Match officials for this weekend, including England vs Japan referee

Thursday, 10 November 2022 at 13:18

byRugby Rucker

Referee appointments for this weekend’s Autumn Nations Series, including the England vs Japan referee at Twickenham on Saturday.

In total, 23 match officials representing 10 nations will take charge of the 37 November tests announced so far.

Georgia v Samoa Venue TBC, Georgia Saturday, 12 November, 2022	Referee: Damon Murphy (RA) Assistant Referee 1: Ludovic Cayre (FFR) Assistant Referee 2: Talal Chaudhry (RC) TMO: Matteo Liperini (FIR)
Romania v Uruguay Stadionul National Arcul de Triumf, Bucharest Saturday, 12 November, 2022	Referee: Pierre Brousset (FFR) Assistant Referee 1: Adrien Marbot (FFR) Assistant Referee 2: Jean Baptiste Nuchy (FFR) TMO: Sean Brickell (WRU)
Spain v Namibia Venue TBC Saturday, 12 November, 2022	Referee: Paul Williams (NZR) Assistant Referee 1: Shota Tevzadze (GRU) Assistant Referee 2: Kahlil Harrison (USA)

England v Japan referee Twickenham, London Saturday, 12 November, 2022	Referee: James Doleman (NZR) Assistant Referee 1: Nic Berry (RA) Assistant Referee 2: Craig Evans (WRU) TMO: Eric Gauzins (FFR)
Ireland v Fiji Aviva Stadium, Dublin Saturday, 12 November, 2022	Referee: Jaco Peyper (SARU) (replaced by Mathieu Raynal) Assistant Referee 1: Tual Trainini (FFR) Assistant Referee 2: Jordan Way (RA) TMO: Chris Hart (NZR)
Italy v Australia Stadio Artemio Franchi, Florence Saturday, 12 November, 2022	Referee: Brendon Pickerill (NZR) Assistant Referee 1: Mathieu Raynal (FFR) (replace by Andrew Brace) Assistant Referee 2: Adam Leal (RFU) TMO: Marius Jonker (SARU)
Wales v Argentina Principality Stadium, Cardiff Saturday, 12 November, 2022	Referee: Ben O’Keeffe (NZR) Assistant Referee 1: Angus Gardner (RA) Assistant Referee 2: Andrea Piardi (FIR) TMO: Marius van der Westhuizen (SARU)

Who's is England vs Japan referee?

Doleman began refereeing while a student in Dunedin, becoming a professional referee in 2020. In 2019 he had refereed the final of the 2019 World Rugby Under 20 Championship. He refereed his first Super Rugby match on 7 March 2020 in a match between the Rebels and Lions, before refereeing 3 matches in the 2020 Super Rugby Aotearoa season. He also refereed the Championship final of the 2020 Mitre 10 Cup as Hawke’s Bay played Northland.

France v South Africa Stade Velodrome, Marseille Saturday, 12 November, 2022	Referee: Wayne Barnes (RFU) Assistant Referee 1: Karl Dickson (RFU) Assistant Referee 2: Christophe Ridley (RFU) TMO: Brian MacNeice (IRFU)
Tonga v Chile Stadionul National Arcul de Triumf, Bucharest Saturday, 12 November, 2022	Referee: Luke Pearce (RFU) Assistant Referee 1: Luc Ramos (FFR) Assistant Referee 2: Ben Blain (SRU) TMO: Brett Cronan (RA)
All Blacks XV v Barbarians Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London Sunday, 13 November, 2022	Referee: Mike Adamson (SRU) Assistant Referee 1: Sam Grove-White (SRU) Assistant Referee 2: Gianluca Gnecchi (FIR) TMO: Eric Gauzins (FFR)
Scotland v New Zealand Murrayfield, Edinburgh Sunday, 13 November, 2022	Referee: Frank Murphy (IRFU) Assistant Referee 1: Andrew Brace (IRFU) Assistant Referee 2: Chris Busby (IRFU) TMO: Tom Foley (RFU)

Wayne Barnes facts:

When not on the pitch or working with the England team, Barnes is a practising barrister
Barnes started playing rugby at the age of eight, and took up refereeing aged 15 with Gloucester & District Referees
He also has two young children, Juno and Beau with wife Polly.

Record-breaking Barnes ranks the toughest players to referee

Legendary rugby referee Wayne Barnes has ranked some of the trickier players he had to run the rule over down the years.

#5. Joe Marler (England)

BARNES SAID: " “He was always a funny one on the field in nice way. You’d be trying to tell him something serious and he’d just want to have a laugh and a joke.

"But he does bring a smile to your face. That is what is unique about our sport, the interaction between players and refs and refs and coaches. It does show our sport off in a good light.”

Joe Marler of England Rugby during the Six Nations Championship match between England and Wales at Twickenham Stadium, Twickenham, London on February 26th 2021. - PHOTO: Phil Mingo/PPAUK

#4. Matt Dawson (England)

During his international career he toured with the British & Irish Lions three times and was part of England's 2003 Rugby World Cup winning side. He won 77 caps for his country in total.

BARNES SAID: "Scrum-halves are always the worst, especially Matt."

#3. Martin Johnson (England)

The lock will always be remembered as the man presented with the 2003 World Cup, which England won in Sydney. As well as being an inspirational leader, the Leicester lock was also a formidable player in his own right. A rock like presence in the tight, whose rugby motto was if in doubt, go forward.

BARNES SAID: “I was always petrified of Martin Johnson because he was coming to the end of his career when I started in the Premiership." said Barnes.

“2003 was my first [season] and obviously that was towards the end of his career and I remember I had to sin-bin him once and I actually apologised as I did it.

“I said ‘I’m very sorry I have to do this’ because he’s such a big personality. I guess he was always someone who scared me witless!”

DID YOU KNOW? he comes from a sporting family. His great-grandfather was a wrestler

#2. Andy Goode (England)

BARNES SAID: "He always made me smile as he made me look athletic when we were on the same pitch. However, the humorous players always keep you on your toes and if they get opportunity to pick you up on a slight faux pas, they will.

"I once mentioned to Andy Goode that him and his team mates were all appealing for far too many decisions and told him that it sounded like there were 15 referees on the pitch. “And you’re not even in the top 10” was his reply."

DID YOU KNOW? Goode had an 18-year professional career playing over 400 games and scoring over 4,000 points

#1. Richie McCaw (New Zealand)

Lifting the 2011 World Cup in his backyard was a fitting tribute to one of the greatest ever All Blacks, but he went on to secure true legendary status as he continued for four more years, breaking record after record and uniquely hoisting the Webb Ellis trophy for a second time.

BARNES SAID: "I’ve been on the field with some of the great captains, John Smit, Sam Warburton and Richie McCaw," said Barnes.

"Richie always had the knack of asking the right question at the right time, sometimes it felt like I was losing a little bit of control.

"Contrary to popular belief, he didn’t talk a lot on the field. He knew the law book inside out and so when he asked a question, he often had a point."

DID YOU KNOW? His other sporting passion is flying and he was made an honorary Squadron Leader in the Royal New Zealand Air Force in 2010

DONE: Exeter Chiefs complete the signing of Wasps trio

An incredible XI of rugby players who played for professional football academies