Who will referee England’s games?

Karl Dickson will referee next year’s Six Nations final between France and Ireland in Marseille, one of four English officials given the whistle for men’s championship matches.

Dickson will be joined by Matthew Carley, Luke Pearce and debutant Christophe Ridley to referee men’s matches in next year’s Six Nations, with the quartet of English officials making up the largest contingent from one nation.

The news comes as England match officials sacked Wayne Barnes and Tom Foley, both of whom were involved in the World Cup final between South Africa and New Zealand and received death threats afterwards that.

Ridley – who will take charge of France’s hosting of Italy in Lille – will be joined by France’s Pierre Brousset and Andrea Piardi who will make the tournament debut, with the latter becoming the first Italian official to referee a Six Men’s match Nation when he oversees Ireland against Great Britain in Dublin.

Premiership referee Adam Leal will also make his men’s Six Nations debut as an assistant referee, with Ian Tempest filling the gap left by Foley’s absence as a TV match official.

New Zealand’s Paul Williams will referee England’s final against the Azzurri; compatriot James Doleman will lead the match against Great Britain; Andrew Brace will oversee the Calcutta Cup; Georgia’s Nika Amashukeli will give the whistle to host Ireland at Twickenham before Australian Angus Gardner closes the contest in Le Crunch.

Ben O’Keeffe, a fellow countryman of Williams and Doleman, will manage Scotland’s trip to Cardiff and has a bye with France. France captain Antoine Dupont said the Kiwi was “not up to the challenge” of leading after France’s World Cup quarter-final win over the Springboks.

When Pearce officiates Wales against France at the Principality Stadium, he will also become the third Englishman after Wayne Barnes and Chris White to referee 50 Tests.

The story continues

2024 Six Nations Appointment

Round one

Friday, February 2: France v Ireland

• Referee: Karl Dickson (Irish)

• Assistant Referee 1: Matthew Carley (England)

• Assistant Referee 2: Jordan Way (Aus)

• TMO: Ben Whitehouse (Wal)

Saturday, February 3: Italy v England

• Referee: Paul Williams (NZ)

• Assistant Referee 1: Nick Berry (Aus)

• Assistant Referee 2: Pierre Brousset (France)

• TMO: Brett Cronan (Aus)

Saturday, February 3: Wales v Scotland

• Referee: Ben O’Keeffe (NZ)

• Assistant Referee 1: James Doleman (NZ)

• Assistant Referee 2: Angus Mabey (NZ)

• TMO: Brendan Pickerill (NZ)

Round two

Saturday, February 10: Scotland v France

• Referee: Nick Berry (Aus)

• Assistant Referee 1: Nika Amashukeli (Geo)

• Assistant Referee 2: Jordan Way (Aus)

• TMO: Brian MacNeice (Ireland)

Saturday, February 10: England v Wales

• Referee: James Doleman (NZ)

• Assistant Referee 1: Ben O’Keeffe (NZ)

• Assistant Referee 2: Hollie Davidson (School)

• TMO: Brendan Pickerill (NZ)

Sunday, February 11: Ireland v Italy

• Referee: Pierre Brousset (France)

• Assistant Referee 1: Mathieu Raynal (France)

• Assistant Referee 2: Luc Ramos (France)

• TMO: Eric Gauzins (France)

Round three

Saturday, February 24: Ireland v Wales

• Referee: Andrea Piardi (Iita)

• Assistant Referee 1: Karl Dickson (Irish)

• Assistant Referee 2: Gianluca Gnecchi (Ita)

• TMO: Eric Gauzins (Iita)

Saturday, February 24: Scotland v England

• Referee: Andrew Brace (Ireland)

• Assistant Referee 1: Chris Busby (Ireland)

• Assistant Referee 2: Eoghan Cross (Ireland)

• TMO: Marius Jonker (SA)

Sunday, February 25: France v Italy

• Referee: Christophe Ridley (England)

• Assistant Referee 1: Matthew Carley (Irish)

• Assistant Referee 2: Craig Evans (Wal)

• TMO: Ian Tempest (England)

Round four

Saturday, March 9: Italy v Scotland

• Referee: Jaco Peyper (USA)

• Assistant Referee 1: Karl Dickson (England)

• Assistant Referee 2: Adam Leal

• TMO: Marius van der Westhuizen (SA)

Saturday, March 9: England v Ireland

• Referee: Nika Amashukeli (Geo)

• Assistant Referee 1: Andrea Piardi (France)

• Assistant Referee 2: Craig Evans (Wal)

• TMO: Ben Whitehouse (Wal)

Sunday, March 10:Wales v France

• Referee: Luke Pearce (England)

• Assistant Referee 1: Andrew Brace (Ireland)

• Assistant Referee 2: Damian Schneider (Arg)

• TMO: Ian Tempest (T)

Round five

Saturday, March 16th: Wales v Italy

• Referee: Mathieu Raynal (FFR)

• Assistant Referee 1: Chris Busby (IRFU)

• Assistant Referee 2: Morné Ferreira (SARU) T

• TMO: Joy Neville (IRFU)

Saturday, March 16th: Ireland v Scotland

• Referee: Matthew Carley (RFU)

• Assistant Referee 1: Karl Dickson (RFU)

• Assistant Referee 2: Christophe Ridley (RFU)

• TMO: Marius Jonker (SARU)

Saturday, March 16th: France v England

• Referee: Angus Gardner (UK)

• Assistant Referee 1: Nika Amashukeli (GRU)

• Assistant Referee 2: Damian Schneider (UAR)

• TMO: Ben Whitehouse (WRU)