World Rugby has confirmed the referee appointments for the four-Test Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series between the Springboks and the All Blacks, with officials from England, Georgia and Australia taking charge of the opening matches in South Africa.
Matthew Carley, Nika Amashukeli and Angus Gardner will referee the first three Tests of the series, which will be played on 22 and 29 August and 5 September.
Carley represents England, Amashukeli is from Georgia and Gardner is an Australian official. The appointments cover the three matches to be held in South Africa before the series moves to the United States for its final Test.
Karl Dickson, also of England, will referee the fourth Test at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore on 12 September. Dickson is pictured in the announcement of the appointments.
The four referees will also officiate the All Blacks’ other matches on tour against South African provincial teams: the Stormers, Sharks, Bulls and Lions.
New Zealand will play seven matches in South Africa during its Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry tour, consisting of three Tests and four fixtures against provincial opposition. The fourth and final Test will take place in Baltimore.
The All Blacks begin the tour against the Stormers at Cape Town Stadium on Friday, 7 August, with kick-off at 19:10. Their second warm-up match is against the Sharks at Hollywoodbets Kings Park in Durban on Tuesday, 11 August, also at 19:10.
They then face the Bulls at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria on Saturday, 15 August, before opening the Test series against the Springboks at Ellis Park in Johannesburg on Saturday, 22 August. That match is scheduled to begin at 17:10.
New Zealand’s fourth match of the tour will be against the Lions at Ellis Park on Tuesday, 25 August, at 19:10.
The second Test will be played at Cape Town Stadium on Saturday, 29 August, with a 17:10 start. The third meeting between the Springboks and All Blacks is scheduled for FNB Stadium in Johannesburg on Saturday, 5 September, again at 17:10.
The series will conclude at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore on Saturday, 12 September. Kick-off is set for 23:00 South Africa time.
The confirmed schedule is:
– Friday, 7 August: Stormers v New Zealand, Cape Town Stadium, Cape Town – 19:10
– Tuesday, 11 August: Sharks v New Zealand, Hollywoodbets Kings Park, Durban – 19:10
– Saturday, 15 August: Bulls v New Zealand, Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria – 19:10
– Saturday, 22 August: First Test, Ellis Park, Johannesburg – 17:10
– Tuesday, 25 August: Lions v New Zealand, Ellis Park, Johannesburg – 19:10
– Saturday, 29 August: Second Test, Cape Town Stadium, Cape Town – 17:10
– Saturday, 5 September: Third Test, FNB Stadium, Johannesburg – 17:10
– Saturday, 12 September: Fourth Test, M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore, United States – 23:00 South Africa time
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