World Rugby has today unveiled the Emirates Match Official appointments for a bumper schedule of international fixtures taking place in July and August, including The Rugby Championship and preparation fixtures for Rugby World Cup 2023.
At present, 38 fixtures will take place across the globe in a busy period for international rugby. The international federation is playing a central role in coordinating the schedule of fixtures to provide each of the Rugby World Cup 2023 qualified teams with the best-possible preparation environment for the biggest event in men’s test rugby.
In line with its commitment to grow the game globally, World Rugby has also put significant investment behind teams outside of The Rugby Championship and Six Nations to provide meaningful opposition to assist with Rugby World Cup preparations and beyond.
Highlights include, Argentina playing Spain in Madrid and Samoa facing Ireland in Bayonne on 26 August, while the USA, who fell short of qualifying for France 2023, will travel to Europe to face Romania, Portugal and Georgia.
The match official appointments also reflect World Rugby’s ambitions beyond Rugby World Cup 2023, providing opportunity for match officials who will be in line for selection for the next Rugby World Cup cycles.
Referee's for World Cup warm-up games:
| Japan XV v All Blacks XV Prince Chichibu Memorial Stadium, Tokyo Saturday, 8 July, 2023 | Referee: Mike Adamson (SRU) Assistant Referee 1: Tual Trainini (FFR) Assistant Referee 2: JRFU Appt TMO: Stuart Terheege (RFU) |
| Japan v All Blacks XV EGAO Kenko Stadium, Kumamoto Saturday, 15 July, 2023 | Referee: Tual Trainini (FFR) Assistant Referee 1: Mike Adamson (SRU) Assistant Referee 2: JRFU Appt TMO: Stuart Terheege (RFU) |
| Japan v Samoa Sapporo Dome, Sapporo Saturday, 22 July, 2023 | Referee: Mathieu Raynal (FFR) Assistant Referee 1: Jordan Way (RA) Assistant Referee 2: Pierre Brousset (FFR) TMO: Eric Gauzins (FFR) |
| Fiji v Tonga Churchill Park, Lautoka Saturday, 22 July, 2023 | Referee: Paul Williams (NZR) Assistant Referee 1: James Doleman (NZR) Assistant Referee 2: Michael Winter (NZR) |
| Samoa v Fiji Apia Park, Apia Saturday, 29 July, 2023 | Referee: Angus Gardner (RA) Assistant Referee 1: James Doleman (NZR) Assistant Referee 2: RA |
| Japan v Tonga Hanazono Rugby Stadium, Osaka Saturday, 29 July, 2023 | Referee: Matthew Carley (RFU) Assistant Referee 1: Damon Murphy (RA) Assistant Referee 2: Jordan Way (RA) TMO: Eric Gauzins (FFR) |
| Scotland v Italy BT Murrayfield, Edinburgh Saturday, 29 July, 2023 | Referee: Ben O'Keeffe (NZR) Assistant Referee 1: Mathieu Raynal (FFR) Assistant Referee 2: Adam Leal (RFU) TMO: Ben Whitehouse (WRU) |
| Uruguay v Chile Estadio Charrua, Montevideo Saturday, 29 July, 2023 | Referee: Luke Pearce (RFU) Assistant Referee 1: Damian Schneider (UAR) Assistant Referee 2: Neheun Jauri Rivero (UAR) |
| Namibia v Argentina XV Estadio Charrua, Montevideo Saturday, 29 July, 2023 | Referee: Craig Evans (WRU) Assistant Referee 1: Damian Schneider (UAR) Assistant Referee 2: Francisco Gonzalez (URU) |
| New Zealand v Australia Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin Saturday, 5 August, 2023 | Referee: Karl Dickson (RFU) Assistant Referee 1: Wayne Barnes (RFU) Assistant Referee 2: Christophe Ridley (RFU) TMO: Marius Jonker (SARU) |
| Argentina v South Africa Velez Sarsfield Stadium, Buenos Aires Saturday, 5 August, 2023 | Referee: Nika Amashukeli (GRU) Assistant Referee 1: Andrew Brace (IRFU) Assistant Referee 2: Chris Busby (IRFU) TMO: Brian MacNeice (IRFU) |
| Japan v Fiji Prince Chichibu Memorial Stadium, Tokyo Saturday, 5 August, 2023 | Referee: Matthew Carley (RFU) Assistant Referee 1: James Doleman (NZR) Assistant Referee 2: TBC TMO: Brendon Pickerill (NZR) |
| Scotland v France BT Murrayfield, Edinburgh Saturday, 5 August, 2023 | Referee: Ben O'Keeffe (NZR) Assistant Referee 1: Frank Murphy (IRFU) Assistant Referee 2: Federico Vedovelli (FIR) TMO: Ben Whitehouse (WRU) |
| Ireland v Italy Aviva Stadium, Dublin Saturday, 5 August, 2023 | Referee: Mathieu Raynal (FFR) Assistant Referee 1: Pierre Brousset (FFR) Assistant Referee 2: Luc Ramos (FFR) TMO: Eric Gauzins (FFR) |
| Wales v England Principality Stadium, Cardiff Saturday, 5 August, 2023 | Referee: Nic Berry (RA) Assistant Referee 1: Mike Adamson (SRU) Assistant Referee 2: Andrea Piardi (FIR) TMO: Joy Neville (IRFU) |
| Chile v Argentina XV TBC Saturday, 5 August, 2023 | Referee: Craig Evans (WRU) Assistant Referee 1: Francisco Gonzalez (URU) Assistant Referee 2: Matias Esteban (URU) |
| Uruguay v Namibia Estadio Charrua, Montevideo Saturday, 5 August, 2023 | Referee: Luke Pearce (RFU) Assistant Referee 1: Damian Schneider (UAR) Assistant Referee 2: Neheun Jauri Rivero (UAR) |
| Romania v USA Stadionul National Arcul de Triumf, Bucharest Saturday, 5 August, 2023 | Referee: Sam Grove-White (SRU) Assistant Referee 1: Hollie Davidson (SRU) Assistant Referee 2: Anthony Woodthorpe (RFU) TMO: Ian Tempest (RFU) |
| England v Wales Twickenham Stadium, London Saturday, 12 August, 2023 | Referee: Nika Amashukeli (GRU) Assistant Referee 1: Andrew Brace (IRFU) Assistant Referee 2: Andrea Piardi (FIR) TMO: Brian MacNeice (IRFU) |
| Chile v Namibia Estadio Germán Becker, Temuco Saturday, 12 August, 2023 | Referee: Craig Evans (WRU) Assistant Referee 1: Francisco Gonzalez (URU) Assistant Referee 2: Matias Esteban (URU) |
| Georgia v Romania TBC Saturday, 12 August, 2023 | Referee: Wayne Barnes (RFU) Assistant Referee 1: Christophe Ridley (RFU) Assistant Referee 2: Federico Vedovelli (FIR) TMO: Eric Gauzins (FFR) |
| Portugal v USA Algarve Saturday, 12 August, 2023 | Referee: Paul Williams (NZR) Assistant Referee 1: Mike Adamson (SRU) Assistant Referee 2: Hollie Davidson (SRU) TMO: Thomas Charabas (FFR) |
| Wales v South Africa Principality Stadium, Cardiff Saturday, 19 August, 2023 | Referee: Andrew Brace (IRFU) Assistant Referee 1: Chris Busby (IRFU) Assistant Referee 2: Eoghan Cross (IRFU) TMO: Joy Neville (IRFU) |
| France v Fiji Stade de la Beaujoire, Nantes Saturday, 19 August, 2023 | Referee: Nika Amashukeli (GRU) Assistant Referee 1: Andrea Piardi (FIR) Assistant Referee 2: Federico Vedovelli (FIR) TMO: Ian Tempest (RFU) |
| Italy v Romania TBC Saturday, 19 August, 2023 | Referee: Luke Pearce (RFU) Assistant Referee 1: Adam Leal (RFU) Assistant Referee 2: Anthony Woodthorpe (RFU) TMO: Ben Blain (SRU) |
| Ireland v England Aviva Stadium, Dublin Saturday, 19 August, 2023 | Referee: Paul Williams (NZR) Assistant Referee 1: Craig Evans (WRU) Assistant Referee 2: Adam Jones (WRU) TMO: Ben Whitehouse (WRU) |
| Georgia v USA TBC Saturday, 19 August, 2023 | Referee: Jaco Peyper (SARU) Assistant Referee 1: Hollie Davidson (SRU) Assistant Referee 2: Luc Ramos (FFR) TMO: Thomas Charabas (FFR) |
| Uruguay v Argentina XV Estadio Charrua, Montevideo Saturday, 19 August, 2023 | Referee: Frank Murphy (IRFU) Assistant Referee 1: Damian Schneider (UAR) Assistant Referee 2: Caua Ricardo (CBRU) |
| South Africa v New Zealand Twickenham Stadium, London Friday, 25 August, 2023 | Referee: Matthew Carley (RFU) Assistant Referee 1: Christophe Ridley (RFU) Assistant Referee 2: Craig Evans (WRU) TMO: Tom Foley (RFU) |
| Spain v Argentina Estadio Civitas Metropolitano, Madrid Saturday, 26 August, 2023 | Referee: Andrew Brace (IRFU) Assistant Referee 1: Luc Ramos (FFR) Assistant Referee 2: Eoghan Cross (IRFU) TMO: Joy Neville (IRFU) |
| Italy v Japan TBC Saturday, 26 August, 2023 | Referee: Karl Dickson (RFU) Assistant Referee 1: Chris Busby (IRFU) Assistant Referee 2: Anthony Woodthorpe (RFU) TMO: Stuart Terheege (RFU) |
| England v Fiji Twickenham Stadium, London Saturday, 26 August, 2023 | Referee: Jaco Peyper (SARU) Assistant Referee 1: Pierre Brousset (FFR) Assistant Referee 2: Hollie Davidson (SRU) TMO: Brian MacNeice (IRFU) |
| Scotland v Georgia BT Murrayfield, Edinburgh Saturday, 26 August, 2023 | Referee: Mathieu Raynal (FFR) Assistant Referee 1: Tual Trainini (FFR) Assistant Referee 2: Ludovic Cayre (FFR) TMO: Thomas Charabas (FFR) |
| Ireland v Samoa Parc des Sports Jean Dauger, Bayonne Saturday, 26 August, 2023 | Referee: Wayne Barnes (RFU) Assistant Referee 1: Andrea Piardi (FIR) Assistant Referee 2: Adam Leal (RFU) TMO: Ian Tempest (WRU) |
| Chile v Argentina XV Santiago, Chile Saturday, 26 August, 2023 | Referee: Frank Murphy (IRFU) Assistant Referee 1: Damian Schneider (UAR) Assistant Referee 2: Caua Ricardo (CBRU) |
| France v Australia Stade de France, Saint-Denis Sunday, 27 August, 2023 | Referee: Luke Pearce (RFU) Assistant Referee 1: Christophe Ridley (RFU) Assistant Referee 2: Craig Evans (WRU) TMO: Tom Foley (RFU) |
