Referees to 24 April 2016
That means that there will be eyes on Romain Poite, Nigel Owens, Johnny Lacey and Wayne Barnes, referees used to lots of match pressure.
Of interest, too, is that there are four ladies in top men's matches this week – Christine Hanizet in France, Alhambra Nievas in Spain and Leah Berard in the USA. Richard Every writes that Leah Berard is the first woman to referee professional rugby in the USA. From the Midwest, she will be refereeing in San Francisco this weekend. Then Haylee Slaughter of the United States has charge of a men's international in Guyana.
International
Europeans Nations Cup
Division 2B
Lithuania vs Cyprus
Referee: Georgii Kopp (Russia)
Division 2D
Turkey vs Finland
Referee: Shota Tevzadze (Georgia)
Asia Rugby Championship, Division 3
Iran vs Lebanon at Aspire Rugby Football Centre, Doha
Referee: Chris Linwood (United Arab Emirates)
Assistant referees: Maurice Butler (United Arab Emirates), David Burness (United Arab Emirates)
Coach: Stan Wright (United Arab Emirates)
Qater vs Lebanon at Aspire Rugby Football Centre, Doha
Referee: Maurice Butler (United Arab Emirates)
Assistant referees: Chris Linwood (United Arab Emirates), Tony Duminy (United Arab Emirates)
Assessor: Alan Whitcombe (United Arab Emirates)
Rugby Americas North Championship, South Zone
Trinidad & Tobago vs Jamaica
Referee: Jorge Rodriguez (Mexico)
Assistant referees: David Crisp (Canada), Avion Callender (Trinidad & Tobago)
Guyana vs Barbados
Referee: Haylee Slaughter (USA)
Assistant referees: Antonio Magallanes (Mexico), Carlton Heywood (Guyana)
Guyana vs Barbados
South American Championship, Division A
Brazil vs Uruguay in San Pablo
Referee: Juan Hernán Sylvestre (Argentina)
Assistant referees: José Covassi (Argentina), Juan Esteban Silva (Paraguay)
Assessor: Marcelo Toscano
Chile vs Paraguay in Santiago
Referee: Damian Schneider (Argentina)
Assistant referees: Alejandro Agüero (Argentina), Juan Martínez (Argentina)
Assessor: Carlos Molinari (Argentina)
Under 20
World Rugby Under-20 Trophy 2016
This is taking place at the Harare Sports Club, Harare, Zimbabwe
Round 1
USA vs Namibia
Referee: Tim Baker (Hong Kong)
Spain vs Hong Kong
Referee: Ricardo Sant’Anna (Brazil)
Uruguay vs Fiji
Referee: Kurt Weaver (USA)
Samoa vs Zimbabwe
Referee: Pablo Deluca (Argentina)
Round 2
Samoa vs Fiji
Uruguay vs Zimbabwe
Spain vs Namibia
USA vs Hong Kong
European Professional Club Rugby
Champions Cup Semifinals
Saracens vs Wasps at Madejski Stadium, Reading
Referee: Romain Poite (France)
Assistant referees: Jérôme Garcès (France), Pascal Gauzère (France)
Television match official: Eric Gauzins (France)
Timekeeper: Laurie Bryant
Assessor: Bertie Smith (Ireland)
Leicester Tigers vs Racing 92 at City Ground, Nottingham
Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales)
Assistant referees: George Clancy (Ireland), Leighton Hodges (Wales)
Television match official: Simon McDowell (Ireland)
Timekeeper: Mike Hamlin
Assessor: Michel Lamoulie (France)
Challenge Cup Semifinals
Harlequins vs Grenoble at Twickenham Stoop
Referee: John Lacey (Ireland)
Assistant referees: M Mitrea (Italy), Peter Fitzgibbon (Ireland)
Television match official: Jim Yuille (Scotland)
Timekeeper: John Burtenshaw (England)
Assessor: Jim Fleming (Scotland)
Montpellier vs Newport Gwent Dragons at Altrad Stadium
Referee: Wayne Barnes (England)
Assistant referees: JP Doyle (England), Greg Garner (England)
Television match official: Rowan Kitt (England)
Assessor: Clayton Thomas (Wales)
Challenge Cup Qualifier
Eniseistm vs Rovigo at Schi/Moscow
Referee: Ben Whitehouse (Wales)
Assistant referees: Sean Brickell (Wales), Jonathan Hardy (Wales)
Super Rugby
Highlanders vs Sharks at Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin
Referee: Ben O'Keefe
Assistant referees: Mike Fraser, Kane McBride
Television match official: Shane McDermott
Rebels vs Cheetahs at AAMI Park, Melbourne
Referee: Glen Jackson
Assistant referees: James Leckie, Angus Gardner
Television match official: George Ayoub
Sunwolves vs Jaguares at Prince Chichibu Memorial Stadium, Tokyo
Referee: Jamie Nutbrown
Assistant referees: Chris Pollock, Noriaki Hashimoto
Television match official: Takashi Hareda
Hurricanes vs Chiefs at Westpac Stadium, Wellington
Referee: Craig Joubert
Assistant referees: Nick Briant, Brendon Pickerill
Television match official: Glenn Newman
Force vs Waratahs at NIB Stadium, Perth
Referee: Rohan Hoffmann
Assistant referees: Will Houston, Michael Hogan
Television match official: Peter Marshall
Stormers vs Reds at Newlands
Referee: Marius van der Westhuizen
Assistant referees: Quinton Immelman, Cwengile Jadezweni
Television match official: Shaun Veldsman
Kings vs Lions at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth
Referee: Rasta Rasivhenge
Assistant referees: Jaco van Heerden, AJ Jacobs
Television match official: Christie du Preez
Brumbies vs Crusaders at GIO Stadium, Canberra
Referee: Jaco Peyper
Assistant referees: Nic Berry, Ed Martin
Television match official: Ian Smith
Domestic
England
Premiership
Bath vs Sale Sharks
Referee: Ian Tempest
Assistant referees: Paul Dix, Paul Burton
Television match official: Sean Davey
Timekeeper: Matthew Peters
Assessor: Brian Campsall
Championship
Nottingham vs Cornish Pirates
Referee: Matthew O'Grady
Assistant referees: Gregory Garner, Dino Maddern
Assessor: Andrew Vertigan
Ealing Trailfinders vs Rotherham Titans
Referee: Fergus Kirby
Assistant referees: Philip Watters, Darryl Chapman
Jersey vs Yorkshire Carnegie
Referee: Andrew Small
Assistant referees: Chris Sharp, Clare Daniels
Bedford Blues vs Bristol
Referee: John Meredith
Assistant referees: Wayne Falla, Robert Warburton
Assessor: Rowly Williams
London Welsh vs Doncaster Knights
Referee: Andrew Jackson
Assistant referees: Michael Patz, Brian Ravenhill
Assessor: Stephen Leyshon
Coach: Peter Huckle
Moseley vs London Scottish
Referee: Jack Makepeace
Assistant referees: Matthew Daubney, Lionel Spooner
Assessor: Jerry Wallis
France
Pro D2, Round 27
Colomiers vs Lyon at at Stade Michel Bendichou
Referee: Christophe Mallet
Assistant referees: Didier Mastoumecq, Benoît Escoubet
Goal judges: Christian Castello, Bernard Lagardère
Narbonne vs Bayonne at Parc Des Sports et de l'Amitie
Referee: Jonathan Gasnier
Assistant referees: Arnaud Blondel, Sylvain Jaymes
Goal judges: Frédéric Cambou, Stéphane Ducasse
Aurillac vs Bourgoin at Stade Jean Alric
Referee: Mathieu Noirot
Assistant referees: Sylvain Desvaux, Fabrice Hand
Goal judges: Bruno Gaudefrin, Stéphane Thelamon
Biarritz vs Provence at Parc Des Sports Aguilera
Referee: Vincent Blasco Baque
Assistant referees: Rémy Chastrusse, Philippe Milani
Goal judges: Christian Gregoire, Richard Nocart
Béziers vs Dax at Stade De La Mediterranee
Referee: Cédric Clave
Assistant referees: Paul Henri Courbier, Fabien Soucaret
Goal judges: Charles Bonfanti, Philippe Lecomte
Mont-de-Marsan vs Carcassonne at Stade Municipal Guy Boniface
Referee: Christine Hanizet
Assistant referees: Guillaume Trieux, Franck Rataj
Goal judges: Eric Armengaud, Vincent Lacaille
Tarbes vs Montauban at Stade Maurice Trelut
Referee: Luc Ramos
Assistant referees: Hervé Lasausa Lespy Labaylette, Baptiste Abel Coindoz
Goal judges: Jean Francois Favori, Serge Keromnes
Perpignan vs Albi at Stade Aime Giral
Referee: Jonathan Dufort
Assistant referees: Jaouad Marboh, Alexandre Vallon
Goal judges: Christophe Gaillardon, Didier Veyssiere
Ireland
Ulster League Play-offs
Semifinals
Clontarf vs UCD at Castle Venue
Referee: David Wilkinson
Assistant referees: Paul Haycock, Helen O'Reilly
Cork Constitution vs Young Munster at Templehill
Referee: Gary Conway
Assistant referees: Will O'Connor, Rob O'Sullivan
Promotion/Relegation for Division 1A
Dublin University vs Ballymena at College Park
Referee: Kieran Barry
Assistant referees: Brian MacNeice, Gary Glennon
Ballynamhinch vs Buccaneers at Ballymacarn Park
Referee: Leo Colgan
Assistant referees: Jonny Erskine, Adrian Reavey
Promotion/Relegation for Division 1B
Blackrock vs Cashel at Stradbrook
Referee: Stuart Gaffikin
Assistant referees: John Carvill, Dermot Blake
Portugal
Campeonato Nacional Divisão Honra, Play-offs
Cascais vs Belenenses at Campo Guia
Referee: João Costa
Aeis Tecnico vs Aeis Agronomia at Olaias
Referee: Paulo Duarte
South Africa
Currie Cup
Pumas vs Boland Cavaliers at Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit
Referee: Stephan Geldenhuys
Assistant referees: Local
Assessor: Dennis Immelman
Free State vs Western Province at CUT Rugby Field, Bloemfontein
Referee: Ben Crouse
Assistant referees: Local
Assessor: Dennis Immelman
Leopards vs Valke at Olien Park, Potchefstroom
Referee: Cwengile Jadezweni
Assistant referees: Local
Television match official: JJ Wagner
Assessor: Thuso Mngqibisa
EP Kings vs Border at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth
Referee: AJ Jacobs
Assistant referees: Local
Assessor: Kim Smit
Golden Lions vs Blue Bulls at Alberton Rugby Club, Alberton
Referee: Lourens van der Merwe
Assistant referees: Local
Assessor: Kim Smit
Sharks XV vs Welwitschias at King Zwelithini Stadium, Durban
Referee: Rodney Boneparte
Assistant referees: Local
Assessor: Dennis Immelman
Griquas vs South Western Districts at Griqua Park, Kimberley
Referee: Lesego Legoete
Assistant referees: Local
Assessor: Thuso Mngqibisa
Spain
División de Honor, 21ª Jornada
Valladolid Rac vs El Salvador
Referee: Alhambra Nievas (Málaga)
Gernika vs FC Barcelona
Referee: Félix Villegas (Valladolid)
Cisneros vs Independiente
Referee: Fernando Raposo (Valladolid)
Ordizia vs Hernani
Referee: Igotz Gallastegi (Guipúzcoa)
Alcobendas vs Pozuelo
Referee: Alfonso Mirat (Madrid)
UE Santboiana vs Getxo
Referee: Joaquín Santoro (Valencia)
United States
PRO Rugby
San Diego vs Sacramento in San Diego
Referee: Scott Green
Assistant Referees: Nick Ricono, Marc Nelson
San Francisco vs Denver in San Francisco
Referee: Leah Berard
Assistant Referees: Derek Summers, George O'Neil
Pacific Rugby Premiership
Denver Barbarians vs Belmont Shore in Denver
Referee: Brad Cole
Assistant referees: Local
Assessor: Joe Zevin
OMBAC vs Santa Monica in San Diego
Referee: Joshua Pendergrass
Assistant referees: Local
Olympic Club vs San Francisco Golden Gate in San Francisco
Referee: Derek Summers
Assistant referees: Local
American Rugby Premiership
Mystic River vs Old Blue New York in Boston
Referee: Shawn Bastic
Assistant referees: Local
Life vs Boston Irish in Atlanta
Referee: Jake Still
Assistant referees: Local
Assessor: Peter Watson
Wales
Premiership
Pontypridd vs Newport
Referee: Dan Jones
Assistant referees: Kelvin Shorte, Gareth Butler
Neath vs Cross Keys
Referee: Rob Price
Assistant referees: Gareth John, Mike Davies
Ebbw Vale vs Aberavon
Referee: Ian Davies
Assistant referees: Richard Brace, Steve Nash
Pontypridd vs Bedwas
Referee: Craig Evans
Assistant referees: Jason Bessant, Gerwyn Taylor
Cardiff vs Llandovery
Referee: Dan Jones
Assistant referees: Stuart Kibble, Jon Hardy
Bridgend vs Carmarthen
Referee: Simon Rees
Assistant referees: Greg Morgan, Morgan Whitehead
Newport vs Llanelli
Referee: Aled Evans
Assistant referees: Tom Spurrier, Brian Powell
