Springboks v All Blacks: World Rugby announce match officials appointments for Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry tour with just one Super Rugby Pacific referee included
Nika Amashukeli, Karl Dickson and Angus Gardner are three of the four Test referees.
World Rugby has confirmed the match official appointments for the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry tour between the Springboks and All Blacks, which begins on Friday.
Matthew Carley (England), Nika Amashukeli (Georgia) and Angus Gardner (Australia) will referee the first three Tests in South Africa that are set for 22 and 29 August and 5 September.
Karl Dickson (England) will then take charge of the fourth Test in Baltimore, USA, on 12 September, with Dickson also kicking off the tour by refereeing the Stormers game.
The quartet will officiate the other four club meetings on tour, against the aforementioned Stormers (7 August), Sharks (11 August), Bulls (15 August and Lions (25 August).
As mentioned, Dickson will be in charge in Cape Town this week while Carley and Hollie Davidson (Scotland) are his assistants, with Andrew Jackson (England) named as the TMO.
The following game, against the Sharks, sees Carley in the middle with Dickson and Davidson as assistants and Mike Adamson (Scotland) in the hot-seat as TMO at Kings Park.
It will then be the turn of Amashukeli to referee a match as the All Blacks tackle the Bulls. Dickson and Matthew Carley are his assistants with Eric Gauzins (France) the TMO.
The final non-Test sees New Zealand face the Lions and Gardner referees the game with Dickson and Amashukeli assistant referees and Brett Cronan (Australia) named TMO.
Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry match officials
Friday, 7 August, 2026
Stormers v New Zealand
Venue: DHL Stadium, Cape Town
Kick-off: 19:00 local (18:00 BST)
Referee: Karl Dickson (RFU)
Assistant Referees: Matthew Carley (RFU), Hollie Davidson (SRU)
TMO: Andrew Jackson (RFU)
FPRO: Mike Adamson (SRU)
Tuesday, 11 August, 2026
Sharks v New Zealand
Venue: Kings Park, Durban
Kick-off: 19:00 local (18:00 BST)
Referee: Matthew Carley (RFU)
Assistant Referees: Karl Dickson (RFU), Hollie Davidson (SRU)
TMO: Mike Adamson (SRU)
FPRO: Andrew Jackson (RFU)
Saturday, 15 August, 2026
Bulls v New Zealand
Venue: Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
Kick-off: 19:00 local (18:00 BST)
Referee: Nika Amashukeli (GRU)
Assistant Referees: Karl Dickson (RFU), Matthew Carley (RFU)
TMO: Eric Gauzins (FFR)
FPRO: Mike Adamson (SRU)
Saturday, 22 August, 2026
South Africa v New Zealand
Venue: Ellis Park, Johannesburg
Kick-off: 17:10 local (16:10 BST)
Referee: Matthew Carley (RFU)
Assistant Referees: Karl Dickson (RFU), Nika Amashukeli (GRU)
TMO: Mike Adamson (SRU)
FPRO: Eric Gauzins (FFR)
Tuesday, 25 August, 2026
Lions v New Zealand
Venue: Ellis Park, Johannesburg
Kick-off: 19:00 local (18:00 BST)
Referee: Angus Gardner (RA)
Assistant Referees: Karl Dickson (RFU), Nika Amashukeli (GRU)
TMO: Brett Cronan (RA)
FPRO: Eric Gauzins (FFR)
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Saturday, 29 August, 2026
South Africa v New Zealand
Venue: DHL Stadium, Cape Town
Kick-off: 17:10 local (16:10 BST)
Referee: Nika Amashukeli (GRU)
Assistant Referees: Karl Dickson (RFU), Angus Gardner (RA)
TMO: Eric Gauzins (FFR)
FPRO: Brett Cronan (RA)
Saturday, 5 September, 2026
South Africa v New Zealand
Venue: FNB Stadium, Johannesburg
Kick-off: 17:10 local (16:10 BST)
Referee: Angus Gardner (RA)
Assistant Referees: Nika Amashukeli (GRU), Christophe Ridley (RFU)
TMO: Brett Cronan (RA)
FPRO: Eric Gauzins (FFR)
Saturday, 12 September, 2026
South Africa v New Zealand
Venue: M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore, USA
Kick-off: 17:00 local (22:00 BST)
Referee: Karl Dickson (RFU)
Assistant Referees: Matthew Carley (RFU), Christophe Ridley (RFU)
TMO: Andrew Jackson (RFU)
FPRO: Matteo Liperini (FIR)
READ MORE: Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry: Five reasons Springboks v All Blacks is far closer than you think
