RWC: Quarterfinal Referees, 1987-2019
World Rugby has announced the four referees for the 2019 quarterfinals. For two of them, it will be their third World Cup quarterfinal.
The four referees for 2019 are Wayne Barnes (England), Jérôme Garcès (France), Nigel Owens (Wales), Jaco Peyper (South Africa). The two who will be doing their third quarterfinal are Barnes and Owens. Garcès will be doing his second while Peyper will be refereeing a quarterfinal for the first time this year.
All four of the referees were at the 2015 World Cup, hosted by England.
Quarterfinal Referees, 1987-2019
1987: Brian Anderson (Scotland), David Burnett (Ireland), René Hourquet (France), Clive Norling (Wales)
1991: Derek Bevan (Wales), Dave Bishop (New Zealand), Jim Fleming (Scotland), Fred Howard (England)
1995: Derek Bevan (Wales), Dave Bishop (New Zealand), Jim Fleming (Scotland), Ed Morrison (England)
1999: Derek Bevan (Wales), Colin Hawke (New Zealand), Jim Fleming (Scotland), Ed Morrison (England),
2003: Jonathan Kaplan (South Africa), Alain Rolland (Ireland), Tony Spreadbury (England), Steve Walsh (New Zealand)
2007: Wayne Barnes (England), Joël Jutge (France), Alan Lewis (Ireland), Alain Rolland (Ireland)
2011: Craig Joubert (South Africa), Bryce Lawrence (New Zealand), Nigel Owens (Wales), Steve Walsh (Australia)
2015: Wayne Barnes (England), Jérôme Garcès (France), Craig Joubert (South Africa), Nigel Owens (Wales)
2019: Wayne Barnes (England), Jérôme Garcès (France), Nigel Owens (Wales), Jaco Peyper (South Africa)
Number of Quarterfinals per Referee
3: Wayne Barnes, Derek Bevan, Jim Fleming, Nigel Owens
2: Dave Bishop, Jérôme Garcès, Craig Joubert, Ed Morrison, Alain Rolland, Steve Walsh
1: Brian Anderson, David Burnett, Colin Hawke, René Hourquet, Fred Howard, Joël Jutge, Jonathan Kaplan, Bryce Lawrence, Alan Lewis, Clive Norling, Jaco Peyper, Tony Spreadbury
Of the quarterfinal referees, several have had a role to play in refereeing after they ceased being active. Fleming, in Scotland, and Spreadbury, in England, have given long service in assessing referees. Bevan, once the most capped Test referee, was for several years a television match official (TMO). Norling was for five years the Welsh Rugby Union’s director of referees.
Hawke in 2002 received the IRB Referee Award for Distinguished Service, an award Owens received in 2015, and in 2012 was made a member of the New Zealand Order of Merit (MNZM) for his services to rugby. He did much to develop referees in New Zealand and coached many of the top referees. Lawrence runs New Zealand’s referees.
Hawke is not the only referee honoured by Queen Elizabeth II. Bevan and Owens were both made MBE.
Morrison was for several years responsible for caring for England’s top referees, Hourquet was in charge of French referees, Joël Jutge was World Rugby’s manager of referees and is now in charge of referees for the European Cup competitions and Joubert is involved in the development of Sevens Referees for World Rugby, working with Paddy O’Brien, the great referee of yesteryear. Rolland is World Rugby’s manager of referees and in charge of them at the World Cup in Japan.
Of the quarterfinal referees only Bevan, Joubert and Owens refereed finals – three out of eight finals. In 2019, finding a final referee out of the four appointed to do finals will be difficult indeed.
