The Springboks will face England with one of the more controversial referees at Ellis Park, one who made a massively incorrect controversial call on their tour of Europe last year.
James Dolman, the New Zealand referee, has been appointed by World Rugby to take charge of the England-South Africa game, the opening match of the inaugural Nations Championship, and will officiate at the Ellis Park cauldron.
But Dolman is no stranger to South African rugby fans, and was the referee in charge of the Springboks’ victory over Italy in Rome last year - a game that was overshadowed by a red card to Springbok lock Franco Mostert.
Mostert was sent off for what was deemed a deliberate head clash with Italian flyhalf Paolo Garbisi, but what was controversial wasn’t just the decision to award a red card, but the fact he decided it was a permanent red, and not a 20-minute red card that could have been awarded.
Referees often send incidents to the bunker for review, where it can be upgraded to a red card and a team has to replace that player after 20 minutes in the sin bin.
But by deciding it was a permanent red - usually reserved only for foul play - Dolman condemned the Springboks to 14 men for the rest of the match.
That was controversial in itself, but replays after the match showed Mostert had actually made contact with Garbisi’s chest first during the contact, and the bunker would have picked that up.
As a result, the disciplinary committee rescinded the red card and Mostert was free to play, with Dolman facing little other than criticism for his actions during the game.
His appointment for the game will be deemed controversial, but he favoured South Africa in a previous game against Australia in Cape Town earlier last year when Aphelele Fassi tackled a player and turned over a ball on his own tryline, with the Wallabies incensed at the actions of Fassi and even referee Nigel Owens saying Fassi should have been yellow carded in World Rugby’s Whistle Watch programme.
The episode was later deleted by World Rugby after there was an outcry.
Still, the Boks will be hoping Dolman has a quieter game where he is number 31 on the field and not number one, as he was in Rome.
The Boks’ game against Scotland will be reffed by Frenchman Pierre Brousset, who was the ref in charge when Caelan Doris was red carded in November in the All Blacks’ win over Ireland.
The final ref for the July tests is Andrew Brace, who South Africans know well from his handling of the URC and is highly rated for his even-handed approach to the breakdown.
NATIONS CHAMPIONSHIP 2026 MATCH OFFICIALS
Australia v Ireland
Date: Saturday, 4 July, 2026
Venue: Allianz Stadium, Sydney
Referee: Ben O’Keeffe (NZR)
Assistant Referees: Karl Dickson (RFU) and Andrea Piardi (FIR)
TMO: Matteo Liperini (FIR)
FPRO: Glenn Newman (NZR)
New Zealand v France
Date: Saturday, 4 July, 2026
Venue: One New Zealand Stadium, Christchurch
Referee: Luke Pearce (RFU)
Assistant Referees: Christophe Ridley (RFU) and Katsuki Furuse (JRFU)
TMO: Marius van der Westhuizen (SARU)
FPRO: Ben Whitehouse (WRU)
South Africa v England
Date: Saturday, 4 July, 2026
Venue: Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg
Referee: James Doleman (NZR)
Assistant Referees: Andrew Brace (IRFU) and Pierre Brousset (FFR)
TMO: Richard Kelly (NZR)
FPRO: Olly Hodges (IRFU)
Argentina v Scotland
Date: Saturday, 4 July, 2026
Venue: Estadio Mario Alberto Kempes, Córdoba
Referee: Nika Amashukeli (GRU)
Assistant Referees: Paul Williams (NZR) and Adam Leal (RFU)
TMO: Brett Cronan (RA)
FPRO: Eric Gauzins (FFR)
Japan v Italy
Date: Saturday, 4 July, 2026
Venue: Prince Chichibu Memorial Stadium, Tokyo
Referee: Nic Berry (RA)
Assistant Referees: Luc Ramos (FFR) and Sam Grove-White (SRU)
TMO: Ian Tempest (RFU)
FPRO: Andrew Jackson (RFU)
Fiji v Wales
Date: Saturday, 4 July, 2026
Venue: Cardiff City Stadium, Cardiff, Wales
Referee: Eoghan Cross (IRFU)
Assistant Referees: Matthew Carley (RFU) and Hollie Davidson (SRU)
TMO: Leo Colgan (IRFU)
FPRO: Mike Adamson (SRU)
Australia v France
Date: Saturday, 11 July, 2026
Venue: Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
Referee: Karl Dickson (RFU)
Assistant Referees: Christophe Ridley (RFU) and Katsuki Furuse (JRFU)
TMO: Andrew Jackson (RFU)
FPRO: Glenn Newman (NZR)
New Zealand v Italy
Date: Saturday, 11 July, 2026
Venue: SKY Stadium, Wellington
Referee: Luc Ramos (FFR)
Assistant Referees: Nic Berry (RA) and Luke Pearce (RFU)
TMO: Ben Whitehouse (WRU)
FPRO: Marius van der Westhuizen (SARU)
South Africa v Scotland
Date: Saturday, 11 July, 2026
Venue: Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
Referee: Pierre Brousset (FFR)
Assistant Referees: James Doleman (NZR) and Andrew Brace (IRFU)
TMO: Richard Kelly (NZR)
FPRO: Olly Hodges (IRFU)
Argentina v Wales
Date: Saturday, 11 July, 2026
Venue: Estadio San Juan de Bicentenario, San Juan
Referee: Paul Williams (NZR)
Assistant Referees: Angus Gardner (RA) and Nika Amashukeli (GRU)
TMO: Eric Gauzins (FFR)
FPRO: Brett Cronan (RA)
Japan v Ireland
Date: Saturday, 11 July, 2026
Venue: Newcastle, Australia
Referee: Andrea Piardi (FIR)
Assistant Referees: Ben O’Keeffe (NZR) and Morné Ferreira (SARU)
TMO: Matteo Liperini (FIR)
FPRO: Ian Tempest (RFU)
Fiji v England
Date: Saturday, 11 July, 2026
Venue: Hill Dickinson Stadium, Liverpool, England
Referee: Hollie Davidson (SRU)
Assistant Referees: Eoghan Cross (IRFU) and Sam Grove-White (SRU)
TMO: Mike Adamson (SRU)
FPRO: Tual Trainini (FFR)
Australia v Italy
Date: Saturday, 18 July, 2026
Venue: HBF Park, Perth
Referee: Christophe Ridley (RFU)
Assistant Referees: Karl Dickson (RFU) and Morné Ferreira (SARU)
TMO: Marius van der Westhuizen (SARU)
FPRO: Ian Tempest (RFU)
New Zealand v Ireland
Date: Saturday, 18 July, 2026
Venue: Eden Park, Auckland
Referee: Nic Berry (RA)
Assistant Referees: Luc Ramos (FFR) and Damon Murphy (RA)
TMO: Ben Whitehouse (WRU)
FPRO: Andrew Jackson (RFU)
South Africa v Wales
Date: Saturday, 18 July, 2026
Venue: Hollywoodbets, Kings Park, Durban
Referee: Andrew Brace (IRFU)
Assistant Referees: Pierre Brousset (FFR) and James Doleman (NZR)
TMO: Olly Hodges (IRFU)
FPRO: Richard Kelly (NZR)
Argentina v England
Date: Saturday, 18 July, 2026
Venue: Estadio Unico Madre de Ciudades, Santiago del Estero
Referee: Angus Gardner (RA)
Assistant Referees: Nika Amashukeli (GRU) and Paul Williams (NZR)
TMO: Brett Cronan (RA)
FPRO: Eric Gauzins (FFR)