Referee appointments for round one of the 2023 Guinness Six Nations, including the Scotland vs England referee at Murrayfield on Saturday
Ireland v Wales, Aviva Stadium, Dublin, Saturday, 5 February, 2022
- Referee: Jaco Peyper (SARU)
- Assistant Referee 1: Mathieu Raynal (FFR)
- Assistant Referee 2: Angus Gardner (RA)
- TMO: Stuart Terheege (RFU)
Peyper has refereed at two World Cups. In the 2019 tournament he sent France’s Sébastien Vahaamahina off for an elbow in a quarter-final against Wales. Peyper was pictured after the match posing with Welsh fans with an elbow and he wasn’t considered to ref the semi-finals.
He is a trained lawyer.
Peyper and his wife, Zenobia, share two daughters together.
He refereed a British & Irish Lions Test in their 2017 tour of New Zealand.
Referee, Jaco Peyper watches the TMO for a potential shoulder charge during the Autumn Nations Match between England and Australia at Twickenham on 13 November 2021. Photo: Micah Crook/PPAUK
Scotland vs England referee, BT Murrayfield, Edinburgh, Saturday, 5 February, 2022
- Referee: Ben O’Keeffe (NZR)
- Assistant Referee 1: Nic Berry (RA)
- Assistant Referee 2: Craig Evans (WRU)
- TMO: Ben Whitehouse (WRU)
O’Keeffe also has a career away from rugby, explaining in 2019: “Certainly, no one can question my eyesight. I’m an Ophthalmologist. I’ve been lucky enough to balance both careers over the last couple of years as being a professional referee has become a full-time commitment.” Dr O’Keeffe co-founded oDocs Eye Care.
Eddie Jones was reprimanded by the Rugby Football Union chief executive, Bill Sweeney, and warned over his future behaviour following his stinging criticism of O’Keeffe after England’s Six Nations victory over Wales in 2020.
Referee, Ben O'Keeffe watches the TMO for a tackle against George North of Wales during the Guinness Six Nations Match between England and Wales at Twickenham Stadium, Twickenham, London on March 7 2020. - PHOTO: Cameron Geran/PPAUK
France v Italy, Stade de France, Paris, Sunday, 6 February, 2022
- Referee: Mike Adamson (SRU)
- Assistant Referee 1: Nika Amashukeli (GRU)
- Assistant Referee 2: Damon Murphy (RA)
- TMO: Brett Cronan (RA)
A former Scotland 7s international, Adamson represented his nation 30 times in his career. He’s now doing the same on Saturdays, although in a slightly different role.
Adamson describes a desire to achieve more through refereeing than was possible in his playing career.
Referee, Mike Adamson checks the TMO during the European Champions Cup match between Harlequins and Castres at Twickenham Stoop, London on January 21 2022. Photo: Micah Crook/PPAUK
