Match officials confirmed for opening round of Super Rugby Aotearoa

The match officials for the opening round of Super Rugby Aotearoa competition has been confirmed with the matches scheduled to kick-off this weekend.

This will be the first professional rugby game to begin since the pandemic coronavirus had disrupted most of the ongoing season and full crowds are expected to flock in the stadium after the government had reduced the restrictions in the country.

The opening game between Highlanders and Chiefs on Saturday at Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin will see Paul Williams refereeing and will have Brendon Pickerill and Ben O’Keeffe assisting with James Doleman taking the role of Television Match Official.

The second match of the weekend will see Hurricanes and Blues locking horns with each other at Eden Park in Auckland. Mike Fraser will be refereeing for the game with Ben O’Keeffe and James Dolman as assistants and Brendon Pickerill as TMO.

The tournament will be played in a span of 10 rounds with two games every weekend and will see the five Super Rugby teams in New Zealand competing. The organisers have also planned for red-card substitutes and golden point to be trialled in the competition.