Christophe Ridley has been confirmed as the referee for Argentina’s Test against South Africa this weekend after originally appointed official Pierre Brousset was forced to withdraw through injury.
Join RUCK’s Instagram broadcast channel and get the latest rugby news straight to your phone.
Brousset picked up the injury during training. While the extent of the issue has not been revealed, it has ruled the French referee out of Saturday’s match in Buenos Aires.
Although born in France, Ridley represents the RFU and, at just 33, has already built an impressive international refereeing career.
Away from his refereeing duties, Ridley also works with the RFU in an advisory role, helping England head coach Steve Borthwick gain a better understanding of the laws of the game and how they are applied.
He has taken charge of several Test matches, including fixtures in the Nations Championship, and is also part of the officiating team for the upcoming Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series between the Springboks and the All Blacks.
Christophe Ridley (England) will now referee Argentina v South Africa in Buenos Aires on Saturday, 8 August after Pierre Brousset (France) was ruled out with an injury suffered in training.
Updated @emirates Match Official appointments:
Referee: Christophe Ridley (England)…— World Rugby Media (@worldrugbymedia) August 5, 2026
The rest of the match officials remain unchanged. Luc Ramos and Craig Evans will serve as assistant referees, while Ben Whitehouse has been appointed as the TMO. Fellow RFU official Ian Tempest will act as the foul play review officer.
The fixture is South Africa’s only warm-up before their four Test series against the All Blacks. Rassie Erasmus has recalled a number of key players for the clash, including captain Siya Kolisi, as the Springboks complete their final preparations ahead of the highly anticipated series.
Ridley will hope the match passes without the controversy that surrounded Australia’s Angus Gardner during England’s meeting with Argentina a few weeks ago.
That game led to seven yellow cards and a four match ban for Tomas Albornoz due to his conduct towards the referee, while Gardner was also struck by an object thrown from the crowd after the match.
Editors Picks:
- Eben Etzebeth makes retirement decision after latest concussion scare
- Andy Farrell became Dad at 16 with England legends sister
- Henry Pollock sends clear England World Cup message after ‘buzzing’ draw
- Siya Kolisi makes Springboks retirement decision in fresh statement
The secret careers of rugby’s top referees – from Hollie Davidson to Ben O’Keeffe
Join the RUCK’s WhatsApp community here and get the latest news sent straight to your messages.
10. Craig Evans – Former Wales Sevens international
Before swapping boots for a whistle, Craig Evans was a talented player in his own right.
The Welshman represented Wales Sevens and also played for Cardiff RFC before deciding to pursue a career in refereeing. His understanding of the game as a former player has helped him become one of the United Rugby Championship’s regular officials.
9. Karl Dickson – Former Premiership winner
Karl Dickson spent more than a decade as a professional scrum-half, making over 150 appearances for Harlequins.
He was part of the famous Harlequins side that won the Premiership title in 2012 before injury forced him into retirement. Dickson has since established himself as one of England’s leading referees and is now a regular on the international circuit.
8. Nic Berry – Former professional rugby player
Like Dickson, Australia’s Nic Berry knows exactly what it’s like to play at the highest level.
The former Queensland Reds and Wasps fly-half saw his playing career cut short by repeated concussions at just 28 years old. He quickly turned to refereeing and has since officiated at multiple Rugby World Cups.
7. Angus Gardner – Finance professional
Before becoming one of World Rugby’s elite referees, Angus Gardner worked in the financial services industry.
The Australian balanced a career in finance with refereeing before eventually committing to officiating full-time, a decision that saw him go on to referee some of the biggest Tests in world rugby.
6. Luke Pearce – Chartered surveyor
England’s Luke Pearce previously worked as a chartered surveyor in the property sector before making the switch to professional refereeing.
Now regarded as one of the world’s most respected officials, Pearce has taken charge of countless Six Nations, Rugby Championship and Autumn Nations Series clashes.
