Hold onto your jerseys, rugby fans! The stage is set for a titanic clash in Paris this November as the Boks and France face off in a rematch of their nail-biting 2023 World Cup quarterfinal. World Rugby has just rolled out the red carpet for the refs of the November internationals, and boy, do we have a lineup that could referee a royal wedding!
Leading the charge in the City of Lights will be none other than Australia’s seasoned whistle-blower, Angus Gardner. Remember him? He’s the guy who’s managed to keep his cool in more heated games than a firefighter. Gardner will be the man in the middle for the headline-grabbing duel between South Africa and France. Assisting him on the sidelines will be Nika Amashukeli from Georgia and England’s Christophe Ridley, with Ian Tempest up in the booth as the TMO, keeping an eagle eye on proceedings.
"It's a privilege to be involved in such a high-profile match, and I’m looking forward to a game played in the best spirit of rugby,"
Gardner remarked, clearly gearing up for what promises to be a thunderous encounter.
But wait, there’s more! The November tour is a full plate, with 42 mouth-watering fixtures slated between October 18 and November 29, including 34 full Tests that are bound to change the rankings and shake the pillars of the rugby heavens. Refs from 11 different nations are gearing up to bring their best game, with all eyes on the 2027 Rugby World Cup Draw come December.
Meanwhile, down in Turin, James Doleman of New Zealand will whistle South Africa’s dance with Italy. Over at Ireland’s turf, Matthew Carley will lead an all-English officiating squad against the Springboks, with Karl Dickson and Christophe Ridley running the lines and Andrew Jackson as TMO. And wrapping things up on November 29, the Boks' tour curtain will fall in Cardiff, where French referee Luc Ramos takes the reins for the match against Wales.
With such an international brigade of referees, this tour is shaping up to be as unpredictable and exciting as a soap opera – only with more muscle and less crying. So, lace up your boots, slap on your face paint, and prepare for a November to remember. May the best team win, and let's hope the refs keep their cool better than a polar bear on ice!
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Hold onto your jerseys, rugby fans! The stage is set for a titanic clash in Paris this November as the Boks and France face off in a rematch of their nail-biting 2023 World Cup quarterfinal. World Rugby has just rolled out the red carpet for the refs of the November internationals, and boy, do we have a lineup that could referee a royal wedding!
Leading the charge in the City of Lights will be none other than Australia’s seasoned whistle-blower, Angus Gardner. Remember him? He’s the guy who’s managed to keep his cool in more heated games than a firefighter. Gardner will be the man in the middle for the headline-grabbing duel between South Africa and France. Assisting him on the sidelines will be Nika Amashukeli from Georgia and England’s Christophe Ridley, with Ian Tempest up in the booth as the TMO, keeping an eagle eye on proceedings.
"It's a privilege to be involved in such a high-profile match, and I’m looking forward to a game played in the best spirit of rugby,"
Gardner remarked, clearly gearing up for what promises to be a thunderous encounter.But wait, there’s more! The November tour is a full plate, with 42 mouth-watering fixtures slated between October 18 and November 29, including 34 full Tests that are bound to change the rankings and shake the pillars of the rugby heavens. Refs from 11 different nations are gearing up to bring their best game, with all eyes on the 2027 Rugby World Cup Draw come December.
Meanwhile, down in Turin, James Doleman of New Zealand will whistle South Africa’s dance with Italy. Over at Ireland’s turf, Matthew Carley will lead an all-English officiating squad against the Springboks, with Karl Dickson and Christophe Ridley running the lines and Andrew Jackson as TMO. And wrapping things up on November 29, the Boks' tour curtain will fall in Cardiff, where French referee Luc Ramos takes the reins for the match against Wales.
With such an international brigade of referees, this tour is shaping up to be as unpredictable and exciting as a soap opera – only with more muscle and less crying. So, lace up your boots, slap on your face paint, and prepare for a November to remember. May the best team win, and let's hope the refs keep their cool better than a polar bear on ice!