Referee Paul Williams reacts during the Bledisloe Cup match between the New Zealand All Blacks and the Australian Wallabies at Sky Stadium on October 11, 2020 in Wellington, New Zealand. (Photo by Kai Schwoerer/Getty Images)

Antipodean officials to take charge of Tri Nations 2020

The Tri Nations Championship featuring Argentina, Australia and New Zealand will be played across six weekends, starting in Sydney with the third Bledisloe Cup.

by James Richardson

21-10-2020 13:20

in Rugby

World Rugby announced the match official appointments for the Tri Nations 2020 on Wednesday 21 October with two Australians and two Kiwis to take charge of matches.

The four men will fulfil cycling roles across every match of the 2020 Tri Nations which kicks off in Australia on 31 October.

Four officials to run Tri Nations contests

The three-nation championship featuring Argentina, Australia and New Zealand will be played across six weekends, starting in Sydney with the third Bledisloe Cup match between Australia and New Zealand and concluding with Australia versus Argentina on 5 December.

Argentina have played no rugby since the lockdown and come into the tournament extremely underdone.

Regional refs

Across both hemispheres, appointments for the October to December temporary international window have been made on a regional basis, recognising the challenges of ongoing travel and quarantine measures.

“In the case of Tri Nations, the quarantining measures and need to maintain a bubble means that nation neutrality is not possible and the team of match officials will come from Australia and New Zealand with Ben O’Keeffe, Paul Williams, Angus Gardner and Nic Berry refereeing. All coaches are supportive of this necessary position,” Sanzaar said.

World Rugby commended the unions for going ahead with the spectacle despite the withdrawal of the defending champions, the Springboks.

“The Tri Nations will be a fantastic spectacle and full credit to everyone from the respective unions and SANZAAR for tackling a tricky environment to make it happen,” Chair of the World Rugby Match Officials Selection Committee Graham Mourie said.

“As with the tests in the northern hemisphere, we have selected a regional team of match officials in recognition of ongoing and necessary restrictions in relation to COVID-19. The team will be subject to regular testing and hygiene measures in line with World Rugby’s return-to-play protocols.

“The lockdown period provided an opportunity to further focus on key game management areas, while maintaining fitness standards and the team selected for the Tri Nations are in excellent shape and looking forward to the challenge ahead.”

Tri Nations 2020 match officials

FIXTURE	OFFICIALS
AUSTRALIA V NEW ZEALAND ANZ Stadium, Sydney, Australia Saturday 31 October @ 19:45	REFEREE: Ben O’Keeffe (NZR) ASSISTANT REFEREE 1: Paul Williams (NZR) ASSISTANT REFEREE 2: Nic Berry (RA) TMO: Angus Gardner (RA)
AUSTRALIA V NEW ZEALAND Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane, Australia Saturday 7 November 2020 @ 18:45	REFEREE: Nic Berry (RA) ASSISTANT REFEREE 1: Ben O’Keeffe (NZR) ASSISTANT REFEREE 2: Angus Gardner (RA) TMO: Paul Williams (NZR)
NEW ZEALAND V ARGENTINA Bankwest Stadium, Sydney, Australia Saturday 14 November 2020 @ 17:10	REFEREE: Angus Gardner (RA) ASSISTANT REFEREE 1: Nic Berry (RA) ASSISTANT REFEREE 2: Paul Williams (NZR) TMO: Ben O’Keeffe (NZR)
ARGENTINA V AUSTRALIA McDonald Jones Stadium, Newcastle, Australia Saturday 21 November 2020 @ 19:45	REFEREE: Paul Williams (NZR) ASSISTANT REFEREE 1: Ben O’Keeffe (NZR) ASSISTANT REFEREE 2: Angus Gardner (RA) TMO: Nic Berry (RA)
ARGENTINA V NEW ZEALAND McDonald Jones Stadium, Newcastle, Australia Saturday 28 November 2020 @ 19:45	REFEREE: Nic Berry (RA) ASSISTANT REFEREE 1: Angus Gardner (RA) ASSISTANT REFEREE 2: Ben O’Keeffe (NZR) TMO: Paul Williams (NZR)
AUSTRALIA V ARGENTINA Bankwest Stadium, Sydney, Australia Saturday 5 December 2020 @ 19:45	REFEREE: Ben O’Keeffe (NZR) ASSISTANT REFEREE 1: Paul Williams (NZR) ASSISTANT REFEREE 2: Nic Berry (RA) TMO: Angus Gardner (RA)