World Rugby has announced the Emirates Match Official appointments for the WXV Global Series and WXV Global Series Challenger presented by Mitsubishi Electric, which kick off later in September.
In the Global Series, ten referees from eight nations will referee the 30 matches across 13 countries.
The Challenger series will be in a single location – Hong Kong – with six more referees whistling the nine matches there.
Aurélie Groizeleau (pictured left) will become fourth female to referee 50 tests when she referees her second of three matches in the international window. Her first will be the WXV opener between England and Australia, before and clocking up her 50th in Toronto on 16 October as the Red Roses face Canada in a repeat of the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 final. She’ll pick up #51 with the second of those matches on 23 October in becoming the fifth French official to achieve the 50 mark – behind Romain Poite, Jérôme Garcès, Pascal Gaüzère and Mathieu Raynal.
At the other end of the scale, there’s Test debuts for France’s Bérénice Loubet and South African Giana Viljoen, while Scotland’s Finlay Brown acts as a Television Match Official in a test for the first time. Similar to the men’s Nations Cup/Championship series, TMOs and FPROs will be deployed either on location or on a remote basis.
WXV Global Series – a properly global competition
In a change to previous interations of WXV, this year, the Unions are hosting their own matches, hoping to make the most of increased home interest following RWC2025. Previous versions have been hosted in single countries. The 30 matches that make up the inaugural WXV Global Series, kicks off in Manchester on 12 September and finishes in Cape Town on 31 October.
With Aimee Barrett-Theron (South Africa) taking a break as she continues treatment for breast cancer, four officials will take charge of four matches in the series in Maggie Cogger-Orr (New Zealand), Ella Goldsmith (Australia), Aurélie Groizeleau (France) and Holly Wood (England).
Jess Ling (Australia) will take charge of the final test of the WXV Global Series, between South Africa and Ireland in Cape Town on 31 October.
WXV Global Series Challenger 2026 presented by Mitsubishi Electric
In the WXV Global Series Challenger in Hong Kong, Amber Stamp-Dunstan (Wales) will referee the opening match between Spain and Fiji, the two highest ranked teams in the six-team competition which runs from 13-26 September.
Hibiki Ikeda (Japan) and Precious Pazani (Zimbabwe) will also referee games on the opening day at Kai Tak Youth Sports Ground, before Emma Gallagher (Canada), Giana Viljoen (South Africa) and Sunny Lee (Hong Kong China) step into the middle for round two.
WXV Global Series
12/13 September 2026
England v Australia (in Manchester)
Referee: Aurélie Groizeleau (Fra)
ARs: Robbie Jenkinson (Ire) & Alexandra Ferre (Fra)
TMO: Aled Griffiths (Wal)
FPRO: Finlay Brown (Sco)
France v New Zealand (in Lyon)
Referee: Clara Munarini (Ita)
ARs: Zoe Naude (SA) & Beatrice Smussi (Ita)
TMO: Stefano Penne (Ita)
FPRO: Paul Haycock (Ire)
Scotland v Canada (in Edinburgh)
Referee: Holly Wood (Eng)
ARs: Jamie Parr (Eng) & Emily Hope (Eng)
TMO: Dan Jones (Eng)
FPRO: Jenny Davies (Wal)
18/20 September 2026
Wales v South Africa (in Cardiff)
Referee: Ella Goldsmith (Aus)
ARs: Ruairidh Campbell (Sco) & Rebecca Piddlesden (Eng)
TMO: Stefano Penne (Ita)
FPRO: Paul Haycock (Ire)
England v Canada (in Exeter)
Referee: Clara Munarini (Ita)
ARs: Aurélie Groizeleau (Fra) & Alexandra Ferre (Fra)
TMO: Matteo Liperini (Ita)
FPRO: Stefano Roscini (Ita)
Scotland v New Zealand
Referee: Jess Ling (Aus)
ARs: Robbie Jenkinson (Ire) & Mariam Goguadze (Geo)
TMO: Leo Colgan (Ire)
FPRO: Brian MacNeice (Ire)
France v Australia (in Aix-de-Provence)
Referee: Holly Wood (Eng)
ARs: Jamie Parr (Eng) & Beatrice Smussi (Ita)
TMO: Dan Jones (Eng)
FPRO: Hamish Smales (Eng)
Italy v Japan (in Pordenone)
Referee: Zoe Naude (SA)
ARs: Berenice Loubet (Fra) & Doriane Constanty (Fra)
TMO: Quinton Immelman (SA)
FPRO: Finlay Brown (Sco)
Ireland v USA (in Dublin)
Referee: Maggie Cogger-Orr (NZ)
ARs: Ella Goldsmith (Aus) & Rebecca Piddlesden (Eng)
TMO: Aled Griffiths (Wal)
FPRO: Jenny Davies (Wal)
26/27 September 2026
England v New Zealand (in Twcikenham)
Referee: Clara Munarini (Ita)
ARs: Ben Connor (Wal) & Beatrice Smussi (Ita)
TMO: Quinton Immelman (SA)
FPRO: Stefano Roscini (Ita)
France v Canada (in La Rochelle)
Referee: Maggie Cogger-Orr (NZ)
ARs: Ruairidh Campbell (Sco) & Rebecca Piddlesden (Eng)
TMO: Stefano Penne (Ita)
FPRO: Brian MacNeice (Ire)
Scotland v Australia (in Edinburgh)
Referee: Aurélie Groizeleau (Fra)
ARs: Berenice Loubet (Fra) & Alexandra Ferre (Fra)
TMO: Leo Colgan (Ire)
FPRO: Paul Haycock (Ire)
Wales v USA (in Cardiff)
Referee: Amber McLachlan (Aus)
ARs: Jess Ling (Aus) & Mariam Goguadze (Geo)
TMO: Finlay Brown (Sco)
FPRO: Mike Adamson (Sco)
Italy v South Africa (in Pordenone)
Referee: Holly Wood (Eng)
ARs: Maria Latos (Ger) & Emily Hope (Eng)
TMO: Dan Jones (Eng)
Ireland v Japan (in Galway)
Referee: Ella Goldsmith (Aus)
ARs: George Selwood (Eng) & Doriane Constanty (Fra)
TMO: Quinton Immelman (SA)
FPRO: Hamish Smales (Eng)
4 Oct
Spain v South Africa (in Seville)
Referee: Bérénice Loubet (Fra)
ARs Alexandra Ferré (Fra) & Maria Latos (Ger)
TMO: Finlay Brown (Sco)
FPRO: Paulo Duarte (Por)
16/17 October 2026
Canada v England (in Toronto)
Referee: Aurélie Groizeleau (Fra)
ARs: Luke Rogan (USA) & Amelia Luciano (USA)
TMO: Derek Summers (USA)
FPRO: Cam Russell (Can)
New Zealand v France (in Hamilton)
Referee: Ella Goldsmith (Aus)
ARs: Amber McLachlan (Aus) & Jess Ling (Aus)
TMO: Rachel Horton (Aus)
FPRO: Damon Murphy (Aus)
Australia v Scotland (in Sydney)
Referee: Maggie Cogger-Orr (NZ)
ARs: Chloe Sampson (NZ) & Erin Doherty (NZ)
TMO: Estelle Whaiapu (NZ)
FPRO: Aaron Paterson (NZ)
USA v Italy (in Nashville)
Referee: Holly Wood (Eng)
ARs: Emma Gallagher (Can) & Lindsey Oliver (USA)
TMO: Cam Russell (Can)
FPRO: Derek Summers (USA)
23/24 October 2026
Canada v England (in Ottowa)
Referee: Aurélie Groizeleau (Fra)
ARs: Luke Rogan (USA) & Amelia Luciano (USA)
TMO: Derek Summers (USA)
FPRO: Cam Russell (Can)
Australia v Scotland (in Canberra)
Referee: Maggie Cogger-Orr (NZ)
ARs: Chloe Sampson (NZ) & Erin Doherty (NZ)
TMO: Estelle Whaiapu (NZ)
FPRO: Aaron Paterson (NZ)
New Zealand v France (in Whangarei)
Referee: Amber McLachlan (Aus)
ARs: Ella Goldsmith (Aus) & Natarsha Ganley (NZ)
TMO: Rachel Horton (Aus)
FPRO: Damon Murphy (Aus)
USA v Italy (in Nashville)
Referee: Zoe Naude (SA)
ARs: Emma Gallagher (Can) & Kristine Lovatt (Can)
TMO: Cam Russell (Can)
FPRO: Derek Summers (USA)
Japan v Wales (in Tokyo)
Referee: Julianne Zussman (Can)
ARs: Lee Chui Yan Sunny (HKC) & Hibiki Ikeda (Jpn)
TMO: Matt Rodden (HKC)
FPRO: Koki Yamauchi (Jpn)
South Africa v Ireland (in Cape Town)
Referee: Jess Ling (Aus)
ARs: Precious Pazani (Zim) & Giana Viljoen (SA)
TMO: Matteo Liperini (Ita)
FPRO: Quinton Immelman (SA)
31 October 2026
USA v England (in New Jersey)
Referee: Zoe Naude (SA)
ARs: Emma Gallagher (Can) & Kristine Lovatt (Can)
TMO: Cam Russell (Can)
FPRO: Leo Colgan (Ire)
New Zealand v France (in Christchurch)
Referee: Ella Goldsmith (Aus)
ARs: Amber McLachlan (Aus) & Natarsha Ganley (NZ)
TMO: Rachel Horton (Aus)
FPRO: Damon Murphy (Aus)
Japan v Wales (in Kumagaya)
Referee: Julianne Zussman (Can)
ARs: Lee Chui Yan Sunny (HKC) & Hibiki Ikeda (Jpn)
TMO: Matt Rodden (HKC)
FPRO: Koki Yamauchi (Jpn)
South Africa v Ireland (in Cape Town)
Referee: Jess Ling (Aus)
ARs: Precious Pazani (Zim) & Giana Viljoen (SA)
TMO: Matteo Liperini (Ita)
FPRO: Quinton Immelman (SA)
WXV Challenger Series appointments – all in Hong Kong
13 September 2026
Spain v Fiji
Referee: Amber Stamp-Dunstan (Wal)
ARs: Sunny Lee (HKC) & Thomas Ngan (HKC)
TMO: Paulo Duarte (Por)
Hong Kong China v Brazil
Referee: Hibiki Ikeda (Jpn)
ARs: Emma Gallagher (Can) & Giana Viljoen (SA)
TMO: Julien Castaignede (Fra)
Netherlands v Samoa
Referee: Precious Pazani (Zim)
ARs: Sunny Lee (HKC) & Jan Tang (HKC)
TMO: Adam Jones (WRU)
19 September 2026
Samoa v Spain
Referee: Emma Gallagher (Can)
ARs: Amber Stamp-Dunstan (Wal) & Jan Tang (HKC)
TMO: Julien Castaignede (Fra)
Fiji v Hong Kong China
Referee: Giana Viljoen (SA)
ARs: Precious Pazani (Zim) & Hibiki Ikeda (Jpn)
TMO: Paulo Duarte (Por)
Brazil v Netherlands
Referee: Sunny Lee (HKC)
ARs: Amber Stamp-Dunstan (Wal) & Thomas Ngan (HKC)
TMO: Adam Jones (WRU)
26 September 2026 – appointments to follow
Fiji v Netherlands
Hong Kong China v Samoa
Spain v Brazil
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