Nations Championship Round 2 match officials – meet the five men and women in charge

Friday, 10 July 2026 at 12:18

bySteven Smith

World Rugby has confirmed the match officials for the second round of the Nations Championship, with six referees from six different countries handed the biggest appointments of the weekend.

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There is a historic appointment in Liverpool, while several of the most experienced officials in the game will be in action across New Zealand, South Africa, Argentina and Australia.

Here is the full list of appointments — and everything you need to know about the five referees taking charge. (World Rugby)

Australia v France – Karl Dickson

Venue: Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
Date: Saturday, 11 July, 2026

Referee: Karl Dickson (England)
Assistant Referee 1: Christophe Ridley (England)
Assistant Referee 2: Katsuki Furuse (Japan)
TMO: Andrew Jackson (England)
FPRO: Glenn Newman (New Zealand)

Who is Karl Dickson?

Karl Dickson is one of the most recognisable officials in world rugby, having previously enjoyed a successful playing career at the highest level.

The former scrum-half made more than 150 appearances for Harlequins and was part of the squad that won the Premiership title in 2012. He also represented England Saxons before retiring from playing in 2017 to focus on refereeing.

Dickson’s rise with the whistle was rapid. He became a regular Premiership referee before earning major European and international appointments.

He was selected as a match official for the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France and has since continued to take charge of major Test matches and high-profile fixtures across the Six Nations and European competitions.

The Englishman will now oversee Australia against France at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane, with fellow RFU officials Christophe Ridley and Andrew Jackson also part of the match-official team.

New Zealand v Italy – Luc Ramos

Venue: SKY Stadium, Wellington
Date: Saturday, 11 July, 2026

Referee: Luc Ramos (France)
Assistant Referee 1: Nic Berry (Australia)
Assistant Referee 2: Luke Pearce (England)
TMO: Ben Whitehouse (Wales)
FPRO: Marius van der Westhuizen (South Africa)

Who is Luc Ramos?

French referee Luc Ramos is one of the fastest-rising officials in world rugby.

Ramos began refereeing at the age of 16 in Vendres, initially combining officiating with playing before deciding to concentrate fully on the whistle.

He worked his way through the French system before making his Top 14 debut in 2019 and later stepping onto the European stage in the Challenge Cup and Champions Cup.

His first Test as a referee came in 2021, when he took charge of Portugal against Romania, before his career accelerated with appointments at the World Rugby U20 Championship.

Ramos refereed his first Tier One Test when Japan hosted England in 2024 and has since continued his rise towards the top level of the international game.

South Africa v Scotland – Pierre Brousset

Venue: Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
Date: Saturday, 11 July, 2026

Referee: Pierre Brousset (France)
Assistant Referee 1: James Doleman (New Zealand)
Assistant Referee 2: Andrew Brace (Ireland)
TMO: Richard Kelly (New Zealand)
FPRO: Olly Hodges (Ireland)

Who is Pierre Brousset?

Pierre Brousset is another member of France’s increasingly impressive group of elite referees.

The Frenchman played rugby in his younger years before turning his attention to refereeing, becoming a semi-professional official in 2014.

Brousset has been refereeing in the Top 14 since the 2016/17 season and is now a regular presence in both the Champions Cup and Challenge Cup.

He has also officiated in the United Rugby Championship, becoming one of the relatively small number of French referees to take charge of matches in the competition.

His appointment for the Springboks against Scotland represents another major step in his international career.

Argentina v Wales – Paul Williams

Venue: Estadio San Juan del Bicentenario, San Juan
Date: Saturday, 11 July, 2026

Referee: Paul Williams (New Zealand)
Assistant Referee 1: Angus Gardner (Australia)
Assistant Referee 2: Nika Amashukeli (Georgia)
TMO: Eric Gauzins (France)
FPRO: Brett Cronan (Australia)

Who is Paul Williams?

New Zealand official Paul Williams is one of the more experienced referees on the international circuit.

Williams started refereeing in 2011 while still playing club rugby at scrum-half and was added to New Zealand’s High Performance referee squad three years later.

He became a full-time Super Rugby referee in 2016, becoming the first official from Taranaki to achieve the feat.

One of his first major global appointments came later that year when he refereed the World Rugby U20 Championship final between England and Ireland.

Williams has since become a regular figure at the highest level of the game, earning appointments in Super Rugby and Test rugby.

Japan v Ireland – Andrea Piardi

Venue: McDonald Jones Stadium, Newcastle, Australia
Date: Saturday, 11 July, 2026

Referee: Andrea Piardi (Italy)
Assistant Referee 1: Ben O’Keeffe (New Zealand)
Assistant Referee 2: Morné Ferreira (South Africa)
TMO: Matteo Liperini (Italy)
FPRO: Ian Tempest (England)

Who is Andrea Piardi?

Andrea Piardi has established himself as Italy’s leading referee and one of the most prominent officials in European rugby.

The Italian has been a regular in the United Rugby Championship and European club competitions, with his performances earning him increasingly significant international appointments.

Piardi was part of the match officials group at the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France and has since continued his rise at Test level.

He made history in 2024 when he became the first Italian referee to take charge of a men’s Six Nations match, overseeing Ireland’s meeting with Wales in Dublin.

The appointment of Piardi for Japan against Ireland puts him back in the middle for another major international fixture.

Fiji v England – Hollie Davidson

Venue: Hill Dickinson Stadium, Liverpool
Date: Saturday, 11 July, 2026

Referee: Hollie Davidson (Scotland)
Assistant Referee 1: Eoghan Cross (Ireland)
Assistant Referee 2: Sam Grove-White (Scotland)
TMO: Mike Adamson (Scotland)
FPRO: Tual Trainini (France)

Who is Hollie Davidson?

Hollie Davidson has become one of the most high-profile referees in world rugby after a series of history-making appointments.

The Scottish official has broken several barriers during her rise through the refereeing ranks and has taken charge of major matches in both the men’s and women’s game.

Davidson refereed the 2021 Rugby World Cup final between New Zealand and England in Auckland and later became the first female referee to take charge of a men’s Test involving two Tier One nations.

Earlier in 2026, she made further history by becoming the first woman to referee a men’s Six Nations match when she took charge of Ireland against Italy.

She will now referee England against Fiji in Liverpool in one of the standout appointments of the weekend.

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