis Grenouillet
Racing 92 v Stade Toulousain
Referee: Jonathan Gasnier
ARs: Stephane Crapoix & Thibault Santamaria
TMO: Jean Luc Rebollal
Section Paloise v US Montauban
Referee: Benjamin Hernandez
ARs: Hugo Dutreuilh & Mickael Simon
TMO: Mourad Zitouni
Stade Rochelais v Stade Français Paris
Referee: Thomas Charabas
ARs: Stephane Boyer & Pierre Brousset
TMO: Julien Castaignede
Union Bordeaux-Bègles v ASM Clermont
Referee: Tual Trainini
ARs: Thomas Chereque & Luc Ramos
TMO: Eric Gauzins
France: Elite 1 Feminine – round 18
Rugby Club Toulon Provence Mediterranee v Stade Bordelais
Referee: Romain Carbonnel
ARs: Loic Lachaize & Frederic Masse
Stade Toulousain Rugby v ASM Romagnat Rugby Feminin
Referee: Alexandra Ferre
ARs: Corentin Meler & Eric Gleyze
AC Bobigny 93 Rugby v Stade Villeneuvois Lille Metropole
Referee: Charles Morel
ARs: Thibaud Roche & Thomas Joly
Lyon Ol U v Montpellier Herault Rugby
Referee: Francois Bouzac
ARs: Romain Sanchez & Mickael Perrot
FC Grenoble Amazones v Blagnac Sporting Club Rugby
Referee: Corentin Averseng
ARs: Jeremy Paris & Baptiste Abel Coindoz
England: Gallagher Prem – round 18
Bath Rugby v Leicester Tigers
Referee: Ian Tempest (131st match)
ARs: Sara Cox & Jonathan Healy
TMO: Adam Leal
Exeter Chiefs v Saracens
Referee: Karl Dickson (107th match)
ARs: Luke Pearce & Jamie Leahy
TMO: Andrew Jackson
Gloucester Rugby v Newcastle Redbulls
Referee: Joe James (8th match)
ARs: Jamie Parr & Wayne Falla
TMO: David Rose
Harlequins v Northampton Saints
Referee: Craig Maxwell-Keys (137th match)
ARs: Harry Walbaum & Hamish Grant
TMO: Hamish Smales
Sale Sharks v Bristol Bears
Referee: Anthony Woodthorpe (56th match)
ARs: Dan Jones & Gareth Holsgrove
TMO: Peter Allan
England: PWR – round 18
Exeter Chiefs Women v Sale Sharks Women
Referee: Nikki O’Donnell
ARs: Rebecca Piddlesden & Simon Adams
Gloucester-Hartpury Women v Bristol Bears Women
Referee: Holly Wood
ARs: Mike Hudson & James Pidding
Leicester Tigers Women v Loughborough Lightning
Referee: Matt Sharpe
ARs: Iain Kiy & Rosanna Procter
Saracens Women v Ealing Trailfinders Women
Referee: Benjamin Wood
ARs: Neil Chivers & Emily Hope
TMO: Alex Thomas
England – Friendly
Leicester Tigers Academy v England U20
Referee: Henry Pearson
ARs: Kieron Henry & Gregg Dawson
Austria: Bundesliga Final (Men’s)
RC Graz v RFC Vienna Celtic
Referee: Benjamin Loader
ARs: Reinhard Probst & Anna Häuplik
Third Place Play Off
RC Wachau-Linz v RU Donau Korsaren
Referee: Laura Wunsch
ARs: Reinhard Probst & Anna Häuplik
USA: MLR – Round 11
Old Glory DC v Anthem Rugby Carolina
Referee: Federico Anselmi
ARs: Mike Lawrenson & Amelia Luciano
New England Free Jacks v Chicago Hounds
Referee: Derek Summers
ARs: Pete Pender & Cam Russell
Seattle Seawolves v California Legion
Referee: Luke Rogan
ARs: Shanda Assmus & Marquise Goodwin
USA: WER Rugby – round 5
Gemini v Exiles
Referee: Katie Roth
ARs: Dan Frankenfeld & Tornike Katcharava
Banshees v Breakers
Referee: Tara Roberts
ARs: Morgan Roberts & Maddie Bullen
Onyx v Tempest
Referee: Liz Malazita
ARs: Pearce Mara & Breata Jessen
South Africa: Toyota Challenge Africa Euro Series
Round 1 – Fri 5 June
Airlink Pumas v Black Lion (Georgia)
Referee: Christopher Allison
TMO: Stephan Geldenhuys
Suzuki Griquas v Romania A
Referee: Griffin Colby
TMO: Stephan Geldenhuys
Toyota Cheetahs v Cartrack Lusitanos (Portugal)
Referee: Hanru van Rooyen
TMO: Stephan Geldenhuys
Round 2 – 10 June
Suzuki Griquas v Black Lion (Georgia)
Referee: Lulutho Matomela
TMO: Cwengile Jadezweni
Airlink Pumas v Cartrack Lusitanos (Portugal)
Referee: Griffin Colby
TMO: Cwengile Jadezweni
Toyota Cheetahs v Romania A
Referee: Juan de Bod
TMO: Cwengile Jadezweni
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