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Referees have been assigned for the 2022 Internationals. The annual end-of-year matches have confirmed test matches that involve Americas test teams from Argentina, Chile, Uruguay and the USA. Others including Canada and Brazil are yet to have fixtures confirmed.
In announcing the match officials for November World Rugby noted that:
The Match Officials appointments, made by World Rugby’s Match Official Selection Committee, mark another important milestone on the road to Rugby World Cup 2023 in France.
The statement strongly suggests that those appointed matches will referee matches at Rugby World Cup 2023. The final number is likely to be narrowed down with not all appointed matches at France 2023. Officials not appointment matches this November ought to be considered as not in the frame for the World Cup. This means that the Americas will miss out on refereeing matches.
Argentina is the world’s best team whose country has not been appointed a match to referee. This is consistent with World Rugby official appointments recently and historically. Despite competing in the Rugby Championship every year since 2012, no Argentine has ever officiated a match in the Rugby Championship. In addition, the last Rugby World Cup match officiated by any official from the Americas was in 2003.
Appointments for the 2022 November Internationals mean that there will also be no Spanish-speaking officials refereeing matches. This follows South America’s move to professionalism wherein there are full-time professional referees who are bilingual.
Chile’s qualification for RWC 2023 to join Argentina and Uruguay to give South America a record three competitors at a Rugby World Cup begs the question of where are the bilingual referees? Argentina will face Chile in a RWC match in 2023.
Three officials from the Americas will control the sidelines. Canada’s Talal Chaudhry will be an assistant for Georgia vs Uruguay and Georgia vs Samoa, the USA’s Kahlil Harrison will be an assistant for Spain vs Namibia and Argentine Damian Schneider will be an assistant for RWC 2023 qualifiers in Dubai.
RUGBY WORLD CUP 2023 QUALIFIERS – USA FIXTURES
Kenya vs USA
Date: Sunday, November 06
Venue: Sevens Stadium (Dubai, UAE)
Referee: Tual Trainini (France)
Assistant Referees: Damian Schneider (Argentina); Eoghan Cross (Ireland)
TMO: Olly Hodges (Ireland)
Hong Kong vs USA
Date: Saturday, November 12
Venue: Sevens Stadium (Dubai, UAE)
Referee: Matthew Carley (England)
Assistant Referees: Damian Schneider (Argentina); AJ Jacobs (South Africa)
TMO: Olly Hodges (Ireland)
Portugal vs USA
Date: Friday, November 18
Venue: Sevens Stadium (Dubai, UAE)
Referee: Paul Williams (New Zealand)
Assistant Referees: Damian Schneider (Argentina); AJ Jacobs (South Africa)
TMO: Chris Hart (New Zealand)
2022 NOVEMBER INTERNATIONALS – AMERICAS FIXTURES
Romania vs Chile
Date: Saturday, November 05
Venue: Stadionul National Arcul de Triumf (Bucharest, Romania)
Referee: Mike Adamson (Scotland)
Assistant Referees Sam Grove-White (Scotland); Ben Blain (Scotland)
TMO: Marius van der Westhuizen (South Africa)
Georgia vs Uruguay
Date: Sunday, November 06
Venue: Dinamo Arena (Tbilisi, Georgia)
Referee: Paul Williams (New Zealand)
Assistant Referees: Anthony Woodthorpe (England); Talal Chaudhry (Canada)
TMO: Chris Hart (NZR)
England vs Argentina
Date: Sunday, November 06
Venue: Twickenham Stadium (London, England)
Referee: Andrew Brace (Ireland)
Assistant Referees: Frank Murphy (Ireland); Pierre Brousset (France)
TMO: Marius Jonker (South Africa)
Romania vs Uruguay
Date: Saturday, November 12
Venue: Stadionul National Arcul de Triumf (Bucharest, Romania)
Referee: Pierre Brousset (France)
Assistant Referees Adrien Marbot (France); Jean Baptiste Nuchy (France)
TMO: Sean Brickell (Wales)
Tonga vs Chile
Date: Saturday, November 12
Venue: Stadionul National Arcul de Triumf (Bucharest, Romania)
Referee: Luke Pearce (England)
Assistant Referees: Luc Ramos (France); Ben Blain (Scotland)
TMO: Brett Cronan (Australia)
Wales vs Argentina
Date: Saturday, November 12
Venue: Millennium Stadium (Cardiff, Wales)
Referee: Ben O’Keeffe (New Zealand)
Assistant Referees: Angus Gardner (Australia); Andrea Piardi (Italy)
TMO: Marius van der Westhuizen (South Africa)
Tonga vs Uruguay
Date: Saturday, November 19
Venue: Stadionul National Arcul de Triumf (Bucharest, Romania)
Referee: Craig Evans (Wales)
Assistant Referees: Luc Ramos (France); Anthony Woodthorpe (England)
TMO: Sean Brickell (Wales)
Scotland vs Argentina
Date: Saturday, November 19
Venue: Murrayfield (Edinburgh, Scotland)
Referee: Karl Dickson (England)
Assistant Referees: Luke Pearce (England); Ian Tempest (England)
TMO: Brett Cronan (Australia)
