IRB changes refs' panels
Paddy O’Brien, the International Rugby Board’s manager of referees, has announced the new panels for international referees which show some radical changes.
The changes are in structure as well as in personnel.
The structure changes involve the introduction of specialised assistant referees (touch judges), and specialised television match officials (video refs),
Mark Lawrence comes back onto the panel after two years’ absence. New on the panel are Matt Goddard of Australia and George Clancy of Ireland. Lyndon Bray is confirmed on the panel after two good years in Super rugby. He, too, was dropped for a while and then brought back last year. The only one dropped from the panel is 43-year-old Kelvin Deaker of New Zealand.
Tony Spreadbury is no longer on the panel as he announced his retirement from international refereeing after the 2007 World Cup.
There are now 19 referees on the referees’ panel.
Most of those on the touch judge/assistant referee panel are active referees, aspirants to moving into the top panel of referees. Stuart Terheege and Cobus Wessels are both dedicated touch judges. Brett Boweden of Australia has not again been selected to the touch judge panel.
All of those on the TMO panel are specialists.
The IRB International Referee Panel in 2008 is: Wayne Barnes (England), Lyndon Bray (New Zealand), Christophe Berdos (France), George Clancy (Ireland), Stuart Dickinson (Australia), Matt Goddard (Australia), Paul Honiss (New Zealand), Craig Joubert (South Africa), Marius Jonker (South Africa), Joel Jutge (France), Jonathan Kaplan (South Africa), Alan Lewis (Ireland), Mark Lawrence (South Africa), Bryce Lawrence (New Zealand), Nigel Owens (Wales), Dave Pearson (England), Alain Rolland (Ireland), Chris White (England), Steve Walsh (New Zealand)
The referees by country are:
Australia: Stuart Dickinson, Matt Goddard
England: Wayne Barnes, Dave Pearson, Chris White
France: Christophe Berdos, Joel Jutge
Ireland: George Clancy, Alan Lewis, Alain Rolland
New Zealand: Lyndon Bray, Paul Honiss, Bryce Lawrence, Steve Walsh
South Africa: Craig Joubert, Marius Jonker, Jonathan Kaplan, Mark Lawrence
Wales: Nigel Owens
The IRB’s touch judge panel: Peter Allan (Scotland), James Bolabiu (Fiji), David Changleng (Scotland), Federico Cuesta (Argentina), Carlo Damasco (Italy), Rob Debney (England), Tim Hayes (Wales), Taizo Hirabayashi (Japan), James Leckie (Australia), Paul Marks (Australia), Simon McDowell (Ireland), Chris Pollock (New Zealand), Romain Poite (France), Stuart Terheege (England), Hugh Watkins (Wales), Cobus Wessels (South Africa)
Touch judges by country:
Argentina: Federico Cuesta
Australia: James Leckie, Paul Marks
England: Rob Debney, Stuart Terheege
France: Romain Poite
Fiji: James Bolabiu
Ireland: Simon McDowell
Italy: Carlo Damasco
Japan: Taizo Hirabayashi
New Zealand: Chris Pollock
South Africa: Cobus Wessels
Scotland: Peter Allan, David Changleng
Wales: Tim Hayes, Hugh Watkins
The IRB’s TMO panel: George Ayoub (Australia), Giulio De Santis (Italy), Graham Hughes (England), Johan Meuwesen (South Africa), Shaun Veldsman (South Africa), Geoff Warren (England), Nigel Whitehouse (Wales)
TMOs by country:
Australia: George Ayoub
England: Graham Hughes Geoff Warren
Italy: Giulio De Santis
South Africa: Johan Meuwesen, Shaun Veldsman
Wales: Nigel Whitehouse
