Referees for Christmas 2016
It's a time of peace – however remote that seems in our torn world – for men of good will. Referees are men of good will, happily serving the game they love. That they serve may be the reason why you virtually never meet an unpleasant referee. And so we wish all match officials a happy and blessed Christmas.
And our wishes go to all those who support them, especially, in our case, those around the world who make it possible to make known the match officials from east to west who minister to top matches.
With our appointments we have gone into Monday and Tuesday of next week.
The only one of the matches below scheduled for Christmas Day is Kintetsu Liners vs Kobelco Steelers.
International
North African Tri Nations
Algeria vs Tunisia at Ahmed Zabana, Oran
Referee: Atef Yakoubi (Tunisia)
PRO 12, Round 11
Ulster vs Connacht at Kingspan Stadium
Referee: George Clancy (Ireland)
Assistant referees: Dudley Phillips (Ireland), Nigel Correll (Ireland)
Television match official: Olly Hodges (Ireland)
Assessor: Michael Carroll (Ireland)
Munster vs Leinster at Thomond Park
Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales)
Assistant referees: Sean Gallagher (Ireland), Stuart Gaffikin (Ireland)
Television match official: Kevin Beggs (Ireland)
Ospreys vs Scarlets at Liberty Stadium
Referee: Andrew Brace (Ireland)
Assistant referees: Dan Jones (Wales), Wayne Davies (Wales)
Assessor: Tim Hayes (Wales)
Benetton Treviso vs Zebre Rugby at Stadio Monigo
Referee: Marius Mitrea (Italy)
Assistant referees: Emmanuele Tomò (Italy), Simone Boaretto (Italy)
Television match official: Carlo Damasco (Italy)
Cardiff Blues vs Newport Gwent Dragons at Cardiff Arms Park
Referee: Ben Whitehouse (Wales)
Assistant referees: Rhys Thomas (Wales), Sean Brickell (Wales)
Television match official: Jon Mason (Wales)
Edinburgh vs Glasgow Warriors at Murrayfield
Referee: Ian Davies (Wales)
Assistant referees: Mike Adamson (Scotland), Sam Grove-White (Scotland)
Television match official: Jim Yuille (Scotland)
Domestic
England
Premiership
Northampton Saints vs Sale Sharks at Franklin's Gardens
Referee: Gregory M Garner
Assistant referees: Ian Tempest Gareth Copsey
Television match official: Rowan Kitt
Timekeeper: Malcolm Sinclair
Assessor: Gary Welsh
Saracens vs Newcastle Falcons at Allianz Park
Referee: Matthew Carley
Assistant referees: Roger Baileff Andrew Jackson
Television match official: David Sainsbury
Timekeeper: John Burtenshaw
Assessor: Nigel Yates / Paul Dix
Wasps vs Bath at Ricoh Arena
Referee: Craig Maxwell-Keys
Assistant referees: Peter Allan Paul Burton
Television match official: Graham Hughes
Timekeeper: Paul Stanley
Assessor: Martin Fox
Exeter Chiefs vs Leicester Tigers at Sandy Park
Referee: Tom Foley
Assistant referees: Ross Campbell Phil Watters
Television match official: David Rose
Timekeeper: Laurie Bryant
Assessor: Peter Huckle
Bristol vs Worcester Warriors at Ashton Gate
Referee: Wayne Barnes
Assistant referees: Jack Makepeace Paul Dix
Television match official: David Grashoff
Timekeeper: Eric Bullion
Assessor: Rowly Williams
Harlequins vs Gloucester at Twickenham
Referee: JP Doyle
Assistant referees: Simon McConnell Greg Macdonald
Television match official: Stuart Terheege
Timekeeper: Bob Ockenden
Assessor: Brian Campsall / Robin Goodliffe
Championship
London Welsh vs London Scottish at Old Deer Park, Richmond
Referee: tbc
Assistant referees: Clare Daniels Robert Warburton
Television match official: Keith Lewis
Assessor: Steve Leyshon
Ealing Trailfinders vs Cornish Pirates at Trailfinders Sports Club
Referee: Michael Hudson
Assistant referees: Anthony Woodthorpe Andy Watson
Assessor: Sam Collins
Richmond vs London Irish at Richmond Athletic Ground
Referee: Karl Dickson
Assistant referees: Simon Adams Nigel Carrick
Assessor: Chris White
Nottingham vs Yorkshire Carnegie at Lady Bay Sports Ground
Referee: Fergus Kirby
Assistant referees: Simon Park Lionel Spooner
Assessor: Peter Farrell
Rotherham Titans vs Doncaster Knights at Clifton Lane
Referee: Tim Wigglesworth
Assistant referees: Hamish Smales Gregory D Garner
Assessor: Jonathan Cook
Bedford Blues vs Jersey Reds at Goldington Road, Bedford
Referee: Andrew Jackson
Assistant referees: Adam Leal Ian Bibey
Assessor: Sam Collins
France
Top 14, Round 14
Brive vs Lyon at Stade Amédée Domenech
Referee: Alexandre Ruiz
Assistant referees: Vivien Praderie, Akim Hadj Bachir
Television match official: Philippe Bonhoure
Bayonne vs La Rochelle at Stade Jean Dauger
Referee: Romain Poite
Assistant referees: Stéphane Boyer, Laurent Breil
Television match official: Patrick Péchambert
Clermont vs at Stade Français at Parc Sports Marcel Michelin
Referee: Sébastien Minery
Assistant referees: Mathieu Noirot, Bruno Gabaldon
Television match official: Denis Grenouillet
Racing 92 vs Castres at Stade Yves Du Manoir
Referee: Maxime Chalon
Assistant referees: Jonathan Dufort, Sébastien Hebert
Television match official: Eric Briquet Campin
Bordeaux-Bègles vs Pau at Stade Chaban Delmas
Referee: Cédric Marchat
Assistant referees: Flavien Hourquet, Jacques De Lemos
Television match official: Eric Gauzins
Montpellier vs Toulon at Altrad Stadium
Referee: Mathieu Raynal
Assistant referees: Vincent Blasco Baque, Jean-Luc Rebollal
Television match official: Jean-Marie Piraveau
Grenoble vs Toulouse at Stade Des Alpes
Referee: Thomas Charabas
Assistant referees: Thierry Mallet, Thierry Guilloton
Television match official: Laurent Sclafer
Italy
Eccellenza, Round 6
Reggio vs Petrarca
Referee: Stefano Pennè
San Donà vs Calvisano
Referee: Matteo Liperini
Fiamme Oro Roma vs Lazio 1927
Referee: Claudio Blessano
Viadana vs Mogliano
Referee: Stefano Bolzonella
Rovigo vs Lyons
Referee: Riccardo Angelucci
Japan
Top League
Canon Eagles vs Kubota Spears
Referee: Akihisa Aso
Toshiba Brave Lupus vs Toyota Verblitz
Referee: Taizo Hirabayashi
Toyota Industry Shuttles vs Ricoh Black Rams
Referee: Takeshi Matsumoto
Honda HEAT vs NTT Communications Shiningarcs
Referee: Taku Otsuki
Yamaha Jubilo vs Suntory Sungoliath
Referee: Shuhei Kubo
Coka Cola Red Sparks vs NEC Green Rockets
Referee: Teruhisa Kajiwara
Munakata Sanix Blues vs Panasonic Wild Knights
Referee: Yuki Tounai
Kintetsu Liners vs Kobelco Steelers
Referee: Masaya Kato
Wales
Premiership
Cardiff vs Pontypridd
Referee: Adam Jones
Assistant referees: Elgan Williams, Kelvin Shorte
Cross Keys vs Newport
Referee: Rhys Thomas
Assistant referees: Morgan Whitehead, Simon Davies
Bargoed vs Bridgend
Referee: Gareth Newman
Assistant referees: Paul Jones, Matthew Burford
Carmarthen vs Llandovery
Referee: Wayne Davies
Assistant referees: Jon Hardy, Gareth Daniel
Swansea vs Llanelli
Referee: Aled Evans
Assistant referees: Chris Williams, Mike Davies
Bedwas vs Ebbw Vale
Referee: Craig Evans
Assistant referees: Stuart Kibble, Rhodri Morgan
Aberavon vs Neath
Referee: Dan Jones
Assistant referees: Matthew Davies, Colin Kirkhouse
Merthyr vs RGC 1404
Referee: tbc
Assistant referees: Jason Bessant, Simon Harris
