Guinness Women’s Six Nations 2026 match officials update
World Rugby has confirmed changes to the Emirates Match Official appointments for the Guinness Women’s Six Nations as a result of injuries suffered by Maggie Cogger-Orr (New Zealand) and Natarsha Ganley (New Zealand).
Cogger-Orr was due to referee in England v Ireland and Wales v France across the opening two rounds of the championship but as she continues to recover from minor knee surgery she has been moved to officiate Wales v Italy on 17 May.
This final round appointment sees her replace Ganley, who was also due to referee Italy v Scotland on 25 April and serve as an assistant referee for two games. The New Zealand official will miss the entire championship with a calf injury.
Clara Munarini (Italy) will replace Cogger-Orr as referee for the England v Ireland encounter at Allianz Stadium on 11 April, taking her total of matches in the tournament to three with France v Ireland on 25 April and France v England on 17 May.
A combination of injuries and a busy schedule with the Women’s Six Nations, Pacific Four Series and HSBC SVNS World Championship all taking place in April means an opportunity for Robbie Jenkinson (Ireland), a member of the World Rugby Talent ID Pathway, to step in.
Jenkinson will referee Wales v France in Cardiff on 18 April and Italy v Scotland in Parma on 25 April, as well as replacing Ganley as assistant referee for Italy v England in Parma on 9 May. Ben Connor (Wales) comes in as an assistant referee for Ireland v Italy in Galway on 18 April.
The full updated appointments are:
11 April – England v Ireland at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham
Referee: Clara Munarini (Italy)
Assistant referee 1: Amber Stamp-Dunstan (Wales)
Assistant referee 2: Bérénice Loubet (France)
TMO: Estelle Whaiapu (New Zealand)
FPRO: Aled Griffiths (Wales)
18 April – Wales v France at Cardiff Arms Park, Cardiff
Referee: Robbie Jenkinson (Ireland)
Assistant referee 1: Precious Pazani (Zimbabwe)
Assistant referee 2: Emily Hope (England)
TMO: Estelle Whaiapu (New Zealand)
FPRO: Dan Jones (England)
18 April – Ireland v Italy at Dexcom Stadium, Galway
Referee: Ella Goldsmith (Australia)
Assistant referee 1: Ben Connor (Wales)
Assistant referee 2: Rebecca Piddlesden (England)
TMO: Graham Cooper (Australia)
FPRO: Finlay Brown (Scotland)
25 April – Italy v Scotland at Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi, Parma
Referee: Robbie Jenkinson (Ireland)
Assistant referee 1: Zoe Naude (South Africa)
Assistant referee 2: Emily Hope (England)
TMO: Dan Jones (England)
FPRO: Jenny Davies (Wales)
9 May – Italy v England at Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi, Parma
Referee: Jess Ling (Australia)
Assistant referee 1: Robbie Jenkinson (Ireland)
Assistant referee 2: Bérénice Loubet (France)
TMO: Leo Colgan (Ireland)
FPRO: Julien Castaignède (France)
17 May – Wales v Italy at Cardiff Arms Park, Cardiff
Referee: Maggie Cogger-Orr (New Zealand)
Assistant referee 1: Emily Hope (England)
Assistant referee 2: Rebecca Piddlesden (England)
TMO: Dan Jones (England)
FPRO: Paul Haycock (Ireland)
Meanwhile, the host union appointments of assistant referees for all nine matches in the U21 Women's Six Nations Series, which runs from 18 April to 10 May, have now been confirmed.