WORLD RUGBY HAS confirmed the match officials for the upcoming Six Nations, with Jaco Peyper, Angus Gardner, Nika Amashukeli, Mathieu Raynal, and Wayne Barnes appointed to referee Ireland’s games.
South African official Peyper will be in charge for Ireland’s opening game against Wales in Dublin on 5 February, with Australia’s Gardner on the whistle for the clash with France in Paris a week later.
Amashukeli will become the first Georgian referee to take charge of a Six Nations game when he is the man in the middle for Ireland’s meeting with Italy at the Aviva Stadium on 27 February.
Frenchman Raynal has been appointed to ref Andy Farrell’s side against England in London on 12 March, and England’s experienced Barnes will be on the whistle for Ireland’s round five fixture against Scotland in Dublin the following weekend.
Meanwhile, the IRFU’s Andrew Brace will referee Wales v Italy in Cardiff on 19 March, when the returning Joy Neville will act as the television match official [TMO].
Brace will be the assistant referee for two further games, while the IRFU’s Frank Murphy and Chris Busby have also been appointed as assistant referees for two games each in this year’s championship.
Brian MacNeice will be the TMO for the Italy v England and England v Wales fixtures.
The full list of World Rugby appointments for the Six Nations can be viewed here.
Match officials for Ireland’s Six Nations games:
Ireland v Wales:
Referee: Jaco Peyper (SARU)
Assistant Referee 1: Mathieu Raynal (FFR)
Assistant Referee 2: Angus Gardner (RA)
TMO: Stuart Terheege (RFU)
France v Ireland:
Referee: Angus Gardner (RA)
Assistant Referee 1: Ben O’Keeffe (NZR)
Assistant Referee 2: Craig Evans (WRU)
TMO: Ben Whitehouse (WRU)
Ireland v Italy:
Referee: Nika Amashukeli (GRU)
Assistant Referee 1: Matthew Carley (RFU)
Assistant Referee 2: Christophe Ridley (RFU)
TMO: Eric Gauzins (FFR)
England v Ireland:
Referee: Mathieu Raynal (FFR)
Assistant Referee 1: Mike Adamson (SRU)
Assistant Referee 2: Pierre Brousset (FFR)
TMO: Marius Jonker (SARU)
Ireland v Scotland:
Referee: Wayne Barnes (RFU)
Assistant Referee 1: Karl Dickson (RFU)
Assistant Referee 2: Christophe Ridley (RFU)
TMO: Stuart Terheege (RFU).
