Referees named for Americas Rugby Championship

Referees from six different national unions have been appointed to take charge of the 2018 Americas Rugby Championship. All but one match will be adjudicated by officials from the Americas. Andrew Brace of Ireland will take charge of the tourney opener which will double as the first leg of the Americas 2 World Cup Qualifying series between Canada and Uruguay. USA Rugby will provide the assistants in Derek Weaver and Derek Summers, with a Television Match Official (TMO) to be a Rugby Canada appointment.

For the first time the tournament as a whole will incorporate the TMO, a position that has become essential in top tier international and professional rugby. It’s a significant step for the tournament which continues to raise its profile on the world stage. While the officiating has not been a topic of controversy in the first two editions of the competition, the availability of video replay is a welcome addition.

Leading the way in appointments for 2018 is promising Uruguayan referee Francisco ‘Pancho’ González, who is in the middle for three matches after impressing during the Junior World Trophy and Americas Pacific Challenge tournaments in 2017. Senior Argentine official Federico ‘Boli’ Anselmi is on the ARC panel for the first time having previously been unavailable with Six Nations and HSBC Sevens Series duty.

Brazil will be represented by 30-year-old Henrique Platais, who has previously been an assistant in the ARC. He will make his debut in the middle in the Round 3 match between Uruguay and the Argentina XV. Platais took charge of the Sudamérica Rugby Cup final between the same sides this past September.

Back for a second year is Argentina’s Pablo ‘Pali’ Deluca, who is named to two matches, and there are three referees who will be returning for a third consecutive ARC. Canada’s Chris Assmus and Joaquín Montes, the senior Uruguayan official, will each handle two games while Kurt Weaver will be in the middle for Canada’s game against Brazil in Langford.

ROUND 1

Jan 27 – Canada vs Uruguay – Andrew Brace (IRFU)
Feb 3 – USA vs Argentina XV – Chris Assmus (RC)
Feb 3 – Chile vs Brazil – Pablo Deluca (UAR)

Feb 9 – Brazil vs Uruguay – Federico Anselmi (UAR)
Feb 10 – Argentina XV vs Chile – Joaquín Montes (URU)
Feb 10 – USA vs Canada – Francisco González (URU)

Feb 17 – Canada vs Brazil – Kurt Weaver (USA)
Feb 17 – USA vs Chile – Chris Assmus (RC)
Feb 17 – Uruguay vs Argentina XV – Henrique Platais (CBRu)

Feb 24 – Brazil vs USA – Francisco González (URU)
Feb 24 – Chile vs Uruguay – Henrique Platais (CBRu)
Feb 24 – Argentina XV vs Canada – Joaquín Montes (URU)

Mar 3 – Chile vs Canada – Pablo Deluca (UAR)
Mar 3 – Uruguay vs USA – Federico Anselmi (UAR)
Mar 3 – Brazil vs Argentina XV – Francisco González (URU)