All RWC Referees, 1987-2015

The smallest number of referees for a World Cup was 10 in 2011. The biggest number was 23 in 1995.

The 1995 Rugby World Cup was the most inclusive so far. Not only were South Africa back in full participation, they were hosting it and the referees' net was thrown more widely than at any other World Cup. Altogether 22 referees from 14 countries refereed.

In 1995 each participating country had at least one referee along but the referees from Cote D'Ivoire and Tonga did not referee. But then there was an interesting one – a referee from South Korea, Han Moon-Soo who refereed one match – France vs Cote D'Ivoire in Rustenburg. Moon-Soo had with him an interpreter.

It is interesting to note that at the seven World Cups so far, there have been referees from Argentina, Canada, the USA, Fiji, Western Samoa, Japan and South Korea but none from Italy.

The last time Scotland had a referee at the World Cup was in 1999 when Jim Fleming. thus year, as in 2011, they have no match officials at the World Cup at all – no referee, no assistant referee and no TMO.

In 1999 the selection of referees took no notice of nationality. Merit was the buzzword and there were four from Australia, three each from England and New Zealand, two from Wales and one each from France, Ireland, Scotland and South Africa.

This year the 12 are from six countries

.Including this year's appointments, seven of whom are at their first World Cup, there have been 69 referees at the World Cup from 15 countries.

There have been seven finals, refereed by six referees for André Watson has refereed two of them. South Africa have been eligible for five finals. The Springboks were in two of them and South African referees refereed the other three.

Derek Bevan and Jim Fleming have been to most World Cups.

The referee who blew the whistle to start the World Cups was Bob Fordham of Australia. The match was New Zealand vs Italy.

1987

Referees in Pool Matches: Kerry Fitzgerald (Australia), Bob Fordham (Australia), Fred Howard (England), Roger Quittenton (England), René Hourquet (France), Guy Maurette (France), David Burnett (Ireland), Steve Hilditch (Ireland), Dave Bishop (New Zealand), Keith Lawrence (New Zealand), Brian Anderson (Scotland), Jim Fleming (Scotland), Derek Bevan (Wales), Clive Norling (Wales).

Quarterfinals: David Burnett, Clive Norling, Brian Anderson, René Hourquet

Semifinals: Brian Anderson, Kerry Fitzgerald

3rd/4th Play-off: Fred Howard

Final: Kerry Fitzgerald

1991

Referees in Pool Matches: Efraim Sklar (Argentina), Kerry Fitzgerald (Australia), Sandy MacNeill (Australia), Fred Howard (England), Ed Morrison (England), Laiakini Colati (Fiji), René Hourquet (France), Patrick Robin (France), Owen Doyle (Ireland), Steve Hilditch (Ireland), Dave Bishop (New Zealand), Keith Lawrence (New Zealand), Jim Fleming (Scotland), Don Reordan (USA), Derek Bevan (Wales), Les Peard (Wales).

Quarterfinals: Dave Bishop, Derek Bevan, Jim Fleming, Fred Howard

Semifinals: Kerry Fitzgerald, Jim Fleming

3rd/4th Play-off: Steve Hilditch

Final: Derek Bevan

1995

Referees in Pool Matches: Wayne Erickson (Australia), Barry Leask (Australia), George Gadjovich (Canada), Ed Morrison (England), Steve Lander (England), Laiakini Colati (Fiji), Joël Dumé (France), Patrick Robin (France), Steve Hilditch (Ireland), Alan Lewis (Ireland), Dave McHugh (Ireland), Naoki Saito (Japan), Dave Bishop (New Zealand), Colin Hawke (New Zealand), Jim Fleming (Scotland), Ken McCartney (Scotland), Stef Neethling (South Africa), Ian Rogers (South Africa), Han Moon-Soo (South Korea), Don Reordan (USA), Derek Bevan (Wales), Clayton Thomas (Wales), Felise Vito (Western Samoa).

Quarterfinals: Ed Morrison, Jim Fleming, Dave Bishop, Derek Bevan

Semifinals: Derek Bevan, Steve Hilditch

3rd/4th Play-off: Dave Bishop

Final: Ed Morrison

1999

Referees in Pool Matches: Andrew Cole (Australia), Stuart Dickinson (Australia), Wayne Erickson (Australia), Peter Marshall (Australia), Brian Campsall (England), Ed Morrison (England), Chris White (England), Joël Dumé (France), Dave McHugh (Ireland), Colin Hawke (New Zealand), Paul Honiss (New Zealand), Paddy O'Brien (New Zealand), Jim Fleming (Scotland), André Watson (South Africa), Derek Bevan (Wales), Clayton Thomas (Wales)

Quarterfinals: Colin Hawke, Jim Fleming, Ed Morrison, Derek Bevan.

Semifinals: Derek Bevan, Jim Fleming

3rd/4th Play-off: Peter Marshall

Final: André Watson.

2003

Referees in Pool Matches: Pablo Deluca (Argentina), Stuart Dickinson (Australia), Andrew Cole (Australia), Peter Marshall (Australia), Scott Young (Australia), Tony Spreadbury (England), Chris White (England), Joël Jutge (France), Dave McHugh (Ireland), Alan Lewis (Ireland), Alain Rolland (Ireland), Kelvin Deaker (New Zealand), Paul Honiss (New Zealand), Paddy O'Brien (New Zealand), Steve Walsh (New Zealand), André Watson (South Africa), Jonathan Kaplan (South Africa), Nigel Williams (Wales)

Quarterfinals: Jonathan Kaplan, Alain Rolland, Tony Spreadbury, Steve Walsh

Semifinals: Paddy O'Brien, Chris White

3rd/4th Play-off: Chris White

Final: André Watson

2007

Referees in Pool Matches: Stuart Dickinson (Australia), Wayne Barnes (England), Tony Spreadbury (England), Chris White (England), Joël Jutge (France), Alan Lewis (Ireland), Alain Rolland (Ireland), Paul Honiss (New Zealand), Steve Walsh (New Zealand), Jonathan Kaplan South Africa), Marius Jonker (South Africa), Nigel Owens (Wales)

Quarterfinals: Alain Rolland, Wayne Barnes, Alan Lewis (Ireland), Joël Jutge

Semifinals: Jonathan Kaplan, Steve Walsh

3rd/4th Play-off: Paul Honiss

Final: Alain Rolland

2011

Referees in Pool Matches: Steve Walsh (Australia), Wayne Barnes (England), Dave Pearson (England), Romain Poite (France), George Clancy (Ireland), Alan Lewis (Ireland) Alain Rolland (Ireland), Bryce Lawrence (New Zealand), Craig Joubert (South Africa), Jonathan Kaplan (South Africa), Nigel Owens (Wales)

Quarterfinals: Craig Joubert, Bryce Lawrence, Steve Walsh, Nigel Owens

Semifinals: Alain Rolland, Craig Joubert

3rd/4th Play-off: Wayne Barnes

Final: Craig Joubert

2015

Referees in Pool Matches: Wayne Barnes (England), JP Doyle (England), Jérôme Garcès (France), Pascal Gauzère (France), Romain Poite (France), George Clancy (Ireland), John Lacey (Ireland), Glen Jackson (New Zealand), Chris Pollock (New Zealand), Craig Joubert (South Africa), Jaco Peyper (South Africa), Nigel Owens (Wales)

The World Cup Referees, 1987-2015

Anderson: 1987

Barnes: 2007, 2011, 2015

Bevan: 1987, 1991, 1995, 1999

Bishop: 1987, 1991, 1995

Burnett: 1987

Campsall: 1999

Clancy: 2011, 2015

Colati: 1991, 1995

Cole: 1999, 2003

Deaker: 2003

Deluca: 2003

Dickinson: 1999, 2003, 2007

Doyle, JP: 2015

Doyle, O: 1991

Dumé: 1995, 1999

Erickson: 1995, 1999

Fitzgerald: 1987, 1991

Fleming: 1987, 1991, 1995, 1999

Fordham: 1987

Gadjovich: 1995

Garcès: 2015

Gauzère: 2015

Hawke: 1995, 1999

Hilditch: 1987, 1991, 1995

Honiss: 1999, 2003, 2007

Hourquet: 1987, 1991

Howard: 1987, 1991

Jackson: 2015

Jonker: 2007

Joubert: 2011, 2015

Jutge: 2003, 2007

Kaplan: 2003, 2007, 2011

Lacey: 2015

Lander: 1995

Lawrence, B: 2011

Lawrence, K: 1987, 1991

Leask: 1995

Lewis: 2003, 2007

MacNeill: 1991

Marshall: 1999, 2003

Maurette: 1987

McCartney: 1995

McHugh: 1995, 1999, 2003

Moon-Soo: 1995

Morrison: 1991, 1995, 1999

Neethling: 1995

Norling: 1987

O'Brien: 1999, 2003

Owens: 2007, 2011, 2015

Peard: 1991

Pearson: 2011

Peyper: 2015

Poite: 2011, 2015

Pollock: 2015

Quittenton: 1987

Reordan: 1991, 1995

Robin: 1991, 1995

Rogers: 1995

Rolland: 2003, 2007, 2011

Saito: 1995

Sklar: 1991

Spreadbury: 2003, 2007

Thomas: 1995, 1999

Vito: 1995

Walsh: 2003, 2007, 2011

Watson: 1999, 2003

White: 1999, 2003, 2007

Williams: 2003

Young: 2003