IRB make changes to refs' panels

Up come Pearson, Lawrence, Ayoub and Jonker

Dave Pearson of England, Bryce Lawrence of New Zealand, Marius Jonker of South Africa and George Ayoub of Australia have all received promotion in the newly announced IRB Match Official Panels.

Nigel Williams of Wales, who recently announced his retirement from refereeing, is the only referee to drop off the panels.

The 31 merit selected IRB referees are divided into three panels which have been subjected to a "comprehensive review of referee performance" by the referee selection committee.

This will be the first panel in which the IFRB's new manager of referees, Paddy O'Brien, will have had a say.

Test matches are graded into A, B and C categories as well. The A Panel is for those referees considered capable of refereeing A level internationals; the B Panel for those who are capable of refereeing B internationals and who are aspiring A Panel referees; the C Panel for those aspiring A Panel referees with sufficient time in their refereeing career to make that level, and who also benefit from participating in major
internationals.

Pearson was formerly on the B Panel, Lawrence on the C Panel and Ayoub and Jonker not on panels at all.

Lawrence is the son of Keith Lawrence, an international referee himself and the manager of New Zealand's referees.

The Strasheims of South Africa, Johnny and Bertie, were also a father-son combination of Test referees.

A Panel (16 referees)

Andrew Cole (Australia)    
Donal Courtney (Ireland)
Kelvin Deaker (New Zealand) 
Stuart Dickinson (Australia) 
Tappe Henning (South Africa) 
Paul Honiss (New Zealand)
Joël Jutge (France)
Jonathan Kaplan (South Africa)
Mark Lawrence (South Africa)
Alan Lewis  (Ireland)
Dave Pearson (England)
Alain Rolland  (Ireland)
Tony Spreadbury (England)
Steve Walsh (New Zealand)
Chris White (England) 
Scott Young  (Australia)

B Panel (7 referees)

Lyndon Bray (New Zealand)
Rob Dickson (Scotland)
Matt Goddard  (Australia)
Craig Joubert (South Africa)
Bryce Lawrence (New Zealand)
Nigel Owens (Wales)
Nigel Whitehouse (Wales)

C Panel (8 referees)

George Ayoub  (Australia)
Wayne Barnes (England)
Christophe Berdos (France)
Brett Bowden (Australia)
Malcolm Changleng (Scotland)
Carlo Damasco (Italy)
Eric Darrière (France)
Marius Jonker  (South Africa)