Hollie Davidson is back refereeing in the Six Nations this weekend
Rugby NewsThursday, 12 March 2026 at 09:45
Hollie Davidson will return to officiating duties in the Six Nations this weekend after missing the previous two rounds.
Watch the Guinness Six Nations at your local Greene King sports pub.
The Scottish referee stepped away from recent fixtures after making history earlier in the tournament when she took charge of Ireland’s clash with Italy in Dublin during Round 2.
Davidson now returns to the match official team as the championship heads into its decisive final weekend.
Meanwhile, there has been a late referee change for one of the biggest games of Super Saturday. Australian official Nic Berry will no longer referee France v England after travel disruption prevented him from reaching France.
The issue stems from the escalating conflict in the Middle East. Following military action launched by the United States and Israel against Iran, the situation in the region has rapidly deteriorated, with Iran responding by targeting several American military bases, including in the United Arab Emirates.
The instability has significantly disrupted international travel routes through major aviation hubs such as Dubai and Qatar, which are commonly used for long-haul connections.
Because of the disruption, Berry is unable to travel to Europe in time for the fixture.
Referee switch confirmed
World Rugby confirmed the change in a brief statement, explaining that Georgian referee Nika Amashukeli will now take charge of the match.
Amashukeli had originally been appointed as the first assistant referee but has been promoted to the middle following Berry’s withdrawal. Andrew Brace will now step in as assistant referee for the game.
Super Saturday referee's:
Ireland v Scotland
Venue: Aviva Stadium, Dublin
Date: Saturday, 14 March 2026
Date: Saturday, 14 March 2026
- Referee: Luke Pearce (RFU)
- Assistant Referee 1: Angus Gardner (RA)
- Assistant Referee 2: Damian Schneider (UAR)
- TMO: Andrew Jackson (RFU)
- FPRO: Ian Tempest (RFU)
Wales v Italy
Venue: Principality Stadium, Cardiff
Date: Saturday, 14 March 2026
Date: Saturday, 14 March 2026
- Referee: Christophe Ridley (RFU)
- Assistant Referee 1: Matthew Carley (RFU)
- Assistant Referee 2: Eoghan Cross (IRFU)
- TMO: Mike Adamson (SRU)
- FPRO: Eric Gauzins (FFR)
France v England
Venue: Stade de France, Paris
Date: Saturday, 14 March 2026
Date: Saturday, 14 March 2026
- Referee: Nika Amashukeli (GRU)
- Assistant Referee 1: Andrew Brace (IRFU)
- Assistant Referee 2: Hollie Davidson (SRU)
- TMO: Brett Cronan (RA)
- FPRO: Matteo Liperini (FIR)
2026 Super Saturday Six Nations Permutations
The final round of the Six Nations promises a dramatic finish after a championship packed with twists and surprises. Three teams still have a chance of lifting the title, with two of them set to face each other in a decisive clash in Dublin.
Meanwhile, England’s campaign could yet take another turn, as they remain technically at risk of finishing last heading into Super Saturday. Here are the permutations for each side.
Six Nations Permutations
France
The outcome is in France's control. Since their match against England in Paris is the last game of Super Saturday, they will know exactly what result they need. In most scenarios, a bonus-point victory should be enough, unless Scotland win by 59 more points than France on the final day, which is extremely unlikely.
If Ireland beat Scotland, or if Scotland win without a bonus point, then a simple win would also secure the title for France, as Scotland would still need a huge points difference swing. If Scotland and Ireland draw, even a draw would be enough for France. Their late bonus point at Murrayfield over the weekend ensured the title race remains firmly in their hands.
Scotland
Scotland travel to Dublin to face Ireland and must win if they want to claim their first ever Six Nations title. If they achieve a better result than France, the championship will be theirs. However, because their game takes place earlier in the day, they will still need England to do them a favour in Paris regardless of the outcome.
Scotland are currently level with France on 16 points but trail significantly on points difference. Although winning in Dublin is a tough challenge, their big victory at the weekend will give them confidence.
Ireland
Ireland sit on 14 points, two behind both Scotland and France, and host Scotland in Dublin. A win would move them above both teams temporarily, but only by two points, or three with a bonus point, with France still to play England in the final match.
Like Scotland, Ireland must win and then hope France slip up. Their shortage of bonus points compared with their rivals leaves Andy Farrell's side slightly disadvantaged, though they remain firmly in contention. If Italy beat Wales with a bonus point and overturn a 40-point difference, Ireland could slip to fourth, so the simplest way to remove any risk is to earn at least one point against Scotland, but they'll be looking up rather than down.
Italy
Italy could theoretically finish third, though it would require Ireland to take no points at all and for the Azzurri to beat Wales in Cardiff with a bonus point. Regardless, Italy will view this campaign as a success, having beaten both England and Scotland and guaranteeing they cannot finish last.
With Wales as their final opponent, a third victory is a real possibility. They currently sit three points ahead of England, so while it is technically possible for England to catch them, Italy face the team currently weakest on paper while England must play the strongest, making it unlikely.
England
Few would have predicted England sitting second from bottom in the Six Nations and still technically at risk of finishing last. One win and three defeats have increased the pressure on Steve Borthwick. However, they have the opportunity to cause a major upset away in Paris and potentially help either Scotland or Ireland.
If England beat France, the winner of the Scotland-Ireland match would almost certainly take the championship. Although this is not the finish England had hoped for, they could still play a decisive role on the final day.
Wales
Wales host Italy in their final match and will be desperate to secure their first Six Nations victory of the campaign. In an extremely unlikely scenario, a bonus point win for Wales, England failing to score any points, and a 100-point swing, England could finish last.
Realistically that will not happen, so Steve Tandy's focus will simply be on delivering a positive performance to build momentum for next year.
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