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Springboks-All Blacks: Who will referee Cape Town Test? The performance of the referee will once again come under the microscope when the Springboks face the All Blacks on Saturday. This past weekend the opening Test between the Springboks and All Blacks saw English referee Matthew Carley take charge of the match at Ellis Park, which saw South Africa well and truly outplayed. Although Carley did make some questionable calls that went against the Springboks, both coaches stated afterwards that they were satisfied with his performance. As attention now turns towards this Saturday’s Test when the Springboks will be understandably seeking redemption against the All Blacks, they will take note of the fact that Georgian referee Nika Amashukeli will be manning the whistle. Amashukeli is known for clear communication and strict policing around the breakdown and when it comes to clean entries, and it’s worth keeping in mind that the Springboks hold a positive 4-1 overall record under his guidance. HOW THE SPRINGBOKS HAVE FARED UNDER REFEREE AMASHUKELI | Date | Match | Result | Competition | Venue | | 2 July 2022 | South Africa vs Wales | W 32–29 | July Internationals | Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria | | 5 November 2022 | Ireland vs South Africa | L 19–16 | End-of-year Internationals | Aviva Stadium, Dublin | | 5 August 2023 | Argentina vs South Africa | W 24–13 | RWC Warm-up | José Amalfitani, Buenos Aires | | 13 September 2025 | New Zealand vs South Africa | W 43–10 | The Rugby Championship | Sky Stadium, Wellington | | 6 September 2025 | New Zealand vs South Africa | W 24–17 | The Rugby Championship | Eden Park, Auckland | Amashukeli will be assisted by the RFU’s Karl Dickson (RFU) and Australian Angus Gardner, while Eric Gauzins – of France – will be in the TMO box. REMINDER OF UPCOMING MATCH OFFICIAL APPOINTMENTS | Lions v New Zealand Ellis Park, Johannesburg Tuesday, 25 August, 2026 | Referee: Angus Gardner (RA) Assistant Referee 1: Karl Dickson (RFU) Assistant Referee 2: Nika Amashukeli (GRU) TMO: Brett Cronan (RA) FPRO: Eric Gauzins (FFR) | | South Africa v New Zealand DHL Stadium, Cape Town Saturday, 29 August, 2026 | Referee: Nika Amashukeli (GRU) Assistant Referee 1: Karl Dickson (RFU) Assistant Referee 2: Angus Gardner (RA) TMO: Eric Gauzins (FFR) FPRO: Brett Cronan (RA) | | South Africa v New Zealand FNB Stadium, Johannesburg Saturday, 5 September, 2026 | Referee: Angus Gardner (RA) Assistant Referee 1: Nika Amashukeli (GRU) Assistant Referee 2: Christophe Ridley (RFU) TMO: Brett Cronan (RA) FPRO: Eric Gauzins (FFR) | | South Africa v New Zealand M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore, USA Saturday, 12 September, 2026 | Referee: Karl Dickson (RFU) Assistant Referee 1: Matthew Carley (RFU) Assistant Referee 2: Christophe Ridley (RFU) TMO: Andrew Jackson (RFU) FPRO: Matteo Liperini (FIR) | Lots to look forward to The All Blacks have so far played four out of their seven matches in South Africa on their ‘Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry’ tour, including three Tests and four matches against provincial sides. The fourth Test will be in Baltimore in the United States.