Referee appointments for the 2024 Pacific Nations Cup do not include any matches for American officials. The competition will be played in North America, Oceania and Japan with six participants: Canada, USA, Japan, Fiji, Samoa and Tonga. World Rugby has appointed referees from Australia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, Scotland and Wales.

The 2024 Pacific Nations Cup will feature a total of eleven matches. Australian referees will officiate three matches, as will New Zealanders. Each of the five remaining matches will be officiated by a referee from Ireland, Italy, Japan, Scotland and Wales.

Two matches will be played in North America. Irishman Eoghan Cross will referee Canada vs Japan in Vancouver, while Italian Gianluca Gnecchi will referee USA vs Canada in Los Angeles. The final will be refereed by Australian Nic Berry. He will also referee the 5th place final in Japan.

The referee appointments have been made with the 2027 Rugby World Cup in mind. The same applies to the 2024 Rugby Championship. World Rugby is preparing referees for the next Rugby World Cup. Those assigned matches now will be in contention for the tournament in Australia in three years’ time.

It should be noted that the absence of American officials at the Pacific Nations Cup and Rugby Championship 2024 tournaments is a continuation of world rugby’s long-standing policy of using referees from a limited number of countries.

No American referee has been appointed for the 2023 Rugby World Cup. New Zealander Paul Williams will referee the second semi-final of the Pacific Nations Cup. He refereed the Argentina-Chile match at the 2023 Rugby World Cup. He did so entirely in English. The Argentina-Uruguay match last July was also not refereed in Spanish.

Except for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, no American officials were used as referees at the 2019, 2015, 2011 and 2007 tournaments.

23.August

Against (HFC Stadium, Suva)
Against (BC Square, Vancouver)

30.August
Against (Apia Park, Apia)

31.August
Against (Dignity Health Sports Park, Los Angeles)

06.September
Against (Teufaiva Stadium, Nuku’alofa)

07.September
Against (Kumagaya Rugby Stadium, Saitama)

14 September
Play-off for 5th place (Prince Chichibu Memorial Stadium, Tokyo)
Semi-final 1 (Prince Chichibu Memorial Stadium, Tokyo)

15 September
Semi-final 2 (Prince Chichibu Memorial Stadium, Tokyo)

21 September
Bronze Final (Hanazono Rugby Stadium, Osaka)
Final (Hanazono Rugby Stadium, Osaka)

PNC 2024 ARBITRATOR APPOINTMENTS

Against

Referee: James Doleman (New Zealand)
Assistant Referee 1: Angus Mabey (New Zealand)
Assistant Referee 2: Reuben Keane (Australia)
TMO: Richard Kelly (New Zealand)

Against

Referee: Eoghan Cross (Ireland)
Assistant Referee 1: Kat Roche (USA)
Assistant Referee 2: Luke Rogan (USA)
TMO: Derek Summers (USA)

Against

Referee: Takehito Namekawa (Japan)
Assistant Referee 1: Angus Mabey (New Zealand)
Assistant Referee 2: Katsuki Furuse (Japan)
TMO: N/A

Against

Referee: Gianluca Gnecchi (Italy)
Assistant Referee 1: Eoghan Cross (Ireland)
Assistant referee 2: Federico Vedovelli (Italy)
TMO: Matteo Liperini (Italy)

Against

Referee: Angus Gardner (Australia)
Assistant Referee 1: Reuben Keane (Australia)
Assistant Referee 2: George Myers (Australia)
TMO: Damon Murphy (Australia)

Against

Referee: Hollie Davidson (Scotland)
Assistant Referee 1: Sam Grove-White (Scotland)
Assistant Referee 2: Morgan White (Hong Kong)
TMO: Aaron Paterson (New Zealand)

Play-off for 5th place
Referee: Nic Berry (Australia)
Assistant Referee 1: Takehito Namekawa (Japan)
Assistant Referee 2: Katsuki Furuse (Japan)
TMO: Damon Murphy (Australia)

Semi-final 1
Referee: Craig Evans (Wales)
Assistant Referee 1: Hollie Davidson (Scotland)
Assistant Referee 2: Sam Grove-White (Scotland)
TMO: Tual Trainini (France)

Semi-final 2
Referee: Paul Williams (New Zealand)
Assistant Referee 1: Hollie Davidson (Scotland)
Assistant Referee 2: Sam Grove-White (Scotland)
TMO: Tual Trainini (France)

Bronze final
Referee: Ben O’Keeffe (New Zealand)
Assistant Referee 1: Craig Evans (Wales)
Assistant Referee 2: Morgan White (Hong Kong)
TMO: Tual Trainini (France)

final
Referee: Nic Berry (Australia)
Assistant Referee 1: Paul Williams (NZR)
Assistant Referee 2: Takehito Namekawa (Japan)
TMO: Damon Murphy (Australia)