This weekend sees a return of the Women’s Six Nations with one Joy-ful refereeing appointment. It’s Joy Neville’s final match (pictured top left) before she retires after 70 playing caps for Ireland, and then two Women’s Rugby World Cups (inc the 2017 final), with the whistle and a men’s RWC role to boot. She joins World Rugby in the new role of Elite Women’s 15s Match Officials Head Coach in the coming weeks. Go well Joy – great servant to the game! Elsewhere there’s a pretty full list. It’s the final of Super Rugby Aupiki in New Zealand. Tarsh Ganley takes charge there as the Blues play Chi ..read more

Another busy weekend of rugby around the globe, and I thought I’d highlight some new referee names for you this week. Lavenia Racaca (pictured top left) is in Hong Kong this weekend representing Fiji on the Svns Series stopover. It’s one of the biggest 7s events in the world, so sure fun will be had by all, including the match official teams. In Budapest, Belgium’s Adele Robert (bottom right) takes the whistle for the Hungary match with Luxembourg in the Rugby Europe Trophy. Over in Ireland, there’s a new name in the Energia League, as (Dr) Max Weston (bottom left) makes his debut at 1A level ..read more

We’re into round two of the Guinness Women’s Six Nations with Kat Roche heading to Bristol, Sara Cox (pictured top left) to Edinburgh, and Hollie Davidson to Dublin. In Spain, an all Welsh female team of three will be looking after the home side against neighbours Portugal. Good luck Jenny Davies (top right) who leads the team as she becomes the first internationally capped Welsh player to gain the same cap as a referee. In the URC, league leaders Leinster are at home, where Craig Evans (bottom right) will be on hand to officiate. It’s Super Rugby round six and the former champs, Crusaders ar ..read more

Mathieu Raynal at RWC23 (Photo by Michael Steele – via Getty Images) World Rugby Chairman Sir Bill Beaumont has led the tributes to France’s Mathieu Raynal, who has announced he is to retire from refereeing later this year. Raynal will take charge of his 50th test during the summer international window, becoming the 13th Emirates World Rugby referee to reach the milestone. He will then retire from on-field refereeing, but is expected to stay involved in officiating in some capacity. If he does referee another Test match in the summer, he will become the fourth Frenchman to hit the half century ..read more

The referee, AR and TMO appointments have been announced by EPCR for the Investec Champions Cup and Challenge Cup round of 16. The matches take place on weekend of 5-7 April. Investec Champions Cup – Round of 16 Harlequins v Glasgow WarriorsReferee: Tual Trainini (FRA) ARs: Ludovic Cayre (FRA) & Flavien Hourquet (FRA) TMO: Eric Gauzins (FRA) Vodacom Bulls v LyonReferee: Luke Pearce (ENG) ARs: Adam Leal (ENG) & Sara Cox MBE (ENG) TMO: Tom Foley (ENG) Exeter Chiefs v Bath RugbyReferee: Luc Ramos (FRA) ARs: Pierre-Baptiste Nuchy (FRA) & Evan Urruzmendi (FRA) TMO: Patrick Dellac (FRA ..read more

World Rugby has started to roll-out the outcomes from the recent Shape of the Game conference in London earlier in March. Starting with the new Law Application Guideline, World Rugby have set out a five-phase approach to explore, adopt and trial the key outcomes and laws. Not all five are sequential and will run concurrently. Phase 1: Law Application Guidelines reinforcing existing law around scrum, ruck and water carriers This doesn’t create new law so has been done more quickly. The new Law Application Guideline focuses on speeding up play and player safety: Caterpillar rucks – “Use it” cal ..read more

It’s the final round of the Guinness Six Nations, and with a lot riding on all three matches, Mathieu Raynal (pictured top left), Matthew Carley and Angus Gardner will be on their mettle! Raynal referees his 49th test, with Carley clocking up #40 and Gardner on #46. In the u20s, Federico Vedovelli (bottom left) from Italy will oversee the champ spot holders England who are, like their seniors, away in France. In the South, Ben O’Keeffe becomes NZ’s most capped Super Rugby referee this weekend on 89 games, surpassing Glen Jackson on 88. Thanks to my regular contributor, Chris Jansen, for the ..read more

The Six Nations is back this weekend and we have the referees, ARs and TMOs for all the men’s and u20s matches. In London, Nika Amashukeli (pictured top left) referees the England v Ireland match, with Luke Pearce heading to Cardiff and Angus Gardner enjoying Rome. In the u20s tournament, Japan’s Takehito Namekawa (bottom left) is also in Cardiff, with the Wales u20s kicking off this evening. Rugby Europe’s Women’s Championship, Katherine Ritchie (bottom right) will be refereeing the Portugal Sweden tie up in Lisbon. A familiar name to some readers, she moved to the Netherlands from England a ..read more

New selectors group for men’s and women’s as well as full-time staff New structures designed to promote the best officials to the sport’s biggest events Specialist coaching, talent identification and greater investment aimed at advancing support of officials at the elite level Enhanced performance analysis and coaching framework agreed to drive transparent appraisal and common focus Phil Davies (pictured left), the World Rugby Director of Rugby has announced details of a new strategic approach that will transform high-performance match officiating on the global stage. The new structure feat ..read more

Some big games in the Rugby Europe Championship and Word Svns in LA this weekend and so all the referees are ready for kick offs. Benoit Rousselet from France refs the local derby semi-final in REC with Portugal playing Spain in Lisbon. Peter Martin from Ireland has the Georgia v Romania match. Tex Rokoverni is in LA with the now-usual list of refs across the men’s and women’s competitions. In New Zealand, the Super Aupiki tournament kicks off. Tiana Anderson (bottom left) and Tarsh Garnley are in action in the opening two matches. The US MLR makes a welcome return and In the north, there’s U ..read more