Inside the Six Nations: Feeling the Game Before Kick Off 8/2/26

There’s something about the Six Nations that you don’t fully understand until you’re in it.

Growing up in New Zealand, your world is the All Blacks, Super Rugby, that’s what you see and feel. You’re not exposed to the history, the atmosphere, the weight that sits behind the Six Nations. But once you step into it, you realise it’s different. Honestly, I’d say it’s the best international competition in the world outside of a Rugby World Cup, and even then, it competes.

You go to places like Ireland, France, Italy, Wales, Scotland, and what stands out immediately is the crowd. Away fans louder than home fans, anthems that feel bigger depending on who’s singing them. It’s rare in sport, and it gives the whole tournament a different edge.

Jimmy and I standing with one of the best referees in the world right now - Andrea Piardi

In the referees changing room - Stadio Olimpico

I remember the first time I experienced it. I was assistant referee for Ireland vs Wales. Walking into that environment, I genuinely thought I might never referee something like this. The intensity, the noise, the expectation. It felt huge.

Fast forward, and I’m now refereeing Italy vs Scotland, back in Rome, at the same ground where I made my debut. That doesn’t get lost on me.

The week leading into a Six Nations game is always different. We start with three days together as referees, which doesn’t happen often. Usually you’re travelling in small groups, in and out, but here you’re all in one place, talking rugby constantly. We go deep into everything, set piece, breakdown, foul play, communication, alignment. Not just theory, but real clips, real decisions, real conversations about how we want the game to be refereed.

This year there was a shift in how we approached foul play. We moved away from the heavy red card approach we saw in November and back towards something closer to Super Rugby. If something is clearly deliberate and highly dangerous, it’s a red. Everything else sits in that space where it’s managed through yellow cards or a 20-minute red. It puts more responsibility on us as referees to get things right live, which is how it should be.

There’s also something underrated about those few days. Just being around the group, sharing ideas, challenging each other, talking through the detail. You don’t get that during the season, and it makes a difference.

Once the prep is done, we travel. This week it was Italy with James Doleman and Katsuki Furuse, who was on debut. Debuts are always special. You remember your own, and you can feel that energy around someone going through it for the first time.

Thursday is usually about resetting. Getting out of the hotel, moving, clearing the head. Friday is where it sharpens. We sit down as a team and go through everything again. What are we changing, what are we keeping, what matters tomorrow. There are no bad questions, everything goes on the table. That clarity gives you confidence heading into the game.

Saturday stays pretty light. We run through a few clips, mainly around foul play and grounding, just to keep the decision-making process sharp. It’s not about learning new things at that point, it’s about tuning what you already know.

Stadio Olimpico on a wet day!

The teams adapted well and even the scrums stayed up

Then we head to the ground. Police escort through Rome, which is always a pretty cool way to arrive. It felt like it was going to be a perfect afternoon for rugby, but the weather had other ideas. It turned wet, properly wet, and that changes everything. The tempo, the handling, the type of game you get.

Before kickoff, there’s always a moment during the anthems where you take it in. You’re focused, but you still look around. The crowd, the noise, the energy building. You can feel the occasion.

Then the whistle goes, and you’re into it.

It was a tight game. Proper test match rugby. Long phases, 20 plus at times, not many points, everything mattered. Italy ended up taking the win.

From our side, there were a few key moments. Katsuki was excellent, especially around some big early decisions. Calm, clear, confident. There were a couple of foul play reviews that stood out. A high tackle that stayed at penalty only, and a cleanout that resulted in a yellow card. Both came down to detail, the type of contact, the level of danger, whether there was intent to wrap. That’s where the game is now, in those small margins.

The breakdown was probably the most challenging area. Both teams love to jackal, so there’s constant pressure around the contest. One thing I picked up on myself was communicating too early at times. Calling “ruck” before it was fully formed, which can shut down a contest that’s still live. The problem is, once you say it, you’re committed. It’s a good reminder that sometimes it’s better to observe first, then speak.

After the final whistle, it doesn’t stop. We review straight away, then again with the coaches. If we’re seeing the same things, it means we’re aligned, and that’s always the goal.

It’s one of those games where you step back afterwards and just appreciate it. The pressure, the detail, the atmosphere, and the opportunity to keep getting better.

Grateful to be part of it.