Another busy international weekend, plus a set of semi-finals down under too. And it’s a great weekend for Australian referees. Reuben Keane (pictured top left) will take charge of the 2026 Junior World Championship final as South Africa play France to finish a great few weeks in Georgia. In South America, his compadre, Jordan Way (bottom left) referees Chile v Georgia who lead their respective pools in the Nations Cup. Should be a cracker, although the weather forecast for that part of the world is monsoon-like! Nic Berry has what could be a cracker at Eden Park. And their elite group pals, Amber McLachlan (top right) has one of the Super W semis as Western Force play the Waratahs, with Jess Ling the other one in Fiji.
Outside of the Australians, we have a host of Nations Championship matches with Christophe Ridley, Matthew Carley, Angus Gardner, Andrew Brace, and Ben O’Keeffe all in action. Precious Pazani has an u20s women’s match in SA as they host a USA junior team. In Asia, we’ve got the MOs for the final round of the Unions Cup where five of the top teams from around the continent are in Thailand with a regional Barbarians team too
Elsewhere, it’s round 9 of the Women’s Elite Rugby comp in the US – Tara Roberts (bottom right) is in charge of the Banshees/Tempest affair – round 6 of Super Rugby Aupiki and we have some junior 7s in Budapest too. And finally, the Currie Cup Premier Division is back for a new season, overlapping with semi-finals of the first division and Super League 2 on the women’s side.
Enjoy your weekends!
Keith
Nations Championship – Round 3
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: Tual Trainini (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 (at Murrayfield, Edinburgh)
Referee: Matthew Carley (Eng)
ARs: Eoghan Cross (Ire) & Anthony Woodthorpe (Eng)
TMO: Eric Gauzins (Fra)
FPRO: Leo Colgan (Ire)
Nations Cup – 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: Craig Evans (Wal)
ARs: Tomas Ninci (Arg) & Caua Ricardo (Bra)
TMO: Dan Jones (Eng)
Chile v Georgia (in La Serena, Chile)
Referee: Jordan Way (Aus)
ARs: Juan Manuel Martínez (Arg) & Federico Longobardi (Arg)
TMO: Julien Caistaignede (Fra)
Junior World Championship – finals
Friday 17th:
15th place play off: USA v Uruguay
Referee: David Vosalevu (Fij)
ARs: Morgan White (HKC) & Mariam Goguadze (Geo)
TMO: Paulo Duarte (Por)
13th place play off: Japan v Spain
Referee: Saba Makharadze (Geo)
ARs: Luke Rogan (USA) & Mariam Goguadze (Geo)
TMO: Aled Griffiths (Wal)
7th place play off: Argentina v Australia
Referee: Kevin Bralley (Fra)
ARs: Christopher Allison (SA) & Shota Tevzadze (Geo)
TMO: Francisco Gonzalez (Uru)
5th place play off: Scotland v Wales
Referee: Gonzalo de Achaval (Arg)
ARs: George Selwood (Eng) & Saba Abulashvili (Geo)
TMO: Matt Rodden (HKC)
Saturday 18th:
11th place play off: Georgia v Fiji
Referee: Robbie Jenkinson (Ire)
ARs: Luke Rogan (USA) & Morgan White (HKC)
TMO: Matt Rodden (HKC)
9th place play off: Italy v Ireland
Referee: Ruairidh Campbell (Sco)
ARs: Saba Makharadze (Geo) & David Vosalevu (Fij)
TMO: Francisco Gonzalez (Uru)
3rd play play off: NZ v England
Referee: Ben Connor (Wal)
ARs: Christopher Allison (SA) & Kevin Bralley (Fra)
TMO: Aled Griffiths (Wal)
Final: France v SA
Referee: Reuben Keane (Aus)
ARs: George Selwood (Eng) & Gonzalo de Achaval (Arg)
TMO: Paulo Duarte (Por)
Women’s U20 International Series
Junior Springbok Women v USA
Referee: Precious Pazani (Zim)
ARs: Giana Viljoen (SA) & Angie Bezuidenhout (SA)
TMO: Archie Sehlako (SA)
Asia: Unions Cup – final round (in Bangkok)
Laos v Guam
Referee: Pradchaya Kachonnad (Thai)
ARs: Weerachai Pongprasertsin (Thai) & Thammarat Lolek (Thai)
TMO: Narong Thaymuang (Thai)
Barbarian Asia v Thailand
Referee: Sonny Wei (Ch Taipei)
ARs: Stefan Berder (Thai), Sheng Chien (Ch Taipei)
TMO: Nattapong Wangcharoensap (Thai)
Singapore v Chinese Taipei
Referee:Dechdanai Wongyuen (Thai)
ARs: Dollayakon Pooknoi (Thai) & Boudsadee Vongdala (Lao)
TMO: Sungwon Maphicham (Thai)
Philippines v Malaysia
Referee: Just Wang (Sing)
ARs: Thawatchai Somwang (Thai) & Thanawat Sitthisenarak (Thai)
TMO: James Perry (Sing)
Rugby Europe U18 7s Trophy – Budapest
Women’s event: Elena Juncanariu (Rom), Lorena Martinez (Spa), Marit Bras (Ned), Clara Grangien (Den) & Olga Surkova (Ukr)
Men’s event: Romain Delhaye (Bel), Victor Lungu (Mol), Marius Bollian (Ger), James Thomas (Swi) & Euan O’Riordan (Ire)
USA: Women’s Elite Rugby – round 9
Banshees v Tempest
Referee: Tara Roberts
ARs: Richard Morgan Roberts & Madeline Bullen
Breakers v Exiles
Referee: Kahlil Harrison
ARs: Amanda Jen Tetler & Piper Zaben
Gemini v Onyx
Referee: Amelia Luciano
ARs: Scott Dan Frankenfeld & Alexis Saari
New Zealand: Super Rugby Aupiki – Round 6
Hurricanes Poua v Chiefs Manawa
Referee: Ben Woolerton
ARs: Maggie Cogger-Orr & Tiana Anderson
TMO: Jared Clarke
Matatu v Blues
Referee: Marcus Playle
ARs: Erin Doherty & Chloe Sampson
TMO: Liam Scanlon
Australia: Super W – Semi Finals
Fijian Drua v Reds
Referee: Jess Ling
ARs: Marco Levy & Charlotte Brunyee
Western Force v Waratahs
Referee: Amber McLachlan
ARs: Ella Goldsmith & Peter van Aswegen
South Africa: Carling Currie Cup Premier Division – round 1
Airlink Pumas v Hollywoodbets Sharks XV
Referee: Juan de Bod
ARs: Hanru van Rooyen & Jonathan Lottering
TMO: Egon Seconds
DHL Stormers v Suzuki Griquas
Referee: Stephan Geldenhuys
ARs: Zoe Naude & Lulutho Matomela
TMO: Archie Moko
Toyota Cheetahs v Fidelity ADT Lions
Referee: Dylen November
ARs: AJ Jacobs & Jonathan Lottering
TMO: Egon Seconds
Sanlam Boland Kavaliers v Vodacom Bulls XV
Referee: Griffin Colby
ARs: Juan de Bod & Zoe Naude
TMO: Quinton Immelman
Carling Currie Cup First Division – Semi-finals
Eastern Province v Valke
Referee: Paul Mente
ARs: Hernus Coetzee & Siyanda Pikoli
Dotsure SWD Eagles v Leopards
Referee: Caleb Hibbert
ARs: Lulutho Matomela & Excellent Mnkomo
South Africa: Pick n Pay Women’s Super League 2
Avbob Griquas Women v Limpopo Blue Bulls Women
Referee: Chante Olivier
Valke Women v Griffons Women
Referee: Yohane Tredoux
Leopards Women v Hollywood Foundation Pumas Women
Referee: Kuhle Sodinga
England: Friendly
Muslimah Rugby v Black Girls Ruck
Referee: Hannah Everitt (London)
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