It's here. The 2011 Rugby World Cup is starting as the whole world watches tensely on. These are exciting times, including for referees, especially George Clancy who will blow the whistle to get it started.

We wish all the referees, assistant referees, TMOs, assessors, 4s and 5s, timekeepers and referee organisers well. They will surely have a happy time together as there is no such thing as a nasty referee. Let's hope that there is not a single criticism of a referee. The better they do, the better it is for all of us.

The World Cup is a great opportunity for referees to steal with their eyes - see how the chosen 10 go about refereeing - top referees refereeing top matches.

International

Rugby World Cup

Friday, 9 September 2011

New Zealand vs Tonga in Auckland
Referee: George Clancy (Ireland))
Assistant referees: Craig Joubert (South Africa), Stuart Terheege (England)
Television match official: Giulio De Santis (Italy)

Saturday, 10 September

Scotland vs Romania in Invercargill
Referee: Dave Pearson (England)
Assistant referees: Vinny Munro (New Zealand), Tim Hayes (Wales)
Television match official: Shaun Veldsman (South Africa)

Fiji vs Namibia in Rotorua
Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales)
Assistant referees: Jonathan Kaplan (South Africa), Jérôme Garces (France)
Television match official: Graham Hughes (England)

France vs Japan in North Shore
Referee: Steve Walsh (Australia)
Assistant referees: Alain Rolland (Ireland)), Stuart Terheege (England)
Television match official: Giulio De Santis (Italy)

Argentina vs England in Dunedin
Referee: Brice Lawrence (New Zealand)
Assistant referees: Romain Poite (France), Simon McDowell (Ireland))
Television match official: Matt Goddard (Australia)

Sunday, 11 September

Australia vs Italy in North Shore
Referee: Alain Rolland (Ireland))
Assistant referees: Jonathan Kaplan (South Africa), Chris Pollock (New Zealand)

Ireland vs USA in New Plymouth
Referee: Craig Joubert (South Africa)
Assistant referees: Nigel Owens (Wales), Carlo Damasco (Italy)
Television match official: Graham Hughes (England)

South Africa vs Wales in Wellington
Referee: Wayne Barnes (England)
Assistant referees: George Clancy (Ireland)), Vinny Munro (New Zealand)
Television match official: Matt Goddard (Australia)

Pro 12

Glasgow vs Munster
Referee: Dudley Phillips (Ireland)
Assistant referees: Neil Paterson (Scotland), Bob Nevins (Scotland)
Assessor: Fergus Neil (Scotland)

Leinster vs Dragons at Royal Dublin Society
Referee: Andrew Macpherson (Scotland)
Assistant referees: Michael Black (Ireland), Barrie O’Connell (Ireland)
Assessor: Michael Carroll (Ireland)
Television match official: Tony Redmond (Ireland)

Connacht vs Llanelli at Sportsground
Referee:  (Italy)
Assistant referees: Leo Colgan (Ireland), Peter Roche (Ireland)
Assessor: Bertie Smith (Ireland)
Television match official: Dermot Moloney (Ireland)

Ospreys vs Edinburgh at Liberty Stadium
Referee: David Wilkinson (Ireland)
Assistant referees: James Jones (Wales), Ian Davies (Wales)
Television match official: Tony Rowlands (Wales)

Cardiff vs Treviso at Cardiff City Stadium
Referee: Andrew McMenemy (Scotland)
 Assistant referees: Leighton Hodges (Wales), Sean Brickell (Wales)
Television match official: Neil Ballard (Wales)/Paul Adams (Wales)
  
Aironi vs Ulster at Stadio Zaffanella  
Referee: Neil Hennessy (Wales)
 
Domestic

Australia

New South Wales

Shute Shield semifinals

Manly v. Northern Suburbs
Referee: James Leckie
Assistant referees: Stuart Dickinson, Nathan Pearce
Television match official: Ian Smith
Assessor: Wayne Erickson

Eastern Suburbs v. Randwick
Referee: Angus Gardner
Assistant referees: Stuart Dickinson, Ian Smith
Television match official: Julian Pritchard
Assessor: Michael Tanzer

England

tbc

France

tbc

Ireland

Under-20

Munster vs Leinster
Referee: Stuart Geffakin

Ulster vs Leinster
Referee: Sean Gallagher

Under-19

Munster vs Connacht
Referee: Edward Kenny

Ulster vs Leinster
Referee: Trevor Collins

Schools

Leinster vs Munster
Referee: Jonny Erskine

Ulster vs Connacht
Referee: Nigel Correll

New Zealand

Heartland Championship

Week 6

Wanganui vs Horowhenua-Kapiti at Cooks Gardens, Wanganui
Referee: Shaun Elliott

Mid Canterbury vs South Canterbury at Ashburton Showgrounds, Ashburton
Referee: Kane McBride

Buller vs North Otago at Victoria Square, Westport
Referee: Matt Muir

East Coast vs Thames Valley at Whakarua Park, Ruatoria
Referee: Grant Stuart

Wairarapa Bush vs Poverty Bay at Carterton Rugby Club, Carterton
Referee: James McPhail

King Country vs West coast at t Rugby Park, Te Kuiti
Referee: Ben Skeen

Scotland

Premiership

Ayr vs Melrose
Referee: Tbc
Assistant referees: Robert Mchenry, Graeme Marshall

Dundee HSFP vs Hawick
Referee: David Changleng
Assistant referees: Tom McNicol, Archie McInally

Boroughmuir vs Stirling County
Referee: James Matthew
Assistant referees: Rob Dickson, Alan Forrest

Glasgow Hawks vs Gala
Referee: Gary Gordon
Assistant referees: Malcolm Currie, Bob Nevins

Heriots vs Edinburgh Accies
Referee: Andrew Jackson (England)
Assistant referees: Kevin White, Adrian Graves

South Africa

Currie Cup

Premier Division

Golden Lions vs Griquas at Cocoa-Cola Park Stadium, Johannesburg
Referee: Mark Lawrence
Assistant referees: Lourens van der Merwe, Reuben Rossouw
Television match official: JC Fortuin
Assessor: Banks Yantolo

Western Province vs Leopards at Newlands
Referee: Sindile Mayende
Assistant referees: Tiaan Jonker, Marc van Zyl
Assessor: Dennis Immelman

Free State Cheetahs vs Blue Bulls at Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein
Referee: Marius Jonker
Assistant referees: Quintin Immelman Quinton, Linston Manuels
Television match official: Gerrie
Assessor: Arrie Schoonwinkel

Sharks vs Pumas at Mr Price Kings Park, Durban
Referee: Jaco Peyper
Assistant referees: tbc, Phillip Bosch
Television match official: Allan O’Connell

First Division

Border vs South Western Districts Eagles at Buffalo City Municipality Stadium, East London
Referee: Rasta Rashivenga
Assistant referees:  Ben Crouse, Fumanekile Yamile
Television match official: Johann Meuwesen
Assessor: Richard Nash

Griffons vs Eastern Province at North West Stadium, Welkom
Referee: Jason Jaftha
Assistant referees: Lourens van der Merwe Lourens, Mlungiseli Mdashe
Assessor: Pierre Oelofse

Valke vs Boland at Bosman Stadium, Brakpan
Referee: Stuart Berry
Assistant referees: tbc, Sieg van Staden
Assessor: Willie Roos

Under-21

Border vs South Western Districts Eagles at Buffalo City Municipality Stadium, East London
Referee: Ben Crouse
Assistant referees: Andrew Slater, Fumanekile Yamile
Television match official: Johann Meuwesen Johan  
Assessor: Richard Nash

Western Province vs Leopards at Newlands
Referee: Tiaan Jonker
Assistant referees: Archie Sehlako, tbc 
Assessor: Thuso Mngqibisa

Free State Cheetahs vs Blue Bulls at Vrystaat Stadium, Bloemfontein
Referee: Quinton Immelman
Assistant referees: Dilbert November, Linston Manuels
Television match official: Gerrie Coetzee
Assessor: Gerrit Coetzer

Sharks vs Valke at Mr Price Kings Park, Durban
Referee: François Groenewald
Assistant referees: Lusanda Jam, Phillip Bosch
Television match official: Johann Meuwesen
Assessor: Allan O’Connell Allan

Griffons vs Eastern Province at North West Stadium, Welkom
Referee: Mlungiseli Mdashe
Assistant referees: Gerrie de Bruin, local   
Assessor: Pierre Oelofse

Griquas vs Boland at GWK Park, Kimberley
Referee: Matt Kemp
Assistant referees: Pieter Janse van Vuuren, tbc

Under-19

Border vs Valke at Buffalo City Municipality Stadium, East London
Referee: Andrew Slater
Assistant referees: Local
Assessor: Jacques Hugo

Western Province vs Leopards at Newlands
Referee: Archie Sehlako
Assistant referees: Local
Assessor: Dennis Immelman

 Free State Cheetahs vs Blue Bulls at Vrystaat Stadium, Bloemfontein
Referee: Dilbert November
Assistant referees: Local
Assessor: Arrie Schoonwinkel

Sharks vs South Western Districts Eagles at Mr Price Kings Park, Durban
Referee: Lusanda Jam
Assistant referees: Local
Assessor: Allan O’Connell

Griffons vs Eastern Province
Referee: Gerrie de Bruin
Assistant referees: Local
Assessor: Pierre Oelofse

Griquas vs Boland at GWK Park, Kimberley
Referee: Pieter Janse van Vuuren
Assistant referees: Local

Wales

Premiership

Pontypridd vs Aberavon
Referee: Leighton Hodges
Assistant referees: Julian Smith, Owain Griffith
  
Neath vs Carmarthen Quins
Referee: Greg Morgan
Assistant referees: Steve Nash, Peter Mortimer
  
Swansea vs Bedwas
Referee: Rhys Thomas
Assistant referees: Jason Langdon, Mark Davis
  
Cardiff vs Cross Keys
Referee: Sean Brickell
Assistant referees: Mark Jones, Stuart Vaudin
  
Llanelli vs Llandovery
Referee: Jon Mason
Assistant referees: Richard Hughes, Tony Pratt
  
Bridgend vs Newport
Referee: Martyn Lewis
Assistant referees: Chris Williams, Morgan Whitehead
  
Pontypool vs Tonmawr
Referee: Gwyn Morris
Assistant referees: Gareth Saunders, Arwyn Davies