Super Rugby refs for Rounds 1-4
Down in Melbourne on Friday evening Angus Gardner will blow the whistle that will start Super Rugby in 2013.
In that first week, only four Australian Conference teams will be in action to clear some clutter from the B&I Lions' tour.
Lyndon Bray, SANZAR's game manager whose portfolio includes referees, was delighted to announce the first referee appointments of the 2013 Super Rugby season.
Bray said: "Our mix of seasoned referees and new faces is obvious when seeing Rohan Hoffmann, Jason Jaftha, Nick Briant and James Leckie refereeing in the first four weeks, with the likes of veterans Jonathan Kaplan, Chris Pollock and Steve Walsh controlling matches from Round Two.
"The first stanza of the competition allows us to get our referee team out in the middle and gauge early form, with the entire team getting the chance to blow the whistle during the first 8 weeks. That helps us make good value decisions around form, as the competition continues to unfold."
When Jonthan Kaplan referees the match in Bloemfontein, it will be his 100th Super Rugby match as a referee, the first to reach that mark.
Chris Pollock has had a long lay-off because of injury and will be welcomed back. He is New Zealand's only referee on the merit panel.
Rohan Hoffman is an Australian who played for Portugal and started refereeing while living there. He became a Test referee. He is now back in Brisbane and is on SANZAR's Super Rugby panel.
Week 1
Rebels vs Force at AAMI Stadium, Melbourne
Referee: Angus Gardner (Australia)
Assistant referees: Rohan Hoffmann (Australia), Richard Goswell (Australia)
Television match official: George Ayoub (Australia)
Brumbies vs Reds at Canberra Stadium, Canberra
Referee: Andrew Lees (Australia)
Assistant referees: James Leckie (Australia) Ian Smith (Australia)
Television match official: Matt Goddard (Australia)
Week 2
Highlanders vs Chiefs at Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin
Referee: Steve Walsh (Australia)
Assistant referees: Mike Fraser (New Zealand), Kane McBride (New Zealand)
Television match official: Vinny Munro (New Zealand)
Rebels vs Brumbies at AAMI Park, Melbourne
Referee: James Leckie (Australia)
Assistant referees: Angus Gardner (Australia), Ian Smith (Australia)
Television match official: George Ayoub (Australia)
Bulls vs Stormers at Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
Referee: Jaco Peyper (South Africa)
Assistant referees: Rasta Rashivenga (South Africa), Stefan Breytenbach (South Africa)
Television match official: Johan Greeff (South Africa)
Hurricanes vs Blues at Westpac Stadium, Wellington
Referee: Glen Jackson (New Zealand)
Assistant referees: Garratt Williamson (New Zealand), Nick Briant (New Zealand)
Television match official: Vinny Munro (New Zealand)
Reds vs Waratahs at Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
Referee: Chris Pollock (New Zealand)
Assistant referees: Andrew Lees (Australia), Rohan Hoffmann (Australia)
Television match official: Steve Leszczynski (Australia)
Cheetahs vs Sharks at Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein
Referee: Jonathan Kaplan (South Africa)
Assistant referees: Jason Jaftha (South Africa), Tiaan Jonker (South Africa)
Television match official: Gerrie Coetzee (South Africa)
Kings vs Force at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth
Referee: Lourens van der Merwe (South Africa)
Assistant referees: Stuart Berry (South Africa), Christie du Preez (South Africa)
Television match official: Johann Meuwessen (South Africa)
Week 3
Blues vs Crusaders at Eden Park, Auckland
Referee: Chris Pollock (New Zealand)
Assistant referees: Jonathon White (New Zealand), Sheldon Eden-Whaitiri (New Zealand)
Television match official: Ben Skeen (New Zealand)
Reds vs Hurricanes at Allianz Stadium, Sydney
Referee: Steve Walsh (Australia)
Assistant referees: Andrew Lees (Australia), Damien Mitchelmore (Australia)
Television match official: Steve Leszczynski (Australia)
Waratahs vs Rebels at Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
Referee: Rohan Hoffmann (Australia)
Assistant referees: James Leckie (Australia), Ed Martin (Australia)
Television match official: Matt Goddard (Australia)
Chiefs vs Cheetahs at Waikato Stadium, Hamilton
Referee: Mike Fraser (New Zealand)
Assistant referees: Garratt Williamson (New Zealand), Glen Jackson (New Zealand)
Television match official: Vinny Munro (New Zealand)
Bulls vs Force at Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
Referee: Jason Jaftha (South Africa)
Assistant referees: Lourens van der Merwe (South Africa),Sieg van Staden (South Africa)
Television match official: Johan Greeff (South Africa)
Sharks vs Stormers at Mr Price Kings Park, Durban
Referee: Jonathan Kaplan (South Africa)
Assistant referees: Jaco Peyper (South Africa), Cobus Wessels (South Africa)
Assistant referees: Shaun Veldsman (South Africa)
Week 4
Hurricanes vs Crusaders at Westpac Stadium, Wellington
Referee: Andrew Lees (Australia)
Assistant referees: Garratt Williamson (New Zealand), Shane McDermott (New Zealand)
Television match official: Glenn Newman (New Zealand)
Rebels vs Reds at AAMI Park, Melbourne
Referee: Francisco Pastrana (Argentina)
Assistant referees: James Leckie (Australia), Ed Martin (Australia)
Television match official: George Ayoub (Australia)
Highlanders vs Cheetahs at Rugby Park, Invercargill
Referee: Nick Briant (New Zealand)
Assistant referees: Mike Fraser (New Zealand), Kane McBride (New Zealand)
Television match official: Vinny Munro (New Zealand)
Brumbies vs Waratahs at Canberra Stadium, Canberra
Referee: Jonathon White (New Zealand)
Assistant referees: Angus Gardner (Australia), Rohan Hoffmann (Australia)
Television match official: Peter Marshall (Australia)
Stormers vs Chiefs at Newlands
Referee: Jaco Peyper (South Africa)
Assistant referees: Jonathan Kaplan (South Africa), Ben Crouse (South Africa)
Television match official: Deon van Blommestein (South Africa)
Kings vs Sharks at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth
Referee: Jason Jaftha (South Africa)
Assistant referees: Lourens van der Merwe (South Africa), Christie du Preez (South Africa)
Television match official: Johann Meuwessen
Blues vs Bulls at Eden Park, Auckland
Referee: Garratt Williamson (New Zealand)
Assistant referees: Mike Fraser (New Zealand), Sheldon Eden-Whaitiri (New Zealand)
Television match official: Ben Skeen (New Zealand)
