Jaco Peyper to referee Ireland's Six Nations opener

Australia's Angus Gardner will handle Ireland's game in Paris, while there is a Georgian offial making his debut for the game against Italy in Dublin

MAN IN THE MIDDLE: Referee Jaco Peyper

SOUTH Africa's Jaco Peyper will take charge of Ireland's Six Nations opener against Wales at the start of February.

Peyper returns to Championship action for the first time since 2020, overseeing the opener at the Aviva Stadium before being in the middle for the Super Saturday finale between France and England at the Stade de France in Round 5.

Mike Adamson of Scotland is the only other referee to have two matches, officiating France v Scotland in Round 1 before also being on the whistle for England v Wales at Twickenham in Round 3.

Like Peyper, New Zealand’s Ben O’Keeffe will take charge of his first Championship match since 2020 as travel restrictions ease, with the Calcutta Cup clash between Scotland and England in Edinburgh his assignment.

England’s Wayne Barnes will also edge closer to a century of international referee appointments when he takes the whistle for Scotland’s trip to Dublin in Round 5 – which will be his 98th Test match and his 16th in the Championship.

Three referees will also make their Championship debuts in the 2022 Guinness Six Nations. Nika Amashukeli is one of the three debutants, taking charge of Ireland v Italy in Round 3 as he becomes the first Georgian to referee a Championship game. Australia’s Damon Murphy will also make his Guinness Six Nations bow in the Round 2 fixture between Italy and England while Karl Dickson is the third debutant, taking charge of France’s trip to Murrayfield to face Scotland in Round 3.

The 2022 Championship will also see Australia’s Angus Gardner and Nic Berry referee their first Guinness Six Nations matches since 2019 in Round 2, with Gardner in the middle for France v Ireland and Berry looking after Wales v Scotland.

Meanwhile, assistant referees Pierre Brousset, Tual Trainini (both France) and Chris Busby (Ireland) will all make their Championship debut, along with TMOs Stuart Terheege (England), Ben Whitehouse (Wales) and Brett Cronan (Australia). 

Ireland's games are as follows:  ROUND 1: Ireland v Wales (Aviva Stadium, Sat Feb 5, 2.15pm) - Jaco Peyper (SARU); ROUND 2: France v Ireland (Stade de France, Sat Feb 12)- Angus Gardner (Aus); ROUND 3: Ireland v Italy (Aviva Stadium, Sunday Feb 27) - Nika Amashukeli (GRU); ROUND 4: England v Ireland (Twickenham, Sat march 12) - Mathieu Raynal (FFR); ROUND 5: Ireland v Scotland (Aviva Stadium, Sat March 19, 4.45pm) - Wayne Barnes (RFU).