Referees to 9 September

The World Cup is here! The waiting will soon be over. It will be over when Tony Spreadbury blows the whistle to start it at Stade de France on Friday night.

The whole world will be standing on tiptoe with baited breath and thumbs clenched. Spreaders will blow the whistle and the world will breathe again. The sixth Rugby World Cup will have life breathed into it

World Cup

Friday, 7 September

France vs Argentina in Paris (Stade de France)

Referee: Tony Spreadbury (England)

Touch judges: Stuart Dickinson (Australia), Bryce Lawrence (New Zealand)

Television match official: Marius Jonker (South Africa)

Assessor: Michel Lamoulie (France)

Saturday, 8 September

New Zealand vs Italy in Marseilles

Referee: Wayne Barnes (England)

Touch judges: Christophe Berdos (France), Mark Lawrence (South Africa)

Television match official: Craig Joubert (South Africa)

Assessor: Ian Scotney (Australia)

Australia vs Japan in Lyon

Referee: Alan Lewis (Ireland)

Touch judges: Dave Pearson (England), Hugh Watkins (Wales)

Television match official: Malcolm Changleng (Scotland)

Assessor: Bob Francis (New Zealand)

England vs USA in Lens

Referee: Jonathan Kaplan (South Africa)

Touch judges: Lyndon Bray (New Zealand), Bryce Lawrence (New Zealand)

Television match official: Paul Honiss (New Zealand)

Assessor: Michel Lamoulie (France)

Sunday: 9 September

Wales vs Canada in Nantes

Referee: Alain Rolland (Ireland)

Touch judges: Simon McDowell (Ireland), Carlo Damasco (Italy)

Television match official: Kelvin Deaker (New Zealand)

Assessor: Michel Lamoulie (France)

South Africa vs Samoa in Paris (Parc des Princes

Referee: Paul Honiss (New Zealand)

Touch judges: Chris White (England), Lyndon Bray (New Zealand)

Television match official: Bryce Lawrence (New Zealand)

Assessor: Steve Hilditch (Ireland)

Scotland vs Portugal in St Etienne

Referee: Steve Walsh (New Zealand)

Touch judges: Marius Jonker (South Africa), Hugh Watkins (Wales)

Television match official: Dave Pearson (England)

Assessor: Tappe Henning (South Africa)

Ireland vs Namibia in Bordeaux

Referee: Joel Jutge (France)

Touch judges: Malcolm Changleng (Scotland), Federico Cuesta (Argentina)

Television match official: Paul Marks (Australia)

Assessor: Stuart Beissel (New Zealand)

European Amateur Tournament

This will take place in France from 6-13 September

Belgium vs France Amateur at Nay

Referee: Felix Villegas (Spain)

Assessor: Marc Desclaux

England Countiesvs Russia at Fleurance

Referee: David Rosich (France)

Assessor: Marc Desclaux

England Counties vs Spain at Morlaas

Referee: Pascal Gauzere (France)

Assessor: Rene Hourquet

Russia vs France Amateur at Lannemezan

Referee: Stefano Mancini (Italy)

Assessor: Rene Hourquet

Belgium vs France Military at Orthez

Referee: Igotz Gallastegi (Spain)

Assessor: Daniel Irazoqui

England Counties vs France Amateur at St Paul Les Dax

Referee: Giulio De Santis (Italy)

Assessor: Patrick Robin

Belgium vs Spain at Argeles Gazost

Referee: Jerome Garces (France)

Assessor: Patrick Robin

>Magners League

Dragons vs Blues at Rodney Parade

Referee: George Clancy (Ireland)

Touch judges: Phil Fear (Wales), Phil Connett (Wales)

Television match official: Tony Rowlands (Wales)

Citing commissioner: Simon Thomas (Ray Wilton)

Friendly

Munster vs Saracens

Referee: David Wilkinson (Ireland)

Touch judges: Eanna O'Dowd (Ireland), Dudley Phillips (Ireland)

Ulster vs Gloucester

Referee: David Keane (Ireland)

Touch judges: Alan Rogan (Ireland), Paul Haycock (Ireland)

London Wasps vs Glasgow

Referee: Martin Fox (England)

Touch judges: Roy Maybank (England), David Kurk (England)

Coach: Clive Leeke

Bath vs Leinster

Referee: David Rose (England)

Touch judges: Ashley Reay (England), Paul Emerson (England)

Assessor: Paul Bridgman

Harlequins vs Connacht

Referee: Ashley Rowden (England)

Touch judges: Brian Robertson (England), Steve Terheege (England)

Assessor: Brian Campsall

Leicester Tigers vs Montauban

Referee: Rob Debney (England)

Touch judges: Bob Mullis (England), Martin Fox (England)

Assessor: Brian Leigh

Under-19

Friendly

Leinster vs Cardiff Academy

Referee: Ken Henley-Willis

Australia

Australian Rugby Championship

Central Coast Rays vs Ballymore Tornadoes at Bluetongue Stadium, Gosford

Referee: Daniel Cheever

Touch judges: George Ayoub, Nathan Pearce

Perth Spirit vs Melbourne Rebels at Members Equity Stadium, Perth

Referee: Andrew Lindsay

Touch judges: Matt O'Brien, Rohan Skiba

Television match official: Ian Hailes

Canberra Vikings vs Sydney Fleet at Canberra Stadium, Canberra

Referee: Julian Pritchard

Touch judges: Nathan Kearns, Sarah Corrigan

East Coast Aces vs Western Sydney Rams at Carrara Stadium, Gold Coast

Referee: Brett Bowden

Touch judges: Simon Moore, Paul Haydock

Television match official: Stephen Hill

England

National League 1

Bedford Blues vs Esher

Referee: Greg Garner

Touch judges: Adrian Hartwell, Paul Burton

Assessor: Clive Nicholas

Doncaster vs Launceston

Referee: Chris Sharp

Touch judges: Richard Draper, Peter Facey

Moseley vs Pertemps Bees

Referee: Tim Wigglesworth

Touch judges: Terry Hall, James Minards

Plymouth Albion vs Exeter Chiefs

Referee: Mark Wilson

Touch judges: Richard Phillips, Alan Biggs

Assessor: Mike Coleman

Rotherham Titans vs Nottingham

Referee: Dean Richards

/Adrian /Vertigan, Barry Dalby

Sedgley Park vs Coventry

Referee: Nick Williams

Touch judges: Llyr Apgeraint Roberts, David Matthews

Assessor: Peter Farrell

Cornish Pirates vs Northampton Saints

Referee: Dale Newitt

Touch judges: Steve Leyshon, Lloyd Jackson

Assessor: Gary Welsh

London Welsh vs Newbury

Referee: Rowan Kitt

Touch judges: JP Doyle, Kevin Morgan

Assessor: David Warren

Ireland

Under-20

Munster vs Leinster

Referee: Michael Black

Ulster vs Connacht

Referee: Darragh McCormack

Under-19

Ulster vs Connacht

Referee: B Macneice

Munster vs Leinster

Referee: Peter Ferguson

New Zealand

Air New Zealand Cup

Week 7

Canterbury will be defending the Ranfurly Shield.

Southland vs Counties Manukau in Invercargill

Referee: Brent Murray

Television match official: Keith Brown

Assessor: Colin Hawke

Canterbury vs Hawke's Bay in Christchurch

Referee: Chris Pollock

Touch judges: Jonathon White, Brent Murray

Television match official: Brent Murray

Assessor: Colin Hawke

Taranaki vs Bay of Plenty in New Plymouth

Referee: Josh Noonan

Television match official: James MvPhail

Assessor: Peter Boyden

Tasman vs Waikato in Blenheim

Referee: Vinny Munro

Television match official: Mike Fraser

Assessor: Keith Lawrence

Northland vs Auckland in Whangarei

Referee: Matthew Stanish

Television match official: Sheldon Eden-Whaitiri

Assessor: Peter Boyden

Wellington vs North Harbour in Wellington

Referee: Keith Brown

Television match official: Chris Pollock

Assessor: Glenn Wahlstrom

Manawatu vs Otago in Palmerston North

Referee: Jonathon White

Television match official: Vinny Munro

Assessor: Keith Lawrence

AA Rewards

Pool A

Horowhenua-Kapiti Kapiti vs Wairarapa Bush at Levin

Referee: Chris Rooney

Assessor: Richard Ross

King Country vs Thames Valley at Taupo

Referee: Kane McBride

Assessor: Kim Eichmann

Mid Canterbury vs West Coast at Ashburton

Referee: Shane McDermott

Assessor: Tony Dunlop

Pool B

South Canterbury vs Wanganui at Timaru

Referee: Todd Pullar

Assessor: Allan Bateman

Poverty Bay vs Buller at Gisborne

Referee: Glenn Newman

Assessor: Paul Ramsay

North Otago vs East Coast at Oamaru

Referee: Matthew Muir

Assessor: Alan Riley

Scotland

Premiership

Melrose vs Edinburgh Accies

Referee: Andy MacPherson

Touch judges: Andy Hepburn ,Alan Forrest

Stirling County vs Ayr

Referee: Ted Coutts

Touch judges: Andrew Healy, David Anderson

Heriots vs Hawick

Referee: Neil Paterson

Touch judges: Robert McKinnon, John Ferns

Glasgow Hawks vs Boroughmuir

Referee: David Changleng

Touch judges: Colin Brett, Ronnie Dumma

Dundee HSFP vs Currie

Referee: Peter Allan

Touch judges: David Jack, Peter Caruthers

Watsonians vs GHA

Referee: Graham Knox

Touch judges: Paul Burr, Bob Nevins

South Africa

Currie Cup

Premier Division

Boland vs Valke at Boland Stadium, Wellington

Referee: Gareth Lloyd-Jones (SARU)

Touch judges: JC Fortuin (SARU), Roderick Barry (Western Province)

Television match official: Shaun Veldsman (Boland)

Assessor: Andre Watson, Banks Yantolo

Western Province vs Sharks at Newlands

Referee: Willie Roos (SARU)

Touch judges: Jaco Peyper (Free State), L Mzomba (Western Province)

Television match official: Shaun Veldsman (Boland)

Golden Lions vs Blue Bulls at Ellis Park

Referee: Deon van Blommestein (SARU)

Touch judges: Lourens van der Merwe (Free State), Peet Badenhorst (Golden Lions)

Television match official: Michael Cupido (Golden Lions)

Assessor: Thuso Mngqibisa, Lusanda Menze

Griquas vs Cheetahs at Absa Park, Kimberley

Referee: Phillip Bosch (SARU)

Touch judges: Marius Bonthuys (Griffons), Cobus Wessels (Blue Bulls)

Television match official: Johann Meuwesen (Eastern Province)

Assessor: Freek Burger, Eugene Daniels

1st Division

Eastern Province vs Leopards at Eastern Province RU Ground, PE

Referee: Linston Manuels (SARU)

Touch judges: Matt Kemp (Western Province), Jonathan Mouers (Eastern Province)

Assessor: Frans Muller

South Western Districts vs Pumas at Outeniqua Park, George

Referee: JC Fortuin (SARU)

Touch judges: Francois Veldsman (Boland), George Roper (Blue Bulls)

Assessor: Pierre Oelofse

Border vs Griffons at Absa Stadium, East London

Referee: Christie du Preez (SARU)

Touch judges: Chris Healey (KwaZulu Natal), Mandla Dakuse (Border)

Under-21

Western Province vs Natal

Referee: Jaco Peyper (Free State)

Touch judges: Jason Jaftha (South Western Districts), Louis Mzomba (Western Province)

Television match official: Shaun Veldsman (Boland)

Assessor: Andre Watson, Banks Yantolo, Dennis Immelman

Golden Lions vs Blue Bulls at Ellis Park

Referee: Lourens van der Merwe (Free State)

Touch judges: Sindile Mayende (KwaZulu Natal), Peet Badenhorst (Golden Lions)

Television match official: Michael Cupido (Golden Lions)

Assessor: Lusanda Menze, Theuns Naude

Griquas vs Eastern Province at Absa Park, Kimberley

Referee: Marius Bonthuys (Griffons)

Touch judges: Tiaan Jonker (Golden Lions), Cobus Wessels (Blue Bulls)

Assessor: Gerrit Coetzer

South Western Districts vs Pumas at Outeniqua Park, George

Referee: Francois Veldsman (Boland)

Touch judges: Stuart Berry (KwaZulu Natal), George Roper (Blue Bulls)

Television match official: Pierre Oelofse

Border vs Griffons at Absa Stadium, East London

Referee: Chris Healey (KwaZulu Natal)

Touch judges: Mlungiseli Mdashe (Eastern Province), Mandla Dakuse (Border)

Assessor: James Apollis

Boland vs Leopards at Boland Stadium, Wellington

Referee: Marc van Zyl (Western Province)

Touch judges: Jerome America (Western Province), Roslyn Fortuin (Boland)

Assessor: Keith Hendricks