England vs Ireland referee was at centre of 'scandalous' decision

Friday, 20 February 2026 at 20:40

byRugby Rucker

The England vs Ireland referee will be under intense scrutiny when two of rugby’s fiercest rivals collide. The official appointed for the fixture has built a reputation as one of Europe’s rising refereeing talents — but his career has not been without controversy.

Here’s a closer look at the man in the middle.

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Who is Andrea Piardi?

The referee selected for England v Ireland is Andrea Piardi.

Born in 1992, Piardi began his rugby career as a back row player before switching to refereeing around a decade ago. Since then, he has steadily climbed through the professional ranks.

He previously officiated in Italy’s Top12 competition and made his Pro14 refereeing debut in February 2019, taking charge of a clash between Munster and the Southern Kings.

Piardi made his Six Nations debut as an assistant referee in 2021 and has since officiated Rugby World Cup qualifying fixtures. With 10 Test matches to his name, his experience also includes two World Rugby U20 Championships and serving as a touch judge at the previous year’s World Cup.

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Making Six Nations history

The 32-year-old made history by becoming the first Italian referee to take charge of a match in the Six Nations Championship.

Ahead of his landmark appointment at the Aviva Stadium, Piardi spoke of the pride he felt at reaching such a milestone — not only for himself but for Italian rugby.

He described the appointment as the culmination of a 10-year journey and said he hoped it would “open the door” for the next generation of Italian referees. The moment was widely celebrated within the Italian Rugby Federation.

After his Six Nations breakthrough, Piardi was entrusted with officiating the United Rugby Championship final, further strengthening his credentials on the elite stage.

The ‘scandalous’ decision that sparked debate

One of the most talked-about moments of Piardi’s career came in November 2020 during a match between Ulster Rugbyand Scarlets.

Ulster second row Kieran Treadwell made shoulder-to-head contact with Scarlets prop Javan Sebastian in the early minutes. Piardi initially appeared ready to issue a red card but reversed his decision following consultation with Irish TMO Brian MacNeice, who cited minimal force in the contact.

Treadwell was shown a yellow card instead and later returned to score a decisive try in Ulster’s 26–24 victory. The decision sparked outrage among fans and pundits, with Sunday Times rugby correspondent Stephen Jones describing it as “the reddest red card ever”.

Treadwell later received a three-week suspension, but the controversy surrounding the incident lingered.

SIX NATIONS REFEREE'S

Round 3 Fixtures – Six Nations 2026

England vs Ireland
Allianz Stadium, Twickenham – Saturday, 21 February 2026

Referee: Andrea Piardi (FIR)
Assistant Referee 1: Pierre Brousset (FFR)
Assistant Referee 2: Gianluca Gnecchi (FIR)
TMO: Matteo Liperini (FIR)
FPRO: Mike Adamson (SRU)

Wales vs Scotland
Principality Stadium, Cardiff – Saturday, 21 February 2026

Referee: Matthew Carley (RFU)
Assistant Referee 1: Karl Dickson (RFU)
Assistant Referee 2: Adam Leal (RFU)
TMO: Ian Tempest (RFU)
FPRO: Eric Gauzins (FFR)

France vs Italy
Stade Pierre Mauroy, Lille – Sunday, 22 February 2026

Referee: Andrew Brace (IRFU)
Assistant Referee 1: Luke Pearce (RFU)
Assistant Referee 2: Eoghan Cross (IRFU)
TMO: Olly Hodges (IRFU)
FPRO: Ben Whitehouse (WRU)

Round 4 Fixtures – Six Nations 2026

Ireland vs Wales
Aviva Stadium, Dublin – Friday, 6 March 2026

Referee: Karl Dickson (RFU)
Assistant Referee 1: Nika Amashukeli (GRU)
Assistant Referee 2: Damian Schneider (UAR)
TMO: Andrew Jackson (RFU)
FPRO: Tual Trainini (FFR)

Scotland vs France
Scottish Gas Murrayfield, Edinburgh – Saturday, 7 March 2026

Referee: Angus Gardner (RA)
Assistant Referee 1: Andrew Brace (IRFU)
Assistant Referee 2: Craig Evans (WRU)
TMO: Brett Cronan (RA)
FPRO: Olly Hodges (IRFU)

Italy vs England
Stadio Olimpico, Rome – Saturday, 7 March 2026

Referee: Luc Ramos (FFR)
Assistant Referee 1: Nic Berry (RA)
Assistant Referee 2: Pierre Brousset (FFR)
TMO: Eric Gauzins (FFR)
FPRO: Ben Whitehouse (WRU)

Round 5 Fixtures – Six Nations 2026

Ireland vs Scotland
Aviva Stadium, Dublin – Saturday, 14 March 2026

Referee: Luke Pearce (RFU)
Assistant Referee 1: Angus Gardner (RA)
Assistant Referee 2: Damian Schneider (UAR)
TMO: Andrew Jackson (RFU)
FPRO: Ian Tempest (RFU)

Wales vs Italy
Principality Stadium, Cardiff – Saturday, 14 March 2026

Referee: Christophe Ridley (FFR)
Assistant Referee 1: Matthew Carley (RFU)
Assistant Referee 2: Eoghan Cross (IRFU)
TMO: Mike Adamson (SRU)
FPRO: Eric Gauzins (FFR)

France vs England
Stade de France, Paris – Saturday, 14 March 2026

Referee: Nic Berry (RA)
Assistant Referee 1: Nika Amashukeli (GRU)
Assistant Referee 2: Hollie Davidson (SRU)
TMO: Brett Cronan (RA)
FPRO: Matteo Liperini (FIR)

Quiz: Name these 10 retro rugby players

From jaw-dropping tries to unforgettable moments (and yes, some questionable haircuts), these players defined a golden era of the game. If their names don’t instantly come to mind, we suggest a quick trip to YouTube to jog your memory. Trust us, it’s worth it.

Ready to test your knowledge? Let’s see if you’ve still got it. Good luck!