World Rugby have confirmed the Emirates Match Official appointments for the November leg of both the inaugural Nations Cup and Champions Cup, plus five other men’s representative matches.
Nations Cup
In the Nations Cup, played across Europe and in Hong Kong from 6-21 November, the 12 nations from rugby’s growth markets and who will all Men’s Rugby World Cup 2027, all play across two pools. Georgia and USA currently sit top of their pools as the only unbeaten teams and will be eager to remain there!
Eighteen referees from 11 nations will take charge of the 18 matches. The referees will take charge of teams they could officiate at RWC 2027 and also for those teams to have some of the most experienced officials on the current men’s panel in the middle for their games. Therefore, Angus Gardner (Australia) will referee the opening match of the Nations Cup November window, between Romania and Tonga at Stadionul National Arcul de Triumf in Bucharest on Friday, 6 November.
Ben Breakspear (Wales), one of five referees who took charge of Nations Cup matches in July, will bring the curtain down on the inaugural competition by refereeing Zimbabwe v Chile at Stade Chanzy in Angoulême, France, on 21 November.
Representative matches
There are five other men’s representative games in October and November. Nika Amashukeli (Georgia) referees Japan v Fiji in Tokyo this weekend, and Katsuki Furuse (Jpn) and Damián Schneider (Arg) will referee the USA v Australia A matches in Nashville (24 October) and New Jersey (30 October). Amashukeli will also then take charge of England A v Argentina XV in Bath on 6 November, with George Selwood (Eng) taking charge of Ireland XV v Fiji A in Cork on 20 November.
Nations Championship
World Rugby have also confirmed the 16 refs for the 18 matches for the Nations Championship Northern Hemisphere Series. All the usual names and faces have a match each with Andrew Brace (Ire) and Pierre Brousset (Fra) picking up two matches. The finals weekend appointments will be done when the teams/matches are concluded. With some refereeing Nations Cup matches, there is scope for other officials to step up or back in as they attempt to make the plane to Australia 27 too. Paul Williams is back at the top table, and Eoghan Cross (Ire), Damián Schneider (Arg), Hollie Davidson (Sco) and Luc Ramos (Fra) all have a match too.
Luke Pearce (Eng) will referee the opening match of the Northern Hemisphere Series, Ireland v Argentina at Aviva Stadium in Dublin on 6 November. A total of 41 officials from 12 nations will be involved in the tournament.
60 cap refs
Ben O’Keeffe (NZ) will join Pearce in the 60+ caps group when he referees Spain v Uruguay in the Nations Cup 2026. Angus Gardner (Aus) become the third member of that active refs gang when he completes the Ireland v Fiji tie on 14 November.
The appointments for the Finals weekend at Allianz Stadium in Twickenham from 27-29 November will be announced once rankings are confirmed after the conclusion of the Northern Hemisphere Series.
World Rugby Nations Cup appointments
6-8 November 2026
Romania v Tonga
Referee: Angus Gardner (Aus)
ARs: Saba Abulashvili (Geo) & Saba Makharadze (Geo)
TMO: Stefano Penne (Ita)
Georgia v Canada
Referee: Gianluca Gnecchi (Ita)
ARs: Federico Vedovelli (Ita) & Filippo Russo (Ita)
TMO: Stefano Penne (Ita)
Portugal v Chile
Referee: Nic Berry (Aus)
ARs: Damon Murphy (Aus) & Ben Connor (Wal)
TMO: Aled Griffiths (Wal)
Spain v Uruguay
Referee: Ben O’Keeffe (Nzl)
ARs: Peter Martin (Ire) & Robbie Jenkinson (Ire)
TMO: Paulo Duarte (Por)
Zimbabwe v Samoa (in Wakefield, England)
Referee: Matthew Carley (Eng)
ARs: Craig Evans (Wal) & Ben Breakspear (Wal)
TMO: Dan Jones (Eng)
Hong Kong China v USA (Bourg-en-Bresse, France)
Referee: Luc Ramos (Fra)
ARs: Kevin Bralley (Fra) & Benoît Rousselet (Fra)
TMO: Dan Jones (Eng)
14 November 2026
Georgia v Tonga
Referee: Sam Grove-White (Sco)
ARs: Jordan Way (Aus) & Ru Campbell (Sco)
TMO: Paulo Duarte (Por)
Romania v USA
Referee: Anthony Woodthorpe (Eng)
ARs: Saba Abulashvili (Geo) & Saba Makharadze (Geo)
TMO: Paulo Duarte (Por)
Hong Kong China v Canada (in Chambéry, France)
Referee: Jérémy Rozier (Fra)
ARs: Kevin Bralley (Fra) & Benoît Rousselet (Fra)
TMO: Julien Castaignède (Fra)
Portugal v Samoa
Referee: Eoghan Cross (Ire)
ARs: Peter Martin (Ire) & Robbie Jenkinson (Ire)
TMO: Adam Jones (Wal)
Spain v Chile
Referee: Hollie Davidson (Sco)
ARs: Matthew Carley (Eng) & George Selwood (Eng)
TMO: Dan Jones (Eng)
Zimbabwe v Uruguay (in Ealing, England)
Referee: Katsuki Furuse (Jpn)
ARs: Ben Breakspear (Wal) & Ben Connor (Wal)
TMO: Stefano Penne (Ita)
20-21 November 2026
Romania v Canada
Referee: Damian Schneider (Arg)
ARs: Federico Vedovelli (Ita) & Filippo Russo (Ita)
TMO: Francisco González (Uru)
Georgia v USA
Referee: Morné Ferreira (Rsa)
ARs: Peter Martin (Ire) & Robbie Jenkinson (Ire)
TMO: Paulo Duarte (Por)
Hong Kong China v Tonga (in Hong Kong)
Referee: Jordan Way (Aus)
ARs: Katsuki Furuse (Jpn) & Ibuki Tetsuka (Jpn)
TMO: Julien Castaignède (Fra)
Portugal v Uruguay
Referee: Kevin Bralley (Fra)
ARs: Thomas Charabas (Fra) & Ru Campbell (Sco)
TMO: Julien Castaignède (Fra)
Spain v Samoa
Referee: Ben Connor (Wal)
ARs: Adam Jones (Wal) & Jamie Parr (Eng)
TMO: Francisco González (Uru)
Zimbabwe v Chile (in Angouleme, France)
Referee: Ben Breakspear (Wal)
ARs: Evan Urruzmendi (Fra) & Julien Caulier (Fra)
TMO: Paulo Duarte (Por)
Nations Championship – November window
6-8 November 2026
Ireland v Argentina
Referee: Luke Pearce (Eng)
ARs: Hollie Davidson (Sco) & Morné Ferreira (Rsa)
TMO: Andrew Jackson (Eng)
FPRO: Matteo Liperini (Ita)
Italy v South Africa
Referee: Eoghan Cross (Ire)
ARs: James Doleman (NZ) & Sam Grove-White (Sco)
TMO: Brett Cronan (Aus)
FPRO: Mike Adamson (Sco)
Scotland v New Zealand
Referee: Andrew Brace (Ire)
ARs: Andrea Piardi (Ita) & Jordan Way (Aus)
TMO: Olly Hodges (Ire)
FPRO: Marius van der Westhuizen (SA)
Wales v Japan
Referee: Paul Williams (NZ)
ARs: Christophe Ridley (Eng) & Angus Mabey (NZ)
TMO: Glenn Newman (NZ)
FPRO: Eric Gauzins (Fra)
France v Fiji
Referee: Karl Dickson (Eng)
ARs: Damián Schneider (Arg) & Katsuki Furuse (Jpn)
TMO: Ian Tempest (Eng)
FPRO: Leo Colgan (Ire)
England v Australia
Referee: Pierre Brousset (Fra)
ARs: Nika Amashukeli (Geo) & Jérémy Rozier (Fra)
TMO: Tual Trainini (Fra)
FPRO: Matteo Liperini (Ita)
13-15 November 2026
France v South Africa
Referee: Andrea Piardi (Ita)
ARs: Christophe Ridley (Eng) & Gianluca Gnecchi (Ita)
TMO: Matteo Liperini (Ita)
FPRO: Andrew Jackson (Eng)
Italy v Argentina
Referee: Nika Amashukeli (Geo)
ARs: Karl Dickson (Eng) & Morné Ferreira (SA)
TMO: Olly Hodges (Ire)
FPRO: Ian Tempest (Eng)
Wales v New Zealand
Referee: Pierre Brousset (Fra)
ARs: Nic Berry (Aus) & Luc Ramos (Fra)
TMO: Tual Trainini (Fra)
FPRO: Leo Colgan (Ire)
England v Japan
Referee: Damián Schneider (Arg)
ARs: Ben O’Keeffe (NZ) & Craig Evans (Wal)
TMO: Marius van der Westhuizen (SA)
FPRO: Aled Griffiths (Wal)
Ireland v Fiji
Referee: Angus Gardner (Aus)
ARs: Luke Pearce (Eng) & Damon Murphy (Aus)
TMO: Mike Adamson (Sco)
FPRO: Eric Gauzins (Fra)
Scotland v Australia
Referee: James Doleman (Aus)
ARs: Paul Williams (NZ) & Angus Mabey (NZ)
TMO: Andrew Jackson (Eng)
FPRO: Matteo Liperini (Ita)
21 November 2026
England v New Zealand
Referee: Nic Berry (Aus)
ARs: Nika Amashukeli (Geo) & Damon Murphy (Aus)
TMO: Marius van der Westhuizen (SA)
FPRO: Olly Hodges (Ire)
Scotland v Japan
Referee: Ben O’Keeffe (NZ)
ARs: James Doleman (Aus) & Craig Evans (Wal)
TMO: Richard Kelly (NZ)
FPRO: Aled Griffiths (Wal)
Ireland v South Africa
Referee: Christophe Ridley (Eng)
ARs: Angus Gardner (Aus) & Anthony Woodthorpe (Eng)
TMO: Ian Tempest (Eng)
FPRO: Tual Trainini (Fra)
Italy v Fiji
Referee: Andrew Brace (Ire)
ARs: Paul Williams (NZ) & Eoghan Cross (Ire)
TMO: Leo Colgan (Ire)
FPRO: Dan Jones (Eng)
France v Argentina
Referee: Hollie Davidson (Sco)
ARs: Matthew Carley (Eng) & Sam Grove-White (Sco)
TMO: Mike Adamson (Sco)
FPRO: Matteo Liperini (Ita)
Wales v Australia
Referee: Luc Ramos (Fra)
ARs: Karl Dickson (Eng) & Jérémy Rozier (Fra)
TMO: Eric Gauzins (Fra)
FPRO: Andrew Jackson (Eng)
Representative matches
24-25 Oct
Japan v Fiji (in Tokyo)
Referee: Nika Amashukeli (Geo)
ARs: Reuben Keane (Aus) & Morgan White (HKC)
TMO: Glenn Newman (NZ)
FPRO: Matt Rodden (HKC)
USA v Australia A (in Nashville)
Referee: Katsuki Furuse (Jpn)
ARs: Damián Schneider (Arg) & Robin Kaluzniak (Can)
TMO: Cam Russell (Can)
30 October
USA v Australia A (in New Jersey)
Referee: Damián Schneider (Arg)
ARs: Katsuki Furuse (Jon) & Robin Kaluzniak (Can)
TMO: Leo Colgan (Ire)
6 November
England A v Argentina XV (in Bath, England)
Referee: Nika Amashukeli (Geo)
ARs: RFU Appointment & RFU Appointment
TMO: RFU Appointment
20 November
Ireland XV v Fiji A (in Cork, Ireland)
Referee: George Selwood (Eng)
ARs: IRFU Appointment & IRFU Appointment
TMO: IRFU Appointment
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