Super Final referees
It’s the 16th Super rugby Final this weekend and Mark Lawrence is the ninth referee to referee it.
The 15 Finals already played have been refereed by eight referees.
At least because South African teams have so often been absent from finals and the principle of appointing unattached referees applies and has applied from the sceond Final on, most of the finals have been refereed by South Africans – four of them for nine matches. Lawrence will now make that five referees for ten matches.
Freek Burger refereed the first final, the only case where the referee was from the same country as just one of the teams.
New Zealand teams have been missing from five finals. Their three referees have refereed five finals. One of the finals was when both finalists were New Zealand teams and one when both finalists were South African teams.
Australian teams have been missing from five finals. One Australian has refereed a final, when the finalists were from New Zealand and South Africa..
South African teams have been missing from nine finals.
André Watson has refereed most finals, followed by Paddy O’Brien. Both of them have retired as have Freek Burger, Glen Wahlstrom, Wayne Erickson and Tappe Henning. That means that the only referees to have refered a final and remain active are Jonathan Kaplan and Steve Walsh.
All the referees who have refereed finals have been Test referees.
The referees, by number of appointments, have been:
5 – André Watson
3 – Paddy O’Brien
2 – Jonathan Kaplan
1 – Freek Burger, Glen Wahlstrom, Wayne Erickson, Tappe Henning, Steve Walsh, Mark Lawrence
Finals
Super 10
1993: Transvaal vs Queensland, 20-17 at Ellis Park
Referee: Freek Burger (South Africa)
1994: Queensland vs Natal, 21-10 at Ballymore
Referee; Glen Wahlstrom (New Zealand)
1995: Queensland vs Transvaal, 30-16 at Ellis Park
Referee: Paddy O’Brien (New Zealand)
Super 12
1996: Auckland vs Natal, 45-21 at Eden :Park
Referee: Wayne Erickson (Australia)
1997: Auckland Blues vs ACT Brumbies, 23-7 at Eden Park
Referee: Tappe Henning (South Africa)
1998: Canterbury Crusaders vs Auckland Blues, 20-13 at Eden Park
Referee: Paddy O’Brien (New Zealand)
1999: Canterbury Crusaders vs Otago Highlanders, 24-19 at Carisbrook
Referee: André Watson (South Africa)
2000: Crusaders vs Brumbies, 20-19 at Bruce Stadium
Referee: André Watson (South Africa)
2001: Brumbies vs Sharks, 30-6 at Bruce Stadium
Referee: Paddy O’Brien (New Zealand)
2002: Crusaders vs Brumbies, 31-13 at Jade Stadium
Referee: André Watson (South Africa)
2003: Blues vs Crusaders, 21-17 at Eden Park
Referee: André Watson (South Africa)
2004: Brumbies vs Crusaders, 47-38 at Canberra Stadium
Referee: André Watson (South Africa)
2005: Crusaders vs Waratahs, 35-25 at Jade Stadium
Referee: Jonathan Kaplan (South Africa)
2006: Crusaders vs Hurricanes, 19-12 at Jade Stadium
Referee: Jonathan Kaplan (South Africa)
2007: Sharks vs Bulls, 20-19 at Absa Stadium
Referee: Steve Walsh (New Zealand)
2008: Crusaders vs Waratahs at AMI Stadium
Referee: Mark Lawrence (South Africa)
