Jaco Peyper will take charge of the opening match of the 2022 Guinness Six Nations as the full set of match officials for the Championship have been announced.
South African referee Peyper returns to Championship action for the first time since 2020, overseeing Ireland’s clash with Wales in Round 1 before being in the middle for the Super Saturday finale between France and England at the Stade de France in Round 5.
Mike Adamson of Scotland is the only other referee to have two matches, officiating France v Scotland in Round 1 before also being on the whistle for England v Wales at Twickenham in Round 3.
Like Peyper, New Zealand’s Ben O’Keeffe will take charge of his first Championship match since 2020 as travel restrictions ease, with the Calcutta Cup clash between Scotland and England in Edinburgh his assignment.
England’s Wayne Barnes will also edge closer to a century of international referee appointments when he takes the whistle for Scotland’s trip to Dublin in Round 5 – which will be his 98th Test match and his 16th in the Championship.
Three referees will also make their Championship debuts in the 2022 Guinness Six Nations.
Nika Amashukeli is one of the three debutants, taking charge of Ireland v Italy in Round 3 as he becomes the first Georgian to referee a Championship game.
Australia’s Damon Murphy will also make his Guinness Six Nations bow in the Round 2 fixture between Italy and England while Karl Dickson is the third debutant, taking charge of France’s trip to BT Murrayfield to face Scotland in Round 3.
The 2022 Championship will also see Australia’s Angus Gardner and Nic Berry referee their first Guinness Six Nations matches since 2019 in Round 2, with Gardner in the middle for France v Ireland and Berry looking after Wales v Scotland.
Meanwhile, assistant referees Pierre Brousset, Tual Trainini (both France) and Chris Busby (Ireland) will all make their Championship debut, along with TMOs Stuart Terheege (England), Ben Whitehouse (Wales) and Brett Cronan (Australia).
Chairman of the World Rugby Match Officials Selection Committee Graham Mourie said: “Being able to select from the largest pool of match officials since the last Rugby World Cup is exciting and also means that we will be able to optimise preparation on the ground prior to and during the Championship.
“I would like to extend my congratulations to Nika, Damon and Karl, who will be refereeing their first Six Nations matches, and wish all the best to all the match officials selected for the Championship.”
2022 Guinness Six Nations refereeing appointments:
ROUND 1
Ireland v Wales (Aviva Stadium, Dublin; Saturday 5 February – 2.15pm)
Referee: Jaco Peyper (SARU)
Assistant Referee 1: Mathieu Raynal (FFR)
Assistant Referee 2: Angus Gardner (RA)
TMO: Stuart Terheege (RFU)
Scotland v England (BT Murrayfield, Edinburgh; Saturday 5 February – 4.45pm)
Referee: Ben O’Keeffe (NZR)
Assistant Referee 1: Nic Berry (RA)
Assistant Referee 2: Craig Evans (WRU)
TMO: Ben Whitehouse (WRU)
France v Italy (Stade de France, Paris; Sunday 6 February – 3pm)
Referee: Mike Adamson (SRU)
Assistant Referee 1: Nika Amashukeli (GRU)
Assistant Referee 2: Damon Murphy (RA)
TMO: Brett Cronan (RA)
ROUND 2
Wales v Scotland (Principality Stadium, Cardiff; Saturday 12 February – 2.15pm)
Referee: Nic Berry (RA)
Assistant Referee 1: Wayne Barnes (RFU)
Assistant Referee 2: Chris Busby (IRFU)
TMO: Brett Cronan (RA)
France v Ireland (Stade de France, Paris; Saturday 12 February – 4.45pm)
Referee: Angus Gardner (RA)
Assistant Referee 1: Ben O’Keeffe (NZR)
Assistant Referee 2: Craig Evans (WRU)
TMO: Ben Whitehouse (WRU)
Italy v England (Stadio Olimpico, Rome; Sunday 13 February – 3pm)
Referee: Damon Murphy (RA)
Assistant Referee 1: Andrew Brace (IRFU)
Assistant Referee 2: TBC
TMO: Brian MacNeice (IRFU)
ROUND 3
Scotland v France (BT Murrayfield, Edinburgh; Saturday 26 February – 2.15pm)
Referee: Karl Dickson (RFU)
Assistant Referee 1: Luke Pearce (RFU)
Assistant Referee 2: Chris Busby (IRFU)
TMO: Tom Foley (RFU)
England v Wales (Twickenham, London; Saturday 26 February – 4.45pm)
Referee: Mike Adamson (SRU)
Assistant Referee 1: Mathieu Raynal (FFR)
Assistant Referee 2: Frank Murphy (IRFU)
TMO: Brian MacNeice (IRFU)
Ireland v Italy (Aviva Stadium, Dublin; Sunday 27 February – 3pm)
Referee: Nika Amashukeli (GRU)
Assistant Referee 1: Matthew Carley (RFU)
Assistant Referee 2: Christophe Ridley (RFU)
TMO: Eric Gauzins (FFR)
ROUND 4
Wales v France (Principality Stadium, Cardiff; Friday 11 March – 8pm)
Referee: Matthew Carley (RFU)
Assistant Referee 1: Jaco Peyper (SARU)
Assistant Referee 2: Andrea Piardi (FIR)
TMO: Tom Foley (RFU)
Italy v Scotland (Stadio Olimpico, Rome; Saturday 12 March – 2.15pm)
Referee: Luke Pearce (RFU)
Assistant Referee 1: Andrew Brace (IRFU)
Assistant Referee 2: Craig Evans (WRU)
TMO: Stuart Terheege (RFU)
England v Ireland (Twickenham, London; Saturday 12 March – 4.45pm)
Referee: Mathieu Raynal (FFR)
Assistant Referee 1: Mike Adamson (SRU)
Assistant Referee 2: Pierre Brousset (FFR)
TMO: Marius Jonker (SARU)
ROUND 5
Wales v Italy (Principality Stadium, Cardiff; Saturday 19 March – 2.15pm)
Referee: Andrew Brace (IRFU)
Assistant Referee 1: Matthew Carley (RFU)
Assistant Referee 2: Tual Trainini (FFR)
TMO: Joy Neville (IRFU)
Ireland v Scotland (Aviva Stadium, Dublin; Saturday 19 March – 4.45pm)
Referee: Wayne Barnes (RFU)
Assistant Referee 1: Karl Dickson (RFU)
Assistant Referee 2: Christophe Ridley (FFR)
TMO: Stuart Terheege (RFU)
France v England (Stade de France, Paris; Saturday 19 March – 8pm)
Referee: Jaco Peyper (SARU)
Assistant Referee 1: Mike Adamson (SRU)
Assistant Referee 2: Frank Murphy (IRFU)
TMO: Marius Jonker (SARU)
