World Rugby has confirmed the sixteen officials from nine Unions who will be appointmented for 22 men’s international matches from August to October. That list includes the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series between South Africa and New Zealand and the Asahi Super Dry Pacific Nations Cup 2026 in Japan, as well as the Bledisloe Cup series and a host of other ‘warm-up’/’keep warm’ internationals.
Matthew Carley (Eng), Nika Amashukeli (Geo) and Angus Gardner (Aus) will referee the first three tests of the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series between the Springboks and New Zealand in South Africa, which take place on towards the end of August and start of September.
Having started the series off with the warm up match between the Stormers and NZ, Karl Dickson (Eng) will head to Balitmore for the fourth of the RGR tests on 12 September.
But before that, Eoghan Cross (Ire) will referee the first test of the window between Japan and Australia in Osaka on 8 August, the same day Christophe Ridley is in Buenos Aires with Argentina playing the Springboks. Luke Pearce (Eng) takes charge of the last match in the window, which will be the second Bledisloe Cup encounter between Australia and New Zealand in Sydney on 17 October.
Pacific Nations Cup MOs announced
The Asahi Super Dry Pacific Nations Cup 2026 gets underway with semi-finals on 12 September in Osaka. Katsuki Furuse (Jpn) is set to referee Fiji v Canada and Jordan Way (Aus), the Japan v USA encounter. It’s a very short play-off series, so the appointments for the final round in Tokyo on 19 September will be confirmed once the semi-finals have been played.
Congrats to all announced
Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry tour
7 August 2026
Stormers v New Zealand
Referee: Karl Dickson (Eng)
ARs: Matthew Carley (Eng) & Hollie Davidson (Sco)
TMO: Andrew Jackson (Eng)
FPRO: Mike Adamson (Sco)
11August
Sharks v New Zealand
Referee: Matthew Carley (Eng)
ARs: Karl Dickson (Eng) & Hollie Davidson (Sco)
TMO: Mike Adamson (Sco)
FPRO: Andrew Jackson (Eng)
15 August 2026
Bulls v New Zealand
Referee: Nika Amashukeli (Geo)
ARs: Karl Dickson (Eng) & Matthew Carley (Eng)
TMO: Eric Gauzins (Fra)
FPRO: Mike Adamson (Sco)
22 August 2026 – First Test
South Africa v New Zealand
Referee: Matthew Carley (Eng)
ARs: Karl Dickson (Eng) & Nika Amashukeli (Geo)
TMO: Mike Adamson (Sco)
FPRO: Eric Gauzins (Fra)
25 August
Lions v New Zealand
Referee: Angus Gardner (Aus)
ARs: Karl Dickson (Eng) & Nika Amashukeli (Geo)
TMO: Brett Cronan (Aus)
FPRO: Eric Gauzins (Fra)
29 August 2026 – Second Test
South Africa v New Zealand
Referee: Nika Amashukeli (Geo)
ARs: Karl Dickson (Eng) & Angus Gardner (Aus)
TMO: Eric Gauzins (Fra)
FPRO: Brett Cronan (Aus)
5 September 2026 – Third Test
South Africa v New Zealand
Referee: Angus Gardner (Aus)
ARs: Nika Amashukeli (Geo) & Christophe Ridley (Eng)
TMO: Brett Cronan (Aus)
FPRO: Eric Gauzins (Fra)
12 September 2026 – Fourth Test (Baltimore)
South Africa v New Zealand
Referee: Karl Dickson (Eng)
ARs: Matthew Carley (Eng) & Christophe Ridley (Eng)
TMO: Andrew Jackson (Eng)
FPRO: Matteo Liperini (Ita)
Asahi Super Dry Pacific Nations Cup 2026
12 September
Semi-final: Fiji v Canada
Referee: Katsuki Furuse (Japan)
ARs: Koki Yamauchi (Japan) & Ibuki Tetsuka (Japan)
TMO: Graham Cooper (Aus)
Semi-final: Japan v USA
Referee: Jordan Way (Aus)
ARs: Damon Murphy (Aus) & Morgan White (HKC)
TMO: Graham Cooper (Aus)
19 September
Third Place Play-off: Fiji/Canada v Japan/USA
Referee: TBC
ARs: TBC & TBC
TMO: Matt Rodden (HKC)
Final: Fiji/Canada v Japan/USA
Referee: TBC
ARs: TBC & TBC
TMO: Matt Rodden (HKC)
Men’s Internationals 20265-6 September
8 August
Japan v Australia
Referee: Eoghan Cross (Ire)
ARs: Paul Williams (NZ) & Morgan White (HKC)
TMO: Richard Kelly (NZ)
FPRO: Matt Rodden (HKC)
Argentina v South Africa
Referee: Christophe Ridley (Eng)
ARs: Luc Ramos (Fra) & Craig Evans (Wal)
TMO: Ben Whitehouse (Wal)
FPRO: Ian Tempest (Eng)
15-16 August
Australia v Japan
Referee: Paul Williams (NZ)
ARs: Angus Mabey (NZ) & Marcus Playle (NZ)
TMO: Glenn Newman (NZ)
FPRO: Richard Kelly (NZ)
USA v Argentina XV
Referee: Jérémy Rozier (Fra)
ARs: Robin Kaluzniak (Can) & Pete Pender (Can)
TMO: Cam Russell (Can)
29-30 August
Argentina v Australia
Referee: Ben O’Keeffe (NZ)
ARs: James Doleman (NZ) & Gianluca Gnecchi (Ita)
TMO: Richard Kelly (NZ)
FPRO: Glenn Newman (NZ)
5-6 September
Japan v Canada
Referee: Morgan White (HKC)
ARs: Jordan Way (Aus) & Francesco Cammisa (HKC)
TMO: Matt Rodden (HKC)
Argentina v Australia
Referee: James Doleman (NZ)
ARs: Ben O’Keeffe (NZ) & Gianluca Gnecchi (Ita)
TMO: Glenn Newman (NZ)
FPRO: Richard Kelly (NZ)
26 September
Australia v South Africa
Referee: Andrea Piardi (Ita)
ARs: Ben O’Keeffe (NZ) & James Doleman (NZ)
TMO: Matteo Liperini (Ita)
FPRO: Richard Kelly (NZ)
10 Oct – Bledisloe Cup series
New Zealand v Australia
Referee: Andrew Brace (Ire)
ARs: Luke Pearce (Eng) & Damian Schneider (Arg)
TMO: Mike Adamson (Sco)
FPRO: Marius van der Westhuizen (SA)
17 October
Australia v New Zealand
Referee: Luke Pearce (Eng)
ARs: Andrew Brace (Ire) & Damian Schneider (Arg)
TMO: Marius van der Westhuizen (SA)
FPRO: Mike Adamson (Sco)
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