Ref appointments: Happy whistling
A Joyous and Blessed Christmas to all of good will who have rugby refereeing at heart. It is a wonderful and loving time of the year that would be even greater if it lasted all year.
Even at this time of peace and spoiling, there are players and match officials who have to be cautious for on the Feast of Stephen they will be out and about in hot battles on cold rugby fields. Let's hope that they are matches of good will and joy.
A lot of the matches are local derbies but in Pro 12 referees do more travelling than players.
Some of the matches are tough ones indeed – Harlequins vs Saints, Munster vs Leinster and Toulon vs Stade Français for example.
International
Pro 12
Munster vs Leinster at Thomond Park
Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales)
Assistant referees: Mark Patton (Ireland), Stuart Gaffikin Stuart (Ireland)
Television match official: Simon McDowell (Ireland)
Assessor: John Sheehan (Ireland)
Ulster vs Connacht at Kingspan Stadium
Referee: Johnny Lacey (Ireland)
Assistant referees: Dudley Phillips (Ireland), Nigel Correll (Ireland)
Television match official: Brian MacNeice (Ireland)
Timekeeper: David Armstrong (Ireland)
Glasgow Warriors vs Edinburgh at Scotstoun Stadium
Referee: George Clancy (Ireland)
Zebre vs Benetton Treviso at Stadio XXV Aprile
Referee: Peter Fitzgibbon (Ireland)
Assistant referees: Matteo Liperini (Italy), Elia Rizzo (Italy)
Television match official: Carlo Damasco (Italy)
Timekeeper: Giovanni Corda (Italy)
Assessor: Gabriele Villari (Italy)
Cardiff Blues vs Newport Gwent Dragons at Cardiff Arms Park
Referee: Leighton Hodges (Wales)
Assistant referees: Rhys Thomas (Wales), Craig Evans (Wales)
Television match official: Gareth Simmonds (Wales)
Ospreys vs Scarlets at Liberty Stadium
Referee: Marius Mitrea (Italy)
Assistant referees: Wayne Davies (Wales), Jon Mason (Wales)
Television match official: Derek Bevan (Wales)
Assessor: Les Peard (Wales)
Domestic
England
Premiership
London Irish vs London Welsh
Referee: Gregory Garner
Assistant referees: Nigel Carrick, Roy Maybank
Television match official: David Sainsbury
Timekeeper: John Burtenshaw
Assessor: Gary Welsh
TJ Coach: Ashley Reay
Bath vs Exeter Chiefs
Referee: JP Doyle
Assistant referees: Paul Burton, Roger Baileff
Television match official: Geoffrey Warren
Timekeeper: Laurie Bryant
TJ Coach: Ashley Reay
Sale Sharks vs Leicester Tigers
Referee: Tim Wigglesworth
Assistant referees: Simon McConnell, Peter Huckle
Television match official: David Grashoff
Timekeeper: Anthony Turner
Assessor: Nigel Yates
Newcastle Falcons vs Saracens
Referee: Luke Pearce
Assistant referees: Robin Goodliffe, John Meredith
Television match official: Trevor Fisher
Timekeeper: David Hudson
Assessor: Andrew Vertigan
Harlequins vs Northampton Saints
Referee: Wayne Barnes
Assistant referees: Paul Dix, Kelvin Stewart
Television match official: Sean Davey
Timekeeper: Robert Ockenden
Assessor: Brian Campsall
Gloucester vs London Wasps
Referee: Dean Richards
Assiustant referees: Gareth Copsey, Andy Watson
Television match official: Graham Hughes
Timekeeper: Mike Hamlin
Assessor: Christopher White
Championship
Rotherham Titans vs Moseley at Clifton Lane
Referee: Craig Maxwell-Keys
Assistant referees: Andrew Jackson, Lionel Spooner
Bedford Blues vs Bristol at Goldington Road, Bedford
Referee: Andrew Small
Assistant referees: Darryl Chapman, Philip Watters
Assessor: Andrew Vertigan
Yorkshire Carnegie vs Worcester Warriors at Headingley
Referee: Darren Gamage
Assistant referees: Andrew Rawson, Chris Sharp
Assessor: Stephen Leyshon
Plymouth Albion vs Cornish Pirates at Brickfields
Referee: David Procter
Assistant referees: Brian Ravenhill, Michael Patz
Assessor: Anthony Spreadbury
France
Top 14
Bordeaux-Bègles vs Brive at Stade Chaban-Delmas
Referee: Mathieu Raynal
Assistant referees: Thomas Charabas, Eric Soulan
Television match official: Bernard Dal Maso
Castres vs Montpellier at Stade Jean-Pierre-Antoine
Referee: Patrick Pechambert
Assistant referees: Tual Trainini, Christophe Malterre
Television match official: Bruno Bessot
La Rochelle vs Grenoble at Stade Marcel-Deflandre
Referee: Salem Attalah
Assistant referees: Stéphane Boyer, Thierry Guilloton
Television match official: Daniel Irazoqui
Lyon vs Clermont at Matmut Stadium
Referee: Laurent Cardona
Assistant referees: Mathieu Noirot, Sébastien Hebert
Television match official: Gérard Borreani
Oyonnax vs Bayonne at Stade Charles-Mathon
Referee: Jérôme Garcès
Assistant referees: Mathieu Delpy, Laurent Sclafer
Television match official: Jean-Marie Piraveau
Stade Français vs Toulon at Stade Jean-Bouin
Referee: Pascal Gauzère
Assistant referees: Christophe Dutreuilh, Jacques De Lemos
Television match official: Eric Gonthier
Toulouse vs Racing-Métro at Stade Ernest-Wallon
Referee: Alexandre Ruiz
Assistant referees: Jérôme Lamirand, Thomas Déjean
Television match official: Philippe Bonhoure
