Walsh, Joubert get Super semis

Craig Joubert and Steve Walsh have been appointed to referee the Super Rugby semifinals on Saturday.

Joubert will referee the semifinal at Loftus Versfeld, when the Bulls play the Brumbies. He has two highly experienced assistant.

Walsh will be in charge of the semifinal at Waikato Stadium, when the Chiefs have the daunting task of playing the Crusaders.

The whole squad of match officials in Pretoria will be South Africans, in line with the refereeing belief that all referees are impartial and that merit takes precedence over nationality and residence.

In New Zealand, both teams are New Zealanders and while Walsh has an Australian tag everybody knows he is a New Zealander.

Semifinal appointments

Saturday, July 27:

Chiefs v Crusaders

(Waikato Stadium, Hamilton – Kick-off: 19.35; 09.35 SA time; 07.35 GMT)

Referee: Steve Walsh (Australia)

Assistant referees: Glen Jackson (New Zealand), Chris Pollock (New Zealand)

TMO: Glenn Newman (New Zealand)

Bulls v Brumbies

(Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria – Kick-off: 17.05; 15.05 GMT; 01.05 AEST, Sunday, July 28)

Referee: Craig Joubert (South Africa)

Assistant referees: Jonathan Kaplan (South Africa), Marius Jonker (South Africa)

TMO: Shaun Veldsman (South Africa)

* It seems that the referee for the Final will come from Joubert, Peyper, Walsh and Jackson. Of them Walsh has refereed two finals, Joubert one.