Referees to 23 September as RWC starts
It’s here. Breath is held and then with a gasp the World Cup starts in Japan and rugby becomes hectic again, as we tumble from one great fixture to the next, with top referees to help the headlong action that lasts to November.
Nigel Owens will blow his whistle and get Rugby World Cup on the way as hosts Japan meet Russia in Tokyo and all the world watches.
And the very next day in Yokohama titans clash, as All Blacks and Springboks meet in another episode in rugby’s greatest rivalry. Jérôme Garcès has the pressure of refereeing that one.
And on it goes as 20 excited nations get into rugby action. Rugby becomes big news, and all that is sordid, nasty, depressing takes a back seat.
Referees all over the world will want to wish all the match officials a happy tournament.
As France’s Top 14 and ProD2 take a playing break to concentrate on their country’s match with the Pumas in Tokyo, England gets its competitions going.
In South Africa, most competitions have been completed while in Australia and New Zealand they are going strong.
International
Rugby World Cup
20 September 2019
Japan vs Russia at Tokyo Stadium
Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales)
Assistant referees: Nic Berry (Australia), Matthew Carley (England)
Television match official: Ben Skeen (New Zealand)
21 September 2019
Australia vs Fiji at Sapporo Dome
Referee: Ben O’Keeffe (New Zealand)
Assistant referees: Luke Pearce (England), Andrew Brace (Ireland)
Television match official: Rowan Kitt (England)
France vs Argentina at Tokyo Stadium
Referee: Angus Gardner (Australia)
Assistant referees: Jaco Peyper (South Africa), Brendon Pickerill (New Zealand)
Television match official: Marius Jonker (South Africa)
New Zealand vs South Africa at International Stadium, Yokohama
Referee: Jérôme Garcès (France)
Assistant referees: Romain Poite (France), Karl Dickson (England)
Television match official: Graham Hughes (England)
22 September 2019
Italy vs Namibia at Hanazono Rugby Stadium, Higashiosaka
Referee: Nic Berry (Australia)
Assistant referees: Nigel Owens (Wales), Federico Anselmi (Argentina)
Television match official: Marius Jonker (South Africa)
Ireland vs Scotland at International Stadium, Yokohama
Referee: Wayne Barnes (England)
Assistant referees: Pascal Gaüzère (France), Alexandre Ruiz (France)
Television match official: Graham Hughes (England)
England vs Tonga at Sapporo Dome
Referee: Paul Williams (New Zealand)
Assistant referees: Mathieu Raynal (France), Shuhei Kubo (Japan)
Television match official: Ben Skeen (New Zealand)
23 September 2019
Wales vs Georgia at City of Toyota Stadium
Referee: Luke Pearce (England)
Assistant referees: Ben O’Keeffe (New Zealand), Matthew Carley (England)
Television match official: Rowan Kitt (England)
Rugby Europe Conference 1 North
Czechia vs Hungary at Tatra Smichov Stadium, Prague
Referee: Killian O’Brien (Germany)
Victoria Cup 2019
Kenya vs Zimbabwe at NAC Grounds, Nairobi
Referee: Saudah Adiru (Uganda)
Americas North Championship
Bermuda vs Guadeloupe at National Sports Club, Bermuda
Women
Spain vs Eastern Province
Referee: Aimee Barrett-Theron (South Africa)
Domestic
Australia
National Rugby Championship, Round 4
Fijian Drua vs Sydney at Churchill Park, Lautoka
Referee: Jordan Way
Assistant referees: Tevita Rokovereni, Atu Macedru (Fiji)
Western Force vs Canberra Vikings at UWA, Perth
Referee: Aaron Pook,
Assistant referees: Kyle Burnett, Mark Sherriff
Melbourne Rising vs Queensland Country at Mars Stadium, Ballarat
Referee: James Quinn
Assistant referees: Palmer, James Marshall, Charles
Brisbane City vs NSW Country at Ballymore Stadium, Brisbane
Referee: Graham Cooper
Assistant referees: Brett Cronan, Andrew Twist
Schools
South Coast vs Samoa Schools at Shoalhaven Rugby Ground
Referee: David Conway
Assistant referees: Ethan Mcintosh, Jack Phillips
Under-18
Queensland Reds vs Brumbies Academy at Ross Oval, Nudgee
Referee: James Palmer,
Assistant referees: Charles Marshall, George Myers
Queensland Reds vs NSW Waratahs Academy at Ross Oval, Nudgee
Referee: Ned Carrick
Assistant referees: Alec Camplin, Jeremy Markey
England
Premiership, Round 1
Harlequins vs Bristol Bears
Referee: Ian Tempest
Assistant referees: Paul Dix, Simon McConnell
Television match official: Sean Davey
Timekeeper: Bob Ockenden
Assessor: David Morgan
Sale Sharks vs Northampton Saints
Referee: Andrew Jackson
Assistant referees: Tim Wigglesworth, Steve Lee
Timekeeper: Mike Hamlin
Assessor: Peter Farrell
Wasps vs Saracens
Referee: Jack Makepeace
Assistant referees: John Meredith, Wayne Falla
Timekeeper: Paul Stanley
Assessor: Gary Welsh
Gloucester vs London Irish
Referee: Anthony Woodthorpe
Assistant referees: JP Doyle Peter Allan
Timekeeper: Laurie Bryant
Assessor: Christopher White
Exeter Chiefs vs Bath
Referee: Adam Leal
Assistant referees: Paul Dix, Shane Lewis
Television match official: David Rose
Timekeeper: Andrew Pearce
Assessor: Lloyd Jackson
Worcester Warriors vs Leicester Tigers
Referee: Christophe Ridley
Assistant referees: Rob Warburton, Lionel Spooner
Timekeeper: Eric Bullion
Assessor: Sam Collins
Championship, Round 1
Nottingham vs Yorkshire Carnegie
Referee: Hamish Smales
Assistant referees: Ian Bibey , George Richardson
Assessor: Christopher White
Doncaster Knights vs Hartpury University
Referee: Neil Chivers
Assistant referees: Simon Park, Gregg Dawson
Assessor: Stephen Leyshon
Ampthill vs Coventry
Referee: Michael Hudson
Assistant referees: Gareth Holsgrove, Jamie Leahy
Assessor: Stephen Leyshon & Robin Goodliffe
Bedford Blues vs Ealing Trailfinders
Referee: Craig Maxwell-Keys
Assistant referees: Gregory Garner, William Burton
Assessor: Nigel Yates & Peter Huckle
Jersey Reds vs Newcastle Falcons
Referee: Matt Turvey
Assistant referees: Nigel Carrick, Darryl Chapman
Assessor: Andrew Vertigan
London Scottish vs Cornish Pirates
Referee: Thomas Foley
Assistant referees: Clare Daniels, Michael Woods
Women’s Premiership, Round 1
Bristol Bears vs Saracens
Referee: George Selwood
Assistant referees: Bradley Bignell, Brian Ravenhill
Assessor: Thomas Foley
Harlequins vs Richmond
Referee: Fergus Kirby
Assistant referees: Jack Lefeuvre, tbc
Assessor: Dean Richards
Firwood Waterloo Ladies vs Gloucester-Hartpury
Referee: Daniel Woods
Assistant referees: Kieron Henry, tbc
Assessor: Michael Patz
Loughborough Lightning vs Darlington Mowden Park Sharks
Referee: George Richardson
Assistant referees: tbc
Assessor: Ian Roberts
Wasps Ladies vs Worcester Warriors
Referee: Nikki O’Donnell
Assistant referees: Katherine Ritchie, David Myers
Assessor: Gareth Thomas
Ireland
Pre-Season Friendly
Connacht vs Munster at Sportsground, Galway
Referee: Sean Gallagher
Assistant referees: Nigel Correll, John Carvill
New Zealand
Mitre 10 Cup, Week 7
Canterbury vs Manawatu at Orangetheory Stadium, Christchurch
Referee: Richard Kelly
Assistant referees: Dan Moore George Haswell
Television match official: Dave Rumble
Hawke’s Bay vs Taranaki at McLean Park, Napier
Referee: Nick Hogan
Assistant referees: Dan Waenga. Stu Catley
Television match official: Mark Johnson
Waikato vs Tasman Mako at Waikato Stadium, Hamilton
Referee: Tipene Cottrell
Assistant referees: Michael Winter, Grant Stuart
Television match official: Lee Jeffrey
Southland vs Counties Manukau at Rugby Park Stadium, Invercargill
Referee: Nick Webster
Assistant referees: Jaydyn Watson, Taylor Swan
Television match official: Kirk Rae
North Harbour vs Otago at QBE Stadium, North Harbour
Referee: James Munro
Assistant referees: Ryan Borthwick, Scott McKenzie
Television match official: Jonathan Paterson
Auckland vs Wellington at Eden Park, Auckland
Referee: James Doleman
Assistant referees: Angus Mabey, Marcus Playle
Television match official: Ben Deakin
Northland vs Bay of Plenty at Toll Stadium Whangarei
Referee: Cam Stone
Assistant referees: Boris Jurlina, Stephen Ball
Television match official: Brock Fannin
Heartland Championship, Week 5
Thames Valley vs Wairarapa Bush at Paeroa Domain, Paeroa
Referee: Hugh Reed
Assistant referees: Sam Oates, James Higgins
Wanganui vs East Coast at Cooks Gardens, Wanganui
Referee: Stu Curran
West Coast vs North Otago at John Sturgeon Park, Greymouth
Referee: Jono Bredin
Assistant referees: Scott Bermingham, Colin Van Der Geest
King Country vs Horowhenua Kapiti at Rugby Park, Te Kuiti
Referee: Vincent Ringrose
Poverty Bay vs Mid Canterbury at FM Rugby Park, Gisborne
Referee: Angus Mabey
South Canterbury vs Buller at Alpine Energy Stadium, Timaru
Referee: Rebecca Mahoney
Assistant referees: Chris Paul, Steve Turnbull
Farah Palmer Cup, Week 4
Hawke’s Bay vs Taranaki at McLean Park, Napier
Referee: Marcus Playle
Assistant referees: Cara Hall, Jarrod Graham
Television match official: Mark Johnson
Otago vs Tasman at Logan Park 6, Dunedin
Referee: Larissa Collingwood
Assistant referees: Caleb Neilson, Erin Doherty
Waikato vs Bay of Plenty at FMG Stadium Waikato, Hamilton
Referee: Brittany Andrew
Assistant referees: Josh Bull Ben Wollerton
Television match official: Lee Jeffrey
Canterbury vs Manawatu at Rugby Park, Christchurch
Referee: Dan Moore
Assistant referees: Carl Johnson, Tameka Uerata
Auckland vs Wellington at Eden Park, Auckland
Referee: Mike Winter
Assistant referees: Maggie Cogger-Orr, Kyle Van Veen
Television match official: Llew Smart
Northland vs North Harbour at Semenoff Stadium, Whangarei
Referee: Lauren Jenner
Assistant referees: Nathan Chestnut, Jaco Cronje
Television match official: Brock Fannin
