Match officials named for November Tests

Federico Anselmi has been named in the World Rugby match officials panel for the November test series. The leading Americas referee will take charge of Georgia’s match against Japan in Tbilisi on November 12, and Spain’s match against Uruguay in Malaga on November 19. He will also assist Craig Joubert at Principality Stadium on November 5 when Wales host Australia in Cardiff, as well as Wayne Barnes at the Stade de France in Paris when France host New Zealand on November 26.

French referee Mathieu Raynal has been named in the middle for Ireland’s historic match against New Zealand at Soldier Field in Chicago on November 5. The officials for the US Eagles match against the New Zealand Maori on the same day have not yet been confirmed.

Also of note is that Spanish referee Alhambra Nievas has been named an assistant in the US Eagles match against Tonga in San Sebastian, Spain, on November 19. In doing so Nievas will become the first female match official to be appointed to a men’s Tier 2 match in any capacity.

Match official assignments for all games concerning the Americas can be seen below. The full appointments list for all November internationals can be found on the official World Rugby site.

 

Saturday, November 5

JAPAN vs ARGENTINA
Prince Chichibu Memorial Stadium, Tokyo
Referee: Romain Poite (FFR)
Assistants: Craig Maxwell-Keys (RFU) & Tim Baker (HKRFU)
TMO: Simon McDowell (IRFU)

 

Saturday, November 12

WALES vs ARGENTINA
Principality Stadium, Cardiff
Referee: Angus Gardner (ARU)
Assistants: Mike Fraser (NZRU) & Luke Pearce (RFU)
TMO: Sean Davey (RFU)

IRELAND vs CANADA
Aviva Stadium, Dublin
Referee: Marius van der Westhuizen (SARU)
Assistants: Matthew Carley (RFU) & Thomas Charabas (FFR)
TMO: Gareth Simmonds (WRU)

ROMANIA vs USA
Stadionul Nacional, Bucharest
Referee: Paul Williams (NZRU)
Assistants: Greg Garner (RFU) & Gary Conway (IRFU)
TMO: Carlo Damasco (FIR)

GERMANY vs URUGUAY
Volksbank Stadion, Frankfurt
Referee: Lloyd Linton (SRU)
Assistants: Vlad Iordachescu (FRR) & Shota Tevzadze (GRU)
TMO: tba

 

Saturday, November 19

SCOTLAND vs ARGENTINA
Murrayfield, Edinburgh
Referee: Ben O’Keeffe (NZRU)
Assistants: Jérôme Garcès (FFR) & Thomas Charabas (FFR)
TMO: Sean Davey (RFU)

SPAIN vs URUGUAY
Stadium Ciudade, Malaga
Referee: Federico Anselmi (UAR)
Assistants: Matthew Carley (RFU) & Dan Jones (WRU)
TMO: tba

TONGA vs USA
Anoeta Stadium, San Sebastian
Referee: Nick Briant (NZRU)
Assistants: Alhambra Nievas (FER) & Inigo Atorrasagasti (FER)
TMO: Carlo Damasco (FIR)

ROMANIA vs CANADA
Stadionul Nacional, Bucharest
Referee: Shuhei Kubo (JRFU)
Assistants: Luke Pearce (RFU) & Gary Conway (IRFU)
TMO: Stephano Penne (FIR)

 

Friday, November 25

SAMOA vs CANADA
Stade des Alpes, Grenoble
Referee: Luke Pearce (RFU)
Assistants: David Wilkinson (IRFU) & Gary Conway (IRFU)
TMO: tba

 

Saturday, November 26

ENGLAND vs ARGENTINA
Twickenham, London
Referee: Pascal Gaüzère (FFR)
Assistants: Marius Mitrea (FIR) & Ian Davies (WRU)
TMO: Gareth Simmonds (WRU)

ROMANIA vs URUGUAY
Stadionul Nacional, Bucharest
Referee: Ben Whitehouse (WRU)
Assistants: Lloyd Linton (SRU) & Ian Tempest (RFU)
TMO: Neil Paterson (SRU)