Andrea Piardi in rugby history, will direct British&Irish Lions tour

Andrea Piardi, the international match director who in 2024 had become the first Italian referee designated for a Guinness Men’s Six Nations match, writes a new page in his career by becoming the first CNA whistle chosen by World Rugby for a test-match of the highly anticipated summer tour to Australia of the British&Irish Lions, the celebrated Home Unions selection.

The 32-year-old from Brescia will direct the second of the three test-matches, on July 26 in Melbourne, after having held the role of assistant the previous week in Brisbane: Piardi will also be on the field in the final fixture of the historic triptych, returning to occupy the role of line judge in the final challenge on August 2 in Sydney.

First contact with the Lions, for Piardi, on June 20 in Dublin in the highly anticipated match against Argentina that will launch the tour of the selection led by Andy Farrell: on the occasion, also designated Matteo Liperini as FPRO.
The two Italians will also be in Tblisi on July 5 for Georgia v Ireland, as first referee and TMO respectively, and Piardi will direct the match between Lions and the Australasian-New Zealand Invitiational XV on July 12 in Adelaide.

The summer window will also see Federico Vedovelli and Gianluca Gnecchi busy, with the young referee from Sondrio fielding Chile v Romania on July 5 and the experienced colleague from Brescia guiding the South American derby in Salta between Argentina and Uruguay on July 19.