Match Officials RWC 2023 Final Qualification Tournament Announced

World Rugby has announced the match officials for the RWC 2023 Final Qualification Tournament which takes place n Dubai from 6-18 November 2022 and includes Hong Kong.

Match Officials RWC 2023 Final Qualification

The Emirates World Rugby Match Officials appointments, made by World Rugby’s Match Official Selection Committee,  is a key milestone on the road to Rugby World Cup 2023 in France.

There are four teams involved in the final qualification tournament and they will play each other in a round-robin set of matches to determine the 20th and final nation to head to RWC 2023. In total, six different referees will officiate the matches in the Final Qualification Tournament.

For the Hong Kong matches, the match officials ;for the RWC 2023 Final Qualifications are:

• Sunday 6th November 2022 – Portugal vs Hong Kong 

Referee: Chris Busby (IRFU)
Assistant Referee 1: Damian Schneider (UAR)
Assistant Referee 2: Eoghan Cross (IRFU)
TMO: Olly Hodges (IRFU)

• Saturday 12th November 2022 – USA vs Hong Kong

Referee: Matthew Carley (RFU)
Assistant Referee 1: Damian Schneider (UAR)
Assistant Referee 2: AJ Jacobs (SARU)
TMO: Olly Hodges (IRFU)

• Friday 18th November 2022 – Hong Kong vs Kenya

Referee: Angus Gardner (RA)
Assistant Referee 1: Damian Schneider (UAR)
Assistant Referee 2: AJ Jacobs (SARU)
TMO: Chris Hart (NZR)

See the full lineup of match officials on the World Rugby website here.

RWC 2023 Final Qualification matches will take place at the Dubai Emirates Sevens Stadium

November 2022 Men’s Test Match officials

England’s Wayne Barnes will reach his 100-test milestone with Wales v New Zealand  this November and also claim his 101st match in the annual end-of-year tests.  He will become the most capped match official when he takes charge of France v South Africa  in Paris on 12 November. 

World Rugby Chairman Sir Bill Beaumont said of the upcoming achievement: “Congratulations to Wayne on his selection and pending record. To be so good for so long as a referee is no easy feat. Wayne Barnes, like Nigel Owens before him, reaches 100 tests by being not just a fantastic referee, but a great team player, a student of the game and someone who is greatly respected by players, coaches and fans alike.” 

Fan favourite and Welshman Nigel Owens currently holds the record for most matches officiated at 100 but he has retired.

Rugby Tournament News 2022

• RWC 2023 Final Qualification Tournament.
• RWC 2023 Final Qualification Tournament Match Schedule Confirmed.
• Rugby World Cup 2021 Players to Wear Smart Mouthguards.
• RWC 2021 Tournament Opening Press Conference – What You Need to Know.