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
