Refs: Jaftha drops out of top panel
The panels are drawn up after reviews of matches during the year.
For each match a referee would be monitored by an assessor/performance reviewer. He has a coach who would view his match, he is required to give his own review of his performance and the teams involved have a chance to state their views.
This would happen for each match and then reviewed during the season and finally, as now, at the end of the year when panels are drawn up.
World Rugby and SANZAR will also compose their panels for their competitions.
Elite Panel
The top panel has just 10 referees. They would be regarded as the 10 top referees of the thousands of referees in South Africa, Jason Jaftha, who has had serious injury problems over the last two years which have required, amongst other things, a knee reconstruction, has dropped off this panel while Cwengile Jadezweni of Western Province has come onto the panel after refereeing his first Currie Cup matches this year.
Elite Panel in alphabetical order by surname
These referees are contracted to SARU but for interest's sake we have given their provinces.
Stuart Berry (KwaZulu-Natal)
Rodney Boneparte (Eastern Province)
Quinton Immelman (Western Province)
Cwengile Jadezweni (Western Province)
Craig Joubert (KwaZulu-Natal)
Lesego Legoete (Golden Lions)
Jaco Peyper (Free State)
Rasta Rasivhenge (Western Province)
Marius van der Westhuizen (Western Province)
Jaco van Heerden (Blue Bulls)
National Panel
The second panel is the National Panel with 18 referees.
Cwengile Jadezweni has been promoted from this panel to the Elite Panel.
There have been other changes. Jason Jaftha has arrived from the Elite Panel to give him a chance to get over his injury problems. Tahla Ntshakaza, who has gone to Dubai, Fernando Uithaler and Renier Vermeulen are no longer on the panel.
Those promoted to the panel are Egon Seconds, once a top Super Rugby and Currie Cup wing, Ruhan Meiring and Pieter Maritz.
National Panel in alphabetical order by surname
Ben Crouse (Blue Bulls)
Stephan Geldenhuys (Blue Bulls)
AJ Jacobs (Griffons)
Jason Jaftha (South Western Districts)
Jaco Kotze (Free State)
Pieter Maritz (Blue Bulls)
Mpho Matsaung (Griquas)
Ruhan Meiring (South Western Districts)
Paul Mente (Leopards)
Vusi Msibi (KwaZulu-Natal)
Sindile Ngcese (Eastern Province)
Francois Pretorius (Western Province)
Jaco Pretorius (Valke)
Oregopotse Rametsi (Leopards)
Egon Seconds (Western Province)
Archie Sehlako (KwaZulu-Natal)
Ricus van der Hoven (Pumas)
Lourens van der Merwe (Free State)
Sevens Panel in alphabetical order by surname
This is a new panel. Of the referees on this panel, four are on World Rugby's circuit – Ben Crouse, Craig Joubert, Rasta Rasivhenge and Marius van der Merwe.
Aimee Barrett (Western Province)
Ben Crouse (Blue Bulls)
Craig Joubert (KwaZulu-Natal)
Jaco Kotze (Free State)
Rasta Rasivhenge (Western Province)
Egon Seconds (Western Province)
Marius van der Westhuizen (Western Province)
Women
There are eight referees on this panel. Of them Mariandi Janse van Vuuren and Bulela Qwane are new to the panel while Henchalla Oerson is no longer refereeing.
Women's Panel in alphabetical order by surname
Aimee Barrett (Western Province)
Larentia Fred (South Western Districts)
Mariandi Janse van Vuuren (Free State)
Siyanda Belinda Ketse (Free State)
Motshidisi Maria Mabote (Griffons)
Le-Ann MacClune (South Western Districts)
Ashleigh Murray (Golden Lions)
Bulela Qwane (Western Province)
Contender Squad
This squad is disbanded as the Selectors felt that referees on this squad should be included in the Academy squad to develop their skills and receive continuous coaching.
In 2015 there were nine referees in this squad of whom some were promoted this year – Ruhan Meiring, Paul Mente and Egon Seconds.
Academy Squad
This group will continue to grow and change as the officials progress during the year.
The office reserves the right to appoint any of the Academy Squad referees to SARU competitions for performance or logistical reasons.
SA Primary Schools Group
This will be drawn up in 2016.
TMO Panel
In alphabetical order by surname
Christie Du Preez (Eastern Province)
Johan Greeff (Blue Bulls)
Marius Jonker (KwaZulu-Natal)
Shaun Veldsman (Boland)
Willie Vos (Golden Lions)
JJ Wagner (Griquas)
Selectors
Rassie Erasmus replaces Neville Heilbron
Rassie Erasmus
Dennis Immelman
Mark Lawrence
Balie Swart
Deon van Blommestein
Banks Yantolo
Performance Reviewers/Assessors
Keith Hendricks (Boland)
Jacques Hugo (Eastern Province)
Dennis Immelman (Western Province)
Thuso Mngqibisa (Western Province)
Pierre Oelofse (Valke)
Willie Roos (Valke)
Kim Smit (Pumas)
Deon van Blommestein (Western Province)
Banks Yantolo (Border)
Coaching
Academy Coaches/Scouting
Eugene Daniel – Manager Academy Squad
Philip du Toit – Referee Academy Manager, North/ Central
Abe Steenberg – Referee Academy Manager, South
Fumanekile Yamile – Referee Academy Manager, East
Johan Zurich – Referee Academy Manager, North
Office may appoint any other person for coaching purposes if deemed necessary
Women Coaches
Philip du Toit
Neville Heilbron
Rupert Jacobs
Kim Smit
Abe Steenberg
Fumanekile Yamile
Johan Zurich
Photo: Cwengile Jadzeweni – new to the Elite Panel
