Mid year referees' appointments
The Rugby Board has announced the match officials for matches in mid year, a huge number of them, starting with Canada vs Ireland at Thuderbird Stadium in Vancouver and ending with Australia against New Zealand in the Tri-Nations.
The matches include the Lions’ tour, the Churchill Cup, the Nations Cup: in Romania, the Pacific Cup, World Cup qualifiers and the Tri-Nations.
Obviously there are some gems amongst them that any referee would dream of having – Lions’ Tests, Tri-Nations Tests and those clashes when great sides from the north play great sides from the south – depending on what sort of teams the north takes south.
Several of the referees may be new to the big world of rugby – Peter Fitzgibbon and Romain Poite who are new to the IRB’s panel of referees and Vinny Munro and Jim Yuille who are new to the IRB’s panel of specialist assistant referees. Then there are names like Chris Draper, Dave Smortchevsky, Greg Garner and JP Doyle, John Lacey, Nathan Pearce and Keith Brown who are not as universally well known as Jonathan Kaplan and Stuart Dickinson.
The appointments from May to September:
23 May
Canada vs Ireland at Thunderbird Stadium, Vancouver
Referee: Chris White (England)
Assistant referees: Rob Debney (England), Greg Garner (England)
Television match official: tba (USA)
Assessor: Douglas Kerr (Scotland)
30 May
Canada vs Wales York Stadium, York University, Toronto
Referee: Matt Goddard (Australia)
Assistant referees: Rob Debney (England), Chris Draper (USA)
Television match official: tba (USA)
Assessor: Douglas Kerr (Scotland)
Highveld XV vs Lions at Bafokeng Stadium, Rustenburg
Referee: Marius Jonker (South Africa)
Assistant referees: tba (South Africa), tba (South Africa)
Television match official: tba (South Africa)
Assessor: Arrie Schoonwinkel (South Africa)
England vs Barbarians at Twickenham, London
Referee: Romain Poite (France)
Assistant referees: Nigel Owens (Wales), Hugh Watkins (Wales) (Wales)
Television match official: N. Whitehouse (Wales)
Assessor: David Herbert (Wales)
31 May
USA vs Ireland at Santa Clara University, California
Referee: Chris White (England)
Assistant referees: Greg Garner (England), Dave Smortchevsky (Canada)
Television match official: tba (Canada)
Assessor: tba (Canada)
3 June
Golden Lions vs Lions at Coca Cola Park, Johannesburg
Referee: Craig Joubert (South Africa)
Assistant referees: Wayne Barnes (England), tba (South Africa)
Television match official: tba (South Africa)
Assessor: Dennis Immelman (South Africa)
6 June
Free State Cheetahs vs Lions at Vodacom Park, Bloemfontein
Referee: Wayne Barnes (England)
Assistant referees: tba (South Africa), tba (South Africa)
Television match official: tba (South Africa)
Assessor: Dennis Immelman (South Africa)
6 June
Argentina vs England at Old Trafford, Manchester
Referee: Christophe Berdos (France)
Assistant referees: Nigel Owens (Wales), Hugh Watkins (Wales) (Wales)
Television match official: Jim Yuille (Scotland)
Assessor: Brian Stirling (Ireland)
USA vs Wales at Toyota Park, Chicago
Referee: Matt Goddard (Australia)
Assistant referees: Rob Debney, Dave Smortchevsky
Television match official: tba (Canada)
Assessor: Douglas Kerr
Australia vs Barbarians at Sydney Football Stadium, Sydney
Referee: Stuart Dickinson (Australia)
Assistant referees: tba (Australia), tba (Australia)
Television match official: tba (Australia)
Assessor: tba (Australia)
Churchill Cup: England Saxons vs Argentina at Infinity Park, Glendale, Denver, Colorado
Referee: Peter Fitzgibbon (Ireland)
Assistant referees: Andrew Macpherson (Scotland), tba (USA)
Assessor: Tony Spreadbury (England), Paul Bridgman (England)
Churchill Cup: Canada vs Georgia at Infinity Park, Glendale, Denver, Colorado
Referee: Greg Garner (England)
Assistant referees: tba (USA), tba (USA)
Assessor: Tony Spreadbury (England), Paul Bridgman (England)
10 June
Sharks vs Lions at Absa Park, Durban
Referee: Jonathan Kaplan (South Africa)
Assistant referees: Wayne Barnes (England), tba (South Africa)
Television match official: tba (South Africa)
Assessor: Arrie Schoonwinkel
Churchill Cup: Canada vs Ireland at Infinity Park, Glendale, Denver, Colorado
Referee: Matt Goddard
Assistant referees: Andrew Macpherson (Scotland), tba (USA)
Television match official: Tony Spreadbury (England), Paul Bridgman (England)
Churchill Cup: USA vs Argentina at Infinity Park, Glendale, Denver, Colorado
Referee: Peter Fitzgibbon (Ireland)
Assistant referees: Greg Garner, tba (Canada)
Television match official: Tony Spreadbury (England), Paul Bridgman (England)
12 June
IRB Nations Cup: Scotland vs Russia at Stadionul National Arcul de Triumf, Bucharest
Referee: Chris Draper (USA)
Assistant referees: Stuart Terheege (England), tba (Romania)
Assessor: David McHugh (Ireland), Patrick Robin (France)
IRB Nations Cup: Italy vs France at Stadionul National Arcul de Triumf, Bucharest
Referee: John Lacey (Ireland)
Assistant referees: JP. Doyle (England), tba (Romania)
Assessor: David McHugh (Ireland), Patrick Robin (France)
IRB Nations Cup: Uruguay vs Romania at Stadionul National Arcul de Triumf, Bucharest
Referee: Dave Smortchevsky (Canada)
Assistant referees: Giulio De Santis (Italy), Hugh Watkins (Wales)
Television match official: David McHugh (Ireland), Patrick Robin (France)
IRB Pacific Nations Cup: Samoa vs Junior All Blacks in Apia, Samoa
Referee: Dave Pearson (England)
Assistant referees: tba (Papua New Guinea), tba (Papua New Guinea)
Assessor: Keith Lawrence (New Zealand), Ian Scotney (Australia)
IRB Pacific Nations Cup: Tonga vs Fiji in Tonga
Referee: Nathan Pearce (Australia)
Assistant referees: tba (Papua New Guinea), tba (Papua New Guinea)
Assistant referees: Keith Lawrence (New Zealand), Ian Scotney (Australia)
Australia vs Italy at Canberra Stadium, Canberra
Referee: Romain Poite (France)
Assistant referees: Marius Jonker (South Africa), Vinny Munro (New Zealand)
Television match official: Garratt Williamson (New Zealand)
Assessor: Alan Riley (New Zealand)
13 June
New Zealand vs France at Carisbrook Stadium, Dunedin
Referee: George Clancy (Ireland)
Assistant referees: Stuart Dickinson (Australia), tba (Australia)
Television match official: George Ayoub (Australia)(Australia)
Assessor: Andrew Cole (Australia)
Argentina vs England at Padre Ernesto Martearena Stadium, Salta
Referee: Alan Lewis (Ireland)
Assistant referees: Simon McDowell (Ireland), David Changleng (Scotland)
Television match official: Johann Meuwesen (South Africa)
Assessor: Arrie Schoonwinkel (South Africa)
Western Province vs Lions at Newlands
Referee: Mark Lawrence (South Africa)
Assistant referees: Wayne Barnes (England), tba (South Africa)
Television match official: tba (South Africa)
Assessor: Dennis Immelman (South Africa)
14 June
Churchill Cup: USA vs England Saxons at Infinity Park, Glendale, Denver, Colorado
Referee: Peter Fitzgibbon (Ireland)
Assistant referees: Andrew Macpherson (Scotland), tba (Canada)
Assessor: Tony Spreadbury (England), Paul Bridgman (England)
Churchill Cup: Georgia vs Ireland at Infinity Park, Glendale, Denver, Colorado
Referee: Matt Goddard (Australia)
Assistant referees: Greg Garner (England), tba (USA)
Assessor: Tony Spreadbury (England), Paul Bridgman (England)
16 June
Coastal XV vs Lions at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth
Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales)
Assistant referees: Alain Rolland (Ireland), tba (South Africa)
Television match official: tba (South Africa)
Assessor: Dennis Immelman (South Africa)
IRB Nations Cup: Scotland vs Uruguay at Stadionul National Arcul de Triumf, Bucharest
Referee: JP Doyle (England)
Assistant referees: Stuart Terheege (England), tba (Romania)
Assessor: David McHugh (Ireland), Patrick Robin (France)
IRB Nations Cup: Italy vs Russia at Stadionul National Arcul de Triumf, Bucharest
Referee: Dave Smortchevsky (Canada)
Assistant referees: Chris Draper (USA), tba (Romania)
Assessor: David McHugh (Ireland), Patrick Robin (France)
IRB Nations Cup: France vs Romania at Stadionul National Arcul de Triumf, Bucharest
Referee: John Lacey (Ireland)
Assistant referees: Giulio De Santis (Italy), Hugh Watkins (Wales)
Assessor: David McHugh (Ireland), Patrick Robin (France)
18 June
IRB Pacific Nations Cup: Junior All Blacks vs Fiji at National Stadium, Suva
Referee: Romain Poite (France)
Assistant referees: tba (Papua New Guinea), tba (Papua New Guinea)
Assessor: Keith Lawrence (New Zealand), Ian Scotney (Australia)
IRB Pacific Nations Cup: Japan vs Samoa at Lawaqa Park, Sigitoka, Fiji
Referee: Nathan Pearce Australia
Assistant referees: tba (Papua New Guinea), tba (Papua New Guinea)
Assessor: Keith Lawrence (New Zealand), Ian Scotney (Australia)
20 June
South Africa vs Lions (1st Test) at Absa Park, Durban
Referee: Brice Lawrence (New Zealand)
Assistant referees: Stuart Dickinson, Vinny Munro (New Zealand)
Television match official: Christophe Berdos (France)
Assessor: Tappe Henning (South Africa)
Australia vs Italy at Etihad Stadium, Melbourne
Referee: Dave Pearson (England)
Assistant referees: Garratt Williamson (New Zealand), tba (New Zealand)
Television match official: tba (New Zealand)
Assessor: Alan Riley (New Zealand)
New Zealand vs France at Westpac Stadium, Wellington
Referee: Marius Jonker (South Africa)
Assistant referees: George Clancy (Ireland), Nathan Pearce (Australia)
Television match official: George Ayoub (Australia)
Assessor: Andrew Cole (Australia)
Argentina vs French Barbarians at Velez Sarsfield Stadium, Buenos Aires
Referee: tba (Argentina)
Assistant referees: tba (Argentina), tba (Argentina)
Television match official: tba (Argentina)
Assessor: tba (Argentina)
21 June
IRB Nations Cup: Russia vs Uruguay at Stadionul National Arcul de Triumf, Bucharest
Referee: John Lacey (Ireland), tba (Romania)
Television match official: tba (Romania)
Assessor: David McHugh (Ireland), Patrick Robin (France)
IRB Nations Cup: Italy vs Romania Stadionul National Arcul de Triumf, Bucharest
Referee: Chris Draper (USA)
Assistant referees: Dave Smortchevsky (Canada), Hugh Watkins (Wales)
Assessor: David McHugh (Ireland), Patrick Robin (France)
IRB Nations Cup: France vs Scotland at Stadionul National Arcul de Triumf, Bucharest
Referee: JP Doyle (England)
Assistant referees: Giulio De Santis (Italy), tba (Romania)
Assessor: David McHugh (Ireland), Patrick Robin (France)
Churchill Cup: 3rd Place vs 3rd Place at Dick’s Sporting Good Park, Commence City, Colorado
Referee: Peter Fitzgibbon (Ireland)
Assistant referees: tbc, tbc
Television match official: tbc Tony Spreadbury (England). Paul Bridgman (England)
Churchill Cup: 2nd Place vs 2nd Place at Dick’s Sporting Good Park, Commence City, Colorado
Referee: Greg Garner (England)
Assistant referees: Andrew Macpherson (Scotland), tbc
Assessor: Tony Spreadbury (England), Paul Bridgman (England)
Churchill Cup: 1st Place vs 1st Place at Dick’s Sporting Good Park, Commence City, Colorado
Referee: Matt Goddard (Australia)
Assistant referees: Andrew Macpherson (Scotland), tbc
Assessor: Tony Spreadbury (England), Paul Bridgman (England)
23 June
Emerging Springboks vs Lions at Newlands
Referee: Alain Rolland (Ireland)
Assistant referees: Nigel Owens (Wales), tba (South Africa)
Television match official: tba (South Africa)
Assessor: Tappe Henning (South Africa)
IRB Pacific Nations Cup: Samoa vs Tonga at Churchill Park, Lautoka
Referee: Romain Poite (France)
Assistant referees: tba (Papua New Guinea), tba (Papua New Guinea)
Assessor: Keith Lawrence (New Zealand), Ian Scotney (Australia)
IRB Pacific Nations Cup: Japan vs Junior All Blacks at Churchill Park, Lautoka
Referee: Jonathan Kaplan (South Africa)
Assistant referees: tba (Papua New Guinea), tba (Papua New Guinea)
Assessor: Keith Lawrence (New Zealand), Ian Scotney (Australia)
27 June
Australia vs France at ANZ Stadium, Sydney
Referee: Dave Pearson (England)
Assistant referees: Chris Pollock (New Zealand), Garratt Williamson (New Zealand)
Television match official: tba (New Zealand)
Assessor: Bob Francis (New Zealand)
New Zealand vs Italy at AMI Stadium, Christchurch
Referee: George Clancy (Ireland)
Assistant referees: James Leckie (Australia), Ian Smith (Australia)
Television match official: George Ayoub (Australia)
Assessor: Wayne Erickson (Australia)
South Africa vs Lions (2nd Test) at Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
Referee: Christophe Berdos (France)
Assistant referees: Brice Lawrence (New Zealand), Vinny Munro (New Zealand)
Television match official: Stuart Dickinson (Australia)
Assessor: Tappe Henning (South Africa)
IRB Pacific Nations Cup: Tonga vs Japan at Churchill Park, Lautoka
Referee: Romain Poite (France)
Assistant referees: tba (Papua New Guinea), tba (Papua New Guinea)
Assessor: Keith Lawrence (New Zealand), Ian Scotney (Australia)
IRB Pacific Nations Cup: Samoa vs Fiji at Churchill Park, Lautoka
Referee: Jonathan Kaplan (South Africa)
Assistant referees: tba (Papua New Guinea), tba (Papua New Guinea)
Assessor: Keith Lawrence (New Zealand), Ian Scotney (Australia)
2 July
IRB Pacific Nations Cup: Tonga vs Junior All Blacks at Churchill Park, Lautoka
Referee: Dave Pearson (England)
Assistant referees: tba (Papua New Guinea), tba (Papua New Guinea)
Assessor: Keith Lawrence (New Zealand), Ian Scotney (Australia)
3 July
IRB Pacific Nations Cup: Japan vs Fiji at National Stadium, Suva
Referee: Jonathan Kaplan (South Africa)
Assistant referees: tba (Papua New Guinea), tba (Papua New Guinea)
Assessor: Keith Lawrence (New Zealand), Ian Scotney (Australia)
4 July
RWC Qualifier: USA vs Canada at Blackbaud Stadium, Charleston
Referee: Alan Lewis (Ireland)
Assistant referees: Federico Pastrana (Argentina), Javier Mancuso (Argentina)
South Africa vs Lions (3rd Test) at Coca Cola Park, Johannesburg
Referee: Stuart Dickinson (Australia)
Assistant referees: Christophe Berdos (France), Vinny Munro (New Zealand)
Television match official: Brice Lawrence (New Zealand)
Assessor: Tappe Henning (South Africa)
11 July
RWC Qualifier: Canada vs USA at Ellerslie Rugby Park, Edmonton
Referee: Alan Lewis (Ireland)
Assistant referees: Javier Mancuso (Argentina), Federico Pastrana (Argentina)
RWC Qualifier: Samoa vs Oceania Cup winner in Apia, Samoa
Referee: Keith Brown (New Zealand)
Assistant referees: Chris Pollock (New Zealand), tba (New Zealand)
18 July
RWC Qualifier: Oceania Cup winner vs Samoa
Referee: Chris Pollock (New Zealand)
Assistant referees: Keith Brown (New Zealand), tba (New Zealand)
Tri-Nations: New Zealand vs Australia Eden Park, Auckland
Referee: Mark Lawrence (South Africa)
Assistant referees: Craig Joubert (South Africa), Cobus Wessels (South Africa)
Television match official: Shaun Veldsman (South Africa)
Assessor: Bob Francis (New Zealand)
25 July
Tri-Nations: South Africa vs New Zealand Vodacom Park, Bloemfontein
Referee: Alain Rolland (Ireland)
Assistant referees: Nigel Owens (Wales), Tim Hayes (Wales)
Television match official: Graham Hughes (England)
Assessor: Michel Lamoulie (France)
1 August
Tri-Nations: South Africa vs New Zealand at Absa Park, Durban
Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales)
Assistant referees: Alain Rolland (Ireland), Tim Hayes (Wales)
Television match official: Graham Hughes (England)
Assessor: Michel Lamoulie (France)
8 August
Tri-Nations: South Africa vs Australia at Newlands
Referee: Alain Rolland (Ireland)
Assistant referees: Nigel Owens (Wales), Tim Hayes (Wales)
Television match official: Graham Hughes (England)
Assessor: Michel Lamoulie (France)
22 August
Tri-Nations: Australia vs New Zealand at ANZ Stadium, Sydney
Referee: Jonathan Kaplan (South Africa)
Assistant referees: Mark Lawrence (South Africa), Cobus Wessels (South Africa)
Television match official: Johann Meuwesen (South Africa)
Assessor: Steve Hilditch (Ireland)
29 August
Tri-Nations: Australia vs South Africa Subiaco Oval, Perth
Referee: Brice Lawrence (New Zealand)
Assistant referees: Chris Pollock (New Zealand), Vinny Munro (New Zealand)
Television match official: Keith Brown (New Zealand)
Assessor: Steve Hilditch (Ireland)
5 September
Tri-Nations: Australia vs South Africa at Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
Referee: Wayne Barnes (England)
Assistant referees: Brice Lawrence (New Zealand), Vinny Munro (New Zealand)
Television match official: Chris Pollock (New Zealand)
Assessor: Bob Francis (New Zealand)
12 September
Tri-Nations: New Zealand vs South Africa at Waikato Stadium, Hamilton
Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales)
Assistant referees: Wayne Barnes (England), Stuart Dickinson (Australia)
Television match official: George Ayoub (Australia)
Assessor: Tappe Henning (South Africa)
19 September
Tri-Nations: New Zealand vs Australia at Westpac Stadium, Wellington
Referee: Craig Joubert (South Africa)
Assistant referees: Jonathan Kaplan (South Africa), Wayne Barnes (England)
Television match official: Shaun Veldsman (South Africa)
Assessor: Andrew Cole (Australia)
