Wayne Barnes to reprise 2007 France v New Zealand controversy-packed encounter

Wayne Barnes’ appointment to revisit his controversy-packed France v New Zealand 2007 World Cup encounter is the stand-out feature of World Rugby’s Autumn Series match official allocations.

Australian official Angus Gardner is given the responsibility of getting things underway when New Zealand face the USA in Washington DC next Saturday.

New Zealand’s Paul Williams is the other whistler in round one action when he takes charge of Japan v Australia.

Dave Rennie on Quade Cooper

Dave Rennie on Quade Cooper

Seven days later the All Blacks encounter a Northern Hemisphere official in the form of France’s Mathieu Raynal when they face a less-than-full-strength Wales in Cardiff. Raynal renews acquaintance with a number of Welsh players who featured in the third British & Irish Lions test in South Africa.

Australia’s Nic Berry is in charge of Tonga’s visit to Murrayfield to face Scotland.

November 6 and 7

No fewer than nine test matches take place over the following weekend with Williams handed the responsibility of controlling Wales v South Africa.

His fellow Kiwi Ben O’Keeffe takes the whistle for Argentina’s visit to the Stade de France while experienced French official Romain Poite oversees Scotland v Australia.

Elsewhere World Rugby gives an opportunity to three newer faces in the forms of Wales’ Craig Evans, England’s Karl Dickson and Nika Amashukeli from Georgia who respectively take charge of England v Tonga, Italy v New Zealand and Ireland v Japan.

November 13 and 14

The following weekend’s heavyweight encounters are also given to referees who performed well at the 2019 World Cup.

South Africa’s Jaco Peyper oversees England v Australia while Luke Pearce of England controls Ireland v New Zealand and Gardner whistles the Springboks’ encounter with Scotland.

Kiwi James Doleman is at the helm in Italy where Argentina are the visitors while a pair of Australians – Damon Murphy and Berry – are in charge on Sunday November 14 when France host Georgia and Fiji visit Cardiff.

November 20 and 21

In a flashback to the 2007 quarter-final – from which many Kiwis still talk about a missed forward pass – the world’s most experienced official Barnes oversees the All Blacks’ visit to France.

Ireland’s Andrew Brace takes charge of the 2019 World Cup final replay between England and South Africa at Twickenham while Scotland’s Mike Adamson referees Wales v Australia.

Another 2019 replay sees Scotland meet Japan – this time with Kiwi Brendon Pickerill holding the whistle – while England’s Matthew Carley is at the helm of Argentina’s visit to Dublin’s Aviva Stadium.

Here are the full set of appointments:

Saturday October 23

USA v New Zealand – FedEx Field, Washington DC – Referee: Angus Gardner (RA), TMO: Brett Cronan (RA)

Saturday October 30

Japan v Australia – Showa Denco Dome, Oita – Referee: Paul Williams (NZR), TMO: Brendon Pickerill (NZR)

Wales v New Zealand – Principality Stadium, Cardiff – Referee: Mathieu Raynal (FFR), TMO: Brian MacNeice (IRFU)

Spain v Italy A  – Estadio Nacional Universidad Complutense, Madrid – Referee: Frank Murphy (IRFU), TMO: Olly Hodges (IRFU)

Saturday November 6

Scotland v Tonga – BT Murrayfield, Edinburgh – Referee: Nic Berry (RA), TMO: Brett Cronan (RA)

England v Tonga – Twickenham Stadium, London – Referee: Craig Evans (WRU), TMO: Ben Whitehouse (WRU)

Wales v South Africa – Principality Stadium, Cardiff – Referee: Paul Williams (NZR), TMO: Olly Hodges (IRFU)

Ireland v Japan – Aviva Stadium, Dublin – Referee: Nika Amashukeli (GRU), TMO: Eric Gauzins (FFR)

France v Argentina – Stade de France, Paris – Referee: Ben O’Keeffe (NZR), TMO: Brendon Pickerill (NZR)

Italy v New Zealand – Stadio Olimpico, Rome – Referee: Karl Dickson (RFU), TMO: Tom Foley (RFU)

Spain v Fiji – Estadio Nacional Universidad Complutense, Madrid – Referee: Jaco Peyper (SARU), TMO: Alan Falzone (FIR)

Romania v Uruguay – Stadionul National de Rugby Arcul de Triumf, Bucharest – Referee: Angus Gardner (RA), TMO: Brett Cronan (RA)

Portugal v Canada – CAR Rugby do Jamor, Lisbon – Referee: Frank Murphy (IRFU), TMO: N/A

Sunday November 7      

Scotland v Australia – BT Murrayfield, Edinburgh – Referee: Romain Poite (FFR), TMO: Marius Jonker (SARU)

Saturday November 13

England v Australia – Twickenham Stadium, London – Referee: Jaco Peyper (SARU), TMO: Stuart Berry (SARU)

Scotland v South Africa – BT Murrayfield, Edinburgh – Referee: Angus Gardner (RA), TMO: Brett Cronan (RA)

Ireland v New Zealand – Aviva Stadium, Dublin – Referee: Luke Pearce (RFU), TMO: Tom Foley (RFU)

Italy v Argentina – Stadio Monigo, Treviso – Referee: James Doleman (NZR), TMO: Brendon Pickerill (NZR)

Portugal v Japan – Estádio Municipal Cidade de Coimbra – Referee: Andrew Brace (IRFU), TMO: Brian MacNeice (IRFU)

French Barbarians v Tonga – Stade Matmut, Lyon – Referee: Nika Amashukeli (GRU), TMO: Eric Gauzins (FFR)

Belgium v Canada – Venue: Belgium – Referee: Andrea Piardi (FIR), TMO: Stefano Penne (FIR)

Sunday November 14    

Italy A v Uruguay – Stadio Plebiscito, Padova – Referee: Mike Adamson (SRU), TMO: Marius Jonker (SARU)

France v Georgia – Matmut Atlantique, Bordeaux – Referee: Damon Murphy (RA), TMO: Ben Whitehouse (WRU)

Wales v Fiji – Principality Stadium, Cardiff – Referee: Nic Berry (RA), TMO: Stuart Terheege (RFU)

Saturday November 20

England v South Africa – Twickenham Stadium, London – Referee: Andrew Brace (IRFU), TMO: Brian MacNeice (IRFU)

Wales v Australia – Principality Stadium, Cardiff – Referee: Mike Adamson (SRU), TMO: Marius Jonker (SARU)

Scotland v Japan – BT Murrayfield, Edinburgh – Referee: Brendon Pickerill (NZR), TMO: Stuart Berry (SARU)

France v New Zealand – Stade de France, Paris – Referee: Wayne Barnes (RFU), TMO: Stuart Terheege (RFU)

Italy v Uruguay – Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi, Parma – Referee: Craig Evans (WRU), TMO: Ben Whitehouse (WRU)

Georgia v Fiji – Estadio El Deleite, Aranjuez – Referee: James Doleman (NZR), TMO: Stefano Penne (FIR)

Romania v Tonga – Stadionul National de Rugby Arcul de Triumf, Bucharest – Referee: AJ Jacobs (SARU), TMO: Ian Tempest (RFU)

Russia v Chile – Yug Sports Stadium, Sochi – Referee: Chris Busby (IRFU), TMO: Sean Brickell (WRU)

Sunday November 21    

Ireland v Argentina – Aviva Stadium, Dublin – Referee: Matthew Carley (IRFU), TMO: Tom Foley (RFU)

Friday November 26      

Russia v Chile – Yug Sports Stadium, Sochi – Referee: Adam Jones (WRU), TMO: Sean Brickell (WRU)

Saturday November 27

Samoa XV v Barbarians – Twickenham Stadium, London – Referee: Craig Evans (WRU), TMO: Eric Gauzins (FFR)