On the international stakes, the Rugby Championship concludes this weekend with Matthew Carley (pictured top right) overseeing the Australian side of things, with Andrea Piardi on London duties as the Springboks host the Pumas at the Allianz Stadium.

Down in New Zealand, it’s the penultimate round robin games in the NPC & Heartland competitions. Erin Doherty (top left) is in charge of her first final as the Farah Palmer Cup premiership concludes. James Doleman raises the bat for his 50th NPC game which will also be his 150th first class 15’s appointment.

In France, Toulouse lead the Top 14 after the opening four weekends. This week, Jeremy Rozier (bottom right) will referee them away in Bayonne. There’s the ProD2 as well. Elsewhere across Europe, there’s action in Ireland, England, Scotland, Italy, Spain and the Netherlands. Another round of the West Asia Super Rugby season with matches in Abu Dhabi and Dubai.

Enjoy your weekend
Keith

The Rugby Championship 2025 – round 6

Australia v New Zealand (in Perth)
Referee: Matthew Carley (Eng)
ARs: Karl Dickson (Eng) & Morne Ferreira (SA)
TMO: Andrew Jackson (Eng)
FPRO: Marius Jonker (SA)

Argentina v South Africa (in London, England)
Referee: Andrea Piardi (Ita)
ARs: Nika Amashukeli (Geo) & Eoghan Cross (Ire)
TMO: Ian Tempest (Eng)
FPRO: Matteo Liperini (Ita)

NZ: Farah Palmer Cup – Premiership Final

Waikato v Canterbury
Referee: Erin Doherty
ARs: Liam Sargent & Tiana Anderson
TMO: Aaron Paterson

New Zealand: Bunnings NPC – Round 10

North Harbour v Southland
Referee: Mike Winter
ARs: Scott McKenzie & Caleb Greaves
TMO: Glenn Newman

Wellington v Bay of Plenty
Referee: Stu Curran
ARs: Sean Curragh & Matt Perry
TMO: Jared Clarke

Auckland v Otago
Referee: Todd Petrie
ARs: Angus Mabey & Tim Oliff
TMO: Rob Harman

Waikato v Northland
Referee: James Doleman
ARs: Mike Winter & Ben Woolerton
TMO: Aaron Paterson

Manawatu v Hawke’s Bay
Referee: Marcus Playle
ARs: Matty McEwen & Sam Couper
TMO: Carl Baker

Tasman v Counties Manukau
Referee: Paul Williams
ARs: Damon Smith & Aidan Barnett
TMO: Reece Weir

Canterbury v Taranaki
Referee: Ben O’Keeffe
ARs: Dan Moore & John Whitcombe
TMO: Liam Scanlon

NZ: Bunnings Heartland Championship – round 8

Wairarapa Bush v Poverty Bay
Referee: Will Johnston
ARs: Alistair Payne & Chris Jerries

Mid Canterbury v North Otago
Referee: Dan Moore
ARs: Simon Bennett & Ryan Greenslade

South Canterbury v Horowhenua Kapiti
Referee: Ben Alexander
ARs: TBC

Whanganui v Thames Valley
Referee: Warwick Lahmert
ARs: Amon Rimene & Oliver Holst

East Coast v King Country
Referee: Sam Fellows
ARs: TBC

West Coast v Buller
Referee: Will Todd
ARs: Chris O’Malley & Colin van der Geest

BKT United Rugby Championship – Round 2

DHL Stormers v Ospreys
Referee: Peter Martin (Ire, 7th league game)
ARs: Hanru van Rooyen (SA) & JD Jadezweni (SA)
TMO: Federico Vedovelli (Ita)

Edinburgh Rugby v Ulster
Referee: Chris Allison (SA, 5th league game)
ARs: David Sutherland (Sco) & Sam O’Neil (Sco)
TMO: Griffin Colby (SA)

Dragons RFC v Hollywoodbets Sharks
Referee: Fillipo Russo (Ita, 6th league game)
ARs: Ben Whitehouse (Wal) & Lucas Yendle (Wal)
TMO: Stefano Roscini (Ita)

Connacht v Scarlets
Referee: Mike Adamson (Sco, 92nd league game)
ARs: Eoghan Cross (Ire) & Max Weston (Ire)
TMO: Colin Brett (Sco)

Benetton v Glasgow Warriors
Referee: Ben Connor (Wal, 4th league game)
ARs: Franco Rosella (Ita) & Lorenzo Pedezzi (Ita)
TMO: Aled Griffiths (Wal)

Vodacom Bulls v Leinster
Referee: Adam Jones (Wal, 46th league game)
ARs: Sean Miller (SA) & AJ Jacobs (SA)
TMO: Gianluca Gnecchi (Ita)

Munster v Cardiff Rugby
Referee: Griffon Colby (SA, 8th league game)
ARs: Keane Davison (Ire) & Shane Gaughan (Ire)
TMO: Chris Allison (SA)

Zebre Parma v Lions
Referee: Craig Evans (Wal, 69th league game)
ARs: Manuel Bottino (Ita) & Luca Bisetto (Ita)
TMO: Aled Griffiths (Wal)

England: Gallagher Prem – round 2

Bath Rugby v Sale Sharks
Referee: Anthony Woodthorpe (45th match)
ARs: Harry Walbaum & James Clarke
TMO: Dan Jones

Exeter Chiefs v Newcastle Falcons
Referee: Craig Maxwell-Keys (123rd match)
ARs: Mike Hudson & Neil Chivers
TMO: Luke Pearce

Leicester Tigers v Harlequins
Referee: Hamish Smales (19th match)
ARs: Joe James & Jonathan Healy
TMO: Peter Allan

Saracens v Bristol Bears
Referee: Christophe Ridley (89th match)
ARs: Dan Jones & Gareth Holsgrove
TMO: Stuart Terheege

Gloucester Rugby v Northampton Saints
Referee: Adam Leal (54th match)
ARs: Jonathan Cook & Jamie Leahy
TMO: David Rose

England: PWR Cup Semi-finals

Harlequins Women v Bristol Bears Women
Referee: Mike Lamb
ARs: Emily Hope & Melanie Sutton

Saracens Women v Exeter Chiefs Women
Referee: Ben Simpson
ARs: Rebecca Piddlesden & Jenny Burrows

England: The Champ – round 1

Nottingham Rugby v Doncaster Knights
Referee: Alex Thomas
ARs: Gregg Dawson & Darryl Chapman

Worcester Warriors v Coventry
Referee: Hamish Grant
ARs: Veryan Boscawen & James Pidding

Cornish Pirates v Hartpury
Referee: Jamie Parr
ARs: Kevin Williams & Simon Adams

Richmond v Chinnor
Referee: Charlie Gayther
ARs: Benjamin Wood & Darryl Chapman

Cambridge v Ampthill
Referee: Andy Wigley
ARs: Jack Sutton & Mike Woods

Caldy v London Scottish
Referee: Henry Pearson
ARs: Kieron Henry & Simon Park

Bedford Blues v Ealing Trailfinders
Referee: Richard Gordon
ARs: Matt Sharpe & Iain Kiy

France: Top 14 – round 5

Montpellier Hérault Rugby v Stade Rochelais
Referee: Luc Ramos
ARs: Benoit Albert Bonnafous & Vivien Praderie
TMO: Eric Gauzins

ASM Clermont v US Montauban
Referee: Pierre Baptiste Nuchy
ARs: Kevin Bralley & Thomas Chereque
TMO: Jean Lespes

Castres Olympique v Racing 92
Referee: Thomas Charabas
ARs: David Beun & Benjamin Hernandez
TMO: Philippe Bonhoure

RC Toulon v Section Paloise
Referee: Vincent Blasco Baque
ARs: Flavien Hourquet & Adrien Marbot
TMO: Patrick Pechambert

USA Perpignan v Stade Français Paris
Referee: Ludovic Cayre
ARs: Stephane Boyer & Benoit Rousselet
TMO: Denis Grenouillet

Union Bordeaux-Bègles v LOU Rugby
Referee: Tual Trainini
ARs: Stephane Crapoix & Evan Urruzmendi
TMO: Jean Luc Rebollal

Aviron Bayonnais v Stade Toulousain
Referee: Jeremy Rozier
ARs: Cyrille Boulay & Jonathan Dufort
TMO: Julien Castaignede

France: ProD2 – round 6

US Dax v RC Vannes
Referee: Thibault Santamaria
ARs: Christophe Bultet & Damien Dauvissat
TMO: Herve Lasausa Lespy Labaylette

CA Brive v Oyonnax Rugby
Referee: Anthony Lac
ARs: Sylvain Brayelle & Hugues Samora
TMO: Mourad Zitouni

AS Béziers Hérault v US Carcassonnaise
Referee: Pierre Bru
ARs: Francois Bouzac & Nicolas Bridoux
TMO: Akim Hadj Bachir

Biarritz Olympique PB v Stade Aurillacois
Referee: Remi Aiguebonne
ARs: Abdjallil El Khaoulani & Quentin Sfez
TMO: Laurent Sclafer

Colomiers Rugby v SU Agen
Referee: Jonathan Gasnier
ARs: Julien Camus & Richard Duhau
TMO: Christophe Berdos

USON Nevers v Soyaux-Angoulême XV
Referee: Ludovic Carrillo
ARs: William Labarre & Benoit Lapassade
TMO: Patrick Dellac

Valence Romans v Stade Montois Rugby
Referee: Hugo Dutreuilh
ARs: Stephane Coulon & Pierre Olivier Julien
TMO: Eric Briquet Campin

FC Grenoble Rugby v Provence Rugby
Referee: Julien Caulier
ARs: Vincent Chouquet & Mathieu Noirot
TMO: Cedric Marchat

Ireland: Energia All Ireland League

Clontarf v Lansdowne
Referee: Daniel Carson

Cork Constitution v Terenure College RFC
Referee: Andrew Fogarty

Old Belvedere v Ballynahinch
Referee: George Clancy

UCD v Nenagh Ormond
Referee: Andrew Cole

Young Munster v St Marys College RFC
Referee: Robbie Jenkinson

Spain: Liga Iberdrola de Rugby (Women’s)

Club De Rugby Sant Cugat v Rialta Crat Coruña
Referee: Eduard Marti Martin Serralta

Simon Verde Sport Cocos Sevilla v Olimpico De Pozuelo Cr
Referee: Jorge Garcia Criado

Complutense Cisneros v Colina Clinic El Salvador
Referee: Eduardo Cousillas Alvarez

Silicius Rugby Majadahonda v Getxo Rugby
Referee: Daniel Sarrion Garcia

Spain: Division De Honor Masculina (Men’s)

CR Liceo Frances V Ampo Ordizia
Referee: Federico Javier Japas

DH VRAC Quesos Entrepinares v Recoletas Burgos-Caja Rural
Referee: Jose Luis Murillo Garcia-Gil

Huesitos La Vila Rugby Club v Barça Rugby
Referee: Alfonso Mirat Servan

Unio Esportiva Santboiana v Silicius Alcobendas Rugby
Referee: Joaquin Santoro Ferreiro

Complutense Cisneros v Inexo El Salvador
Referee: Carlos Guerrero Padin

West Asia Super Rugby

Abu Dhabi Harlequins v Dubai Hurricanes
Referee: Matt Riley
ARs: Simon Dodd & Jack Taylor

Dubai Sharks v Bahrain
Referee: James Fairbourn
ARs: Kasey Allen & David Hague

Italy: Coppa Italia Maschile

Rugby Rovigo Delta v Mogliano Veneto Rugby
Referee: Daniele Pompa
ARs: Lorenzo Bruno & Ferdinando Cusano

Valorugby Emilia v Rugby Petrarca
Referee: Clara Munarini
ARs: Filippo Vinci & Beatrice Smussi

Rugby Roma v Rugby Viadana 1970
Referee: Dario Merli
ARs: Paolo Acciari & Vincenzo Iavarone

Scotland: Arnold Clark Men’s Premiership

Scotland: Arnold Clark Women’s Premiership

Netherlands: Men’s Ereklasse

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