Match Officials named for Rugby Championship

Nine referees representing six different counties will take charge of matches during the 2016 Rugby Championship. Only three – England’s Wayne Barnes, Jérôme Garcès of France, and South African Jaco Peyper – will have two appointments in the middle. Federico Anselmi is the only Americas representative given a spot, selected as an assistant for matches in Sydney and Wellington during the opening rounds.

There are two newcomers to this year’s group. Angus Gardner is the youngest on the senior panel at 31 and also the first native Australian since Stuart Dickinson eight years ago to referee a match in the flagship SANZAAR competition. Mathieu Raynal, 34, of France will also make his Rugby Championship debut having first officiated a Tier 1 test match in 2012.

Glen Jackson of New Zealand will run the rule over Argentina’s first match against South Africa. Subsequent games will be managed by Jérôme Garcès (France), Craig Joubert (South Africa), Wayne Barnes (England), Jaco Peyper (South Africa), and finally Raynal.

 

ROUND 1

Australia vs New Zealand
Saturday, August 20, Sydney
Referee: Jaco Peyper (SARU)
Assistants: Romain Poite (FFR) & Federico Anselmi (UAR)
TMO: Shaun Veldsman (SARU)

South Africa vs Argentina
Saturday, August 20, Nelspruit
Referee: Glen Jackson (NZRU)
Assistants: Jérôme Garcès (FFR) & Ben O’Keeffe (NZRY)
TMO: George Ayoub (ARU)

 

ROUND 2

New Zealand vs Australia
Saturday, August 27, Wellington
Referee: Romain Poite (FFR)
Assistants: Jaco Peyper (SARU) & Federico Anselmi (UAR)
TMO: Shaun Veldsman (SARU)

Argentina vs South Africa
Saturday, August 27, Salta
Referee: Jérôme Garcès (FFR)
Assistants: Glen Jackson & Ben O’Keeffe (NZRU)
TMO: George Ayoub (ARU)

 

ROUND 3

New Zealand vs Argentina
Saturday, September 10, Hamilton
Referee: Craig Joubert (SARU)
Assistants: Angus Gardner (ARU) & Marius Mitrea (FIR)
TMO: George Ayoub (ARU)

Australia vs South Africa
Saturday, September 10, Brisbane
Referee: Nigel Owens (WRU)
Assistants: Wayne Barnes (RFU) & Pascal Gaüzère (FFR)
TMO: Ben Skeen (NZRU)

 

ROUND 4

New Zealand vs South Africa
Saturday, September 17, Christchurch
Referee: Angus Gardner (ARU)
Assistants: Pascal Gaüzère (FFR) & Marius Mitrea (FIR)
TMO: George Ayoub (ARU)

Australia vs Argentina
Saturday, September 17, Perth
Referee: Wayne Barnes (RFU)
Assistants: Nigel Owens (WRU) & Nick Briant (NZRU)
TMO: Ben Skeen (NZRU)

 

ROUND 5

South Africa vs Australia
Saturday, October 1, Pretoria
Referee: Wayne Barnes (RFU)
Assistants: John Lacey (IRFU) & George Clancy (IRFU)
TMO: Jim Yuille (SRU)

Argentina vs New Zealand
Saturday, October 1, Buenos Aires
Referee: Jaco Peyper (SARU)
Assistants: Angus Gardner (ARU) & Marius van der Westhuizen (SARU)
TMO: Johan Greeff (SARU)

 

ROUND 6

South Africa vs New Zealand
Saturday, October 8, Durban
Referee: Jérôme Garcès (FFR)
Assistants: John Lacey (IRFU) & George Clancy (IRFU)
TMO: Jim Yuille (SRU)

Argentina vs Australia
Saturday, October 8, London
Referee: Mathieu Raynal (FFR)
Assistants: JP Doyle (RFU) & Matthew Carley (RFU)
TMO: Rowan Kitt (RFU)