South Africa’s Jaco Peyper will referee the Rugby World Cup 2023 opening match between hosts France and New Zealand at Stade de France on 8 September.
With global excitement building, World Rugby has announced the Emirates Match Officials appointments for the 40 matches that comprise the pool stage of what promises to be the sport’s greatest celebration of togetherness.
In May, a team of Emirates Match Officials (12 referees, seven assistant referees and seven Television Match Officials) were selected for the showcase event. The team represents nine nations and has more than 700 test appearances between them. The selection was made on merit.
Peyper is no stranger to opening matches, having refereed the England versus Fiji opener at Rugby World Cup 2015 at Twickenham. He will also use a special whistle presented by adventurer Ron Rutland, who is cycling 21,000 kilometres from Auckland to Paris to deliver the whistle and raise money for ChildFund Rugby.
In other refereeing news, legendary whistleblower Nigel Owens is also set to be at the World Cup as part of ITV's coverage.
WEEK ONE:
| France v New Zealand Stade de France, Saint-Denis Friday, 8 September, 2023 | Referee: Jaco Peyper (SARU) Assistant Referee 1: Karl Dickson (RFU) Assistant Referee 2: Christophe Ridley (RFU) TMO: Tom Foley (RFU) |
| Italy v Namibia Stade Geoffroy-Guichard, Saint-Étienne Saturday, 9 September, 2023 | Referee: Andrew Brace (IRFU) Assistant Referee 1: Paul Williams (NZR) Assistant Referee 2: Chris Busby (IRFU) TMO: Joy Neville (IRFU) |
| Ireland v Romania Stade de Bordeaux, Bordeaux Saturday, 9 September, 2023 | Referee: Nika Amashukeli (GRU) Assistant Referee 1: Wayne Barnes (RFU) Assistant Referee 2: Andrea Piardi (FIR) TMO: Brendon Pickerill (NZR) |
| Australia v Georgia Stade de France, Saint-Denis Saturday, 9 September, 2023 | Referee: Luke Pearce (RFU) Assistant Referee 1: James Doleman (NZR) Assistant Referee 2: Craig Evans (WRU) TMO: Brian MacNeice (IRFU) |
| England v Argentina Stade de Marseille, Marseille Saturday, 9 September, 2023 | Referee: Mathieu Raynal (FFR) Assistant Referee 1: Ben O'Keeffe (NZR) Assistant Referee 2: Pierre Brousset (FFR) TMO: Marius Jonker (SARU) |
| Japan v Chile Stadium de Toulouse, Toulouse Sunday, 10 September, 2023 | Referee: Nic Berry (RA) Assistant Referee 1: Karl Dickson (RFU) Assistant Referee 2: Andrea Piardi (FIR) TMO: Tom Foley (RFU) |
| South Africa v Scotland Stade de Marseille, Marseille Sunday, 10 September, 2023 | Referee: Angus Gardner (RA) Assistant Referee 1: Nika Amashukeli (GRU) Assistant Referee 2: Jordan Way (RA) TMO: Ben Whitehouse (WRU) |
| Wales v Fiji Stade de Bordeaux, Bordeaux Sunday, 10 September, 2023 | Referee: Matthew Carley (RFU) Assistant Referee 1: Wayne Barnes (RFU) Assistant Referee 2: Christophe Ridley (RFU) TMO: Brian MacNeice (IRFU) |
WEEK TWO:
| France v Uruguay Stade Pierre-Mauroy, Lille Thursday, 14 September, 2023 | Referee: Ben O'Keeffe (NZR) Assistant Referee 1: Paul Williams (NZR) Assistant Referee 2: James Doleman (NZR) TMO: Ben Whitehouse (WRU) |
| New Zealand v Namibia Stadium de Toulouse, Toulouse Friday, 15 September, 2023 | Referee: Luke Pearce (RFU) Assistant Referee 1: Andrew Brace (IRFU) Assistant Referee 2: Jordan Way (RA) TMO: Brian MacNeice (IRFU) |
| Samoa v Chile Stade de Bordeaux, Bordeaux Saturday, 16 September, 2023 | Referee: Paul Williams (NZR) Assistant Referee 1: Angus Gardner Assistant Referee 2: James Doleman (NZR) TMO: Brett Cronan (RA) |
| Wales v Portugal Stade de Nice, Nice Saturday, 16 September, 2023 | Referee: Karl Dickson (RFU) Assistant Referee 1: Luke Pearce (RFU) Assistant Referee 2: Andrea Piardi (FIR) TMO: Marius Jonker (SARU) |
| Ireland v Tonga Stade de la Beaujoire, Nantes Saturday, 16 September, 2023 | Referee: Wayne Barnes (RFU) Assistant Referee 1: Matthew Carley (RFU) Assistant Referee 2: Craig Evans (WRU) TMO: Tom Foley (RFU) |
| South Africa v Romania Stade de Bordeaux, Bordeaux Sunday, 17 September, 2023 | Referee: Mathieu Raynal (FFR) Assistant Referee 1: Angus Gardner (RA) Assistant Referee 2: Pierre Brousset (FFR) TMO: Brett Cronan (RA) |
| Australia v Fiji Stade Geoffroy-Guichard, Saint-Étienne Sunday, 17 September, 2023 | Referee: Andrew Brace (IRFU) Assistant Referee 1: Jaco Peyper (SARU) Assistant Referee 2: Chris Busby (IRFU) TMO: Brian MacNeice (IRFU) |
| England v Japan Stade de Nice, Nice Sunday, 17 September, 2023 | Referee: Nika Amashukeli (GRU) Assistant Referee 1: Nic Berry (RA) Assistant Referee 2: Andrea Piardi (FIR) TMO: Joy Neville (IRFU) |
WEEK THREE:
| taly v Uruguay Stade de Nice, Nice Wednesday, 20 September, 2023 | Referee: Angus Gardner (RA) Assistant Referee 1: Andrew Brace (IRFU) Assistant Referee 2: Jordan Way (RA) TMO: Tom Foley (RFU) |
| France v Namibia Stade de Marseille, Marseille Thursday, 21 September, 2023 | Referee: Matthew Carley (RFU) Assistant Referee 1: Andrew Brace (IRFU) Assistant Referee 2: Craig Evans (WRU) TMO: Joy Neville (IRFU) |
| Argentina v Samoa Stade Geoffroy-Guichard, Saint-Étienne Friday, 22 September, 2023 | Referee: Nic Berry (RA) Assistant Referee 1: Nika Amashukeli (GRU) Assistant Referee 2: Jordan Way (RA) TMO: Brett Cronan (RA) |
| Georgia v Portugal Stadium de Toulouse, Toulouse Saturday, 23 September, 2023 | Referee: Paul Williams (NZR) Assistant Referee 1: Matthew Carley (RFU) Assistant Referee 2: Chris Busby (IRFU) TMO: Joy Neville (IRFU) |
| England v Chile Stade Pierre-Mauroy, Lille Saturday, 23 September, 2023 | Referee: Jaco Peyper (SARU) Assistant Referee 1: Pierre Brousset (FFR) Assistant Referee 2: Andrea Piardi (FIR) TMO: Marius Jonker (SARU) |
| South Africa v Ireland Stade de France, Saint-Denis Saturday, 23 September, 2023 | Referee: Ben O'Keeffe (NZR) Assistant Referee 1: Mathieu Raynal (FFR) Assistant Referee 2: James Doleman (NZR) TMO: Brendon Pickerill (NZR) |
| Scotland v Tonga Stade de Nice, Nice Sunday, 24 September, 2023 | Referee: Karl Dickson (RFU) Assistant Referee 1: Nika Amashukeli (GRU) Assistant Referee 2: Craig Evans (WRU) TMO: Ben Whitehouse (WRU) |
| Wales v Australia OL Stadium, Lyon Sunday, 24 September, 2023 | Referee: Wayne Barnes (RFU) Assistant Referee 1: Luke Pearce (RFU) Assistant Referee 2: Christophe Ridley (RFU) TMO: Tom Foley (RFU) |
WEEK FOUR:
| Uruguay v Namibia OL Stadium, Lyon Wednesday, 27 September, 2023 | Referee: Mathieu Raynal (FFR) Assistant Referee 1: Nic Berry (RA) Assistant Referee 2: Chris Busby (IRFU) TMO: Ben Whitehouse (WRU) |
| Japan v Samoa Stadium de Toulouse, Toulouse Thursday, 28 September, 2023 | Referee: Jaco Peyper (SARU) Assistant Referee 1: Ben O'Keeffe (NZR) Assistant Referee 2: Craig Evans (WRU) TMO: Marius Jonker (SARU) |
| New Zealand v Italy OL Stadium, Lyon Friday, 29 September, 2023 | Referee: Matthew Carley (RFU) Assistant Referee 1: Nic Berry (RA) Assistant Referee 2: Christophe Ridley (RFU) TMO: Brett Cronan (RA) |
| Argentina v Chile Stade de la Beaujoire, Nantes Saturday, 30 September, 2023 | Referee: Paul Williams (NZR) Assistant Referee 1: Angus Gardner (RA) Assistant Referee 2: James Doleman (NZR) TMO: Ben Whitehouse (WRU) |
| Fiji v Georgia Stade de Bordeaux, Bordeaux Saturday, 30 September, 2023 | Referee: Karl Dickson (RFU) Assistant Referee 1: Jaco Peyper (SARU) Assistant Referee 2: Pierre Brousset (FFR) TMO: Tom Foley (RFU) |
| Scotland v Romania Stade Pierre-Mauroy, Lille Saturday, 30 September, 2023 | Referee: Wayne Barnes (RFU) Assistant Referee 1: Andrew Brace (IRFU) Assistant Referee 2: Chris Busby (IRFU) TMO: Brendon Pickerill (NZR) |
| Australia v Portugal Stade Geoffroy-Guichard, Saint-Étienne Sunday, 1 October, 2023 | Referee: Nika Amashukeli (GRU) Assistant Referee 1: Mathieu Raynal (FFR) Assistant Referee 2: Andrea Piardi (FIR) TMO: Joy Neville (IRFU) |
| South Africa v Tonga Stade de Marseille, Marseille Sunday, 1 October, 2023 | Referee: Luke Pearce (RFU) Assistant Referee 1: Matthew Carley (RFU) Assistant Referee 2: Christophe Ridley (RFU) TMO: Brett Cronan (RA) |
WEEK FIVE:
| New Zealand v Uruguay OL Stadium, Lyon Thursday, 5 October, 2023 | Referee: Wayne Barnes (RFU) Assistant Referee 1: Matthew Carley (RFU) Assistant Referee 2: Jordan Way (RA) TMO: Marius Jonker (SARU) |
| France v Italy OL Stadium, Lyon Friday, 6 October, 2023 | Referee: Karl Dickson (RFU) Assistant Referee 1: Luke Pearce (RFU) Assistant Referee 2: Craig Evans (WRU) TMO: Marius Jonker (SARU) |
| Wales v Georgia Stade de la Beaujoire, Nantes Saturday, 7 October, 2023 | Referee: Mathieu Raynal (FFR) Assistant Referee 1: Ben O'Keeffe (NZR) Assistant Referee 2: Pierre Brousset (FFR) TMO: Brendon Pickerill (NZR) |
| England v Samoa Stade Pierre-Mauroy, Lille Saturday, 7 October, 2023 | Referee: Andrew Brace (IRFU) Assistant Referee 1: Nika Amashukeli (GRU) Assistant Referee 2: Chris Busby (IRFU) TMO: Brian MacNeice (IRFU) |
| Ireland v Scotland Stade de France, Saint-Denis Saturday, 7 October, 2023 | Referee: Nic Berry (RA) Assistant Referee 1: Wayne Barnes (RFU) Assistant Referee 2: Jordan Way (RA) TMO: Brett Cronan (RA) |
| Japan v Argentina Stade de la Beaujoire, Nantes Sunday, 8 October, 2023 | Referee: Ben O'Keeffe (NZR) Assistant Referee 1: Paul Williams (NZR) Assistant Referee 2: James Doleman (NZR) TMO: Brendon Pickerill (NZR) |
| Tonga v Romania Stade Pierre-Mauroy, Lille Sunday, 8 October, 2023 | Referee: Angus Gardner (RA) Assistant Referee 1: Mathieu Raynal (FFR) Assistant Referee 2: Christophe Ridley (RFU) TMO: Brian MacNeice (IRFU) |
| Fiji v Portugal Stadium de Toulouse, Toulouse Sunday, 8 October, 2023 | Referee: Luke Pearce (RFU) Assistant Referee 1: Jaco Peyper (SARU) Assistant Referee 2: Pierre Brousset (FFR) TMO: Ben Whitehouse (WRU) |
