Ahead of this year’s Guinness Six Nations, England head coach Steve Borthwick spoke about the differences between how Premiership umpires and Test level umpires officiate the game.
“The nature of the breakdown is run differently in international rugby, the nature of the scrum is run differently in international rugby,” Borthwick said. “It is important that teams have the opportunity to attack for penalties [but] We see too many scrums to participate in the competition. I love Scrum competition and I don’t want it to leave our game.
“The dispersal is also a big competition. British referees; The way they referee in the Premier League is they have high speed of the ball and they want the ball to come out of that break. In the Premiership the area around the ball is clean because if it is not clean there is a penalty.
“It’s different in Test rugby. In Test rugby this area is not so clean and the back row becomes one of the biggest notes I examine in every session, every match, every tournament. “Everyone has a responsibility when it comes to distribution, but the back rows are the key.”
Who are the referees for the 2024 Six Nations?
Karl Dickson refereed the opening Six Nations match between France and Ireland and was one of four English officials to take the whistle for the men’s Championship fixture this year.
Matthew Carley, Luke Pearce and debutant Christophe Ridley join Dickson to referee men’s 2024 Six Nations matches; The quartet of British officials constitute the largest contingent from a single country.
Along with Ridley, who will take charge of the France – Italy match in Lille on February 25, France’s Pierre Brousset and Andrea Piardi will make their Championship debuts; Andrea Piardi will become the first Italian official to referee Ireland’s match against Wales in a men’s Six Nations match. In Dublin on 24 February.
When Pearce leads Wales against France at the Principality Stadium, he will become the third Englishman to umpire in 50 Tests, after Wayne Barnes and Chris White.
2024 Six Nations appointments
first round
Friday, February 2: France 17 Ireland 38
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Judge: Karl Dickson (Eng)
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Assistant Referee 1: Matthew Carley (Eng)
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Assistant Referee 2: Jordan Road (Aus)
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TMO: Ben Whitehouse (Wal)
Saturday, February 3: Italy 24 England 27
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Judge: Paul Williams (New Zealand)
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Assistant Referee 1: Nic Berry (Australia)
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Assistant Referee 2: Pierre Brousset (France)
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TMO: Brett Cronan (Australia)
Saturday, February 3: Wales 26 Scotland 27
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Judge: Ben O’Keeffe (New Zealand)
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Assistant Referee 1: James Doleman (New Zealand)
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Assistant Referee 2: Angus Mabey (New Zealand)
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TMO: Brendon Pickerill (New Zealand)
second part
Saturday, February 10: Scotland v France
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Judge: Nic Berry (Australia)
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Assistant Referee 1: Nika Amashukeli (Geography)
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Assistant Referee 2: Jordan Road (Aus)
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TMO: Brian MacNeice (Ire)
Saturday, February 10: England v Wales
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Judge: James Doleman (New Zealand)
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Assistant Referee 1: Ben O’Keeffe (New Zealand)
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Assistant Referee 2: Hollie Davidson (Sco)
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TMO: Brendon Pickerill (New Zealand)
Sunday, February 11: Ireland v Italy
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Judge: Pierre Brousset (France)
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Assistant Referee 1: Mathieu Raynal (Fra)
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Assistant Referee 2: Luc Ramos (France)
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TMO: Eric Gauzins (Fra)
third round
Saturday, February 24: Ireland v Wales
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Judge: Andrea Piardi (Ita)
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Assistant Referee 1: Karl Dickson (Eng)
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Assistant Referee 2: Gianluca Gnecchi (Italy)
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TMO: Eric Gauzins (Italy)
Saturday, February 24: Scotland v England
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Judge: Andrew Brace (Ire)
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Assistant Referee 1: Chris Busby (Ire)
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Assistant Referee 2: Cross of Eoghan (Ire)
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TMO: Marius Jonker (SA)
Sunday, February 25: France v Italy
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Judge: Christophe Ridley (Eng)
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Assistant Referee 1: Matthew Carley (Eng)
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Assistant Referee 2: Craig Evans (Wal)
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TMO: Ian Tempest (Eng)
fourth round
Saturday, March 9: Italy v Scotland
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Judge: Jaco Peyper (SA)
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Assistant Referee 1: Karl Dickson (Eng)
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Assistant Referee 2: Adam Leal (Eng)
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TMO: Marius van der Westhuizen (SA)
Saturday, March 9: England v Ireland
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Judge: Nika Amashukeli (Geography)
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Assistant Referee 1: Andrea Piardi (France)
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Assistant Referee 2: Craig Evans (Wal)
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TMO: Ben Whitehouse (Wal)
Sunday, March 10: Wales v France
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Judge: Luke Pearce (Eng)
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Assistant Referee 1: Andrew Brace (Ire)
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Assistant Referee 2: Damian Schneider (Arg)
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TMO: Ian Tempest (R)
fifth round
Saturday, March 16: Wales v Italy
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Judge: Mathieu Raynal (FFR)
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Assistant Referee 1: Chris Busby (IRFU)
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Assistant Referee 2: Morné Ferreira (SARU) T
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TMO: Joy Neville (IRFU)
Saturday, March 16: Ireland v Scotland
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Judge: Matthew Carley (RFU)
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Assistant Referee 1: Karl Dickson (RFU)
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Assistant Referee 2: Christophe Ridley (RFU)
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TMO: Marius Jonker (SARU)
Saturday, March 16: France v England
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Judge: Angus Gardner (RA)
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Assistant Referee 1: Nika Amaşukeli (GRU)
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Assistant Referee 2: Damian Schneider (UAR)
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TMO: Ben Whitehouse (WRU)