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Ten good men - RWC referees

Ten good men have been chosen to referee at the 2011 Rugby World Cup in New Zealand. All of them are men right at the top of the refereeing tree, chosen from thousands of referees worldwide. Here are just some of their refereeing credentials.

The oldest referee is Dave Pearson, who will be going to his first World Cup as a referee. The youngest is Wayne Barnes, who will be going to his second World Cup.

George Clancy is the referee who will blow the whistle to start the 2011 World Cup and New Zealand play Tonga.

The Referees

Wayne Barnes

Born: Gloucester (England) on 20 April 1979

Tests refereed: 27 since 25 June 2006

Previous World Cup experience: 2007

George Clancy

Born: Limerick (Ireland) on 12 January 1977

Tests refereed: 14 since 30 September 2006

Previous World Cup experience: Nil

Craig Joubert

Born: Durban (South Africa) on 8 November 1977

Tests refereed: 22 since 31 August 2003

Previous World Cup experience: 2007 (*)

Jonathan Kaplan

Born: Durban (South Africa) on 7 November 1966

Tests refereed: 63 since 4 May 1996

Previous World Cup experience: 1999, 2003, 2007

Bryce Lawrence

Born: Morrinsville (New Zealand) on 23 December 1970

Tests refereed: 18 since 12 November 2005

Previous World Cup experience: 2007 (*)

Nigel Owens

Born: Carmarthen (Wales) on 18 June 1971

Tests refereed: 27 since 16 February 2003

Previous World Cup experience: 2007

Dave Pearson

Born: Morpeth (England) on 9 August 1966

Tests refereed: 19 since 22 June 2003 (Czech Republic v Romania)

Previous World Cup experience: 2007 (*)

Romain Poite

Born:  Rochefort (France) on 14 September 1975

Tests refereed: 12 since 11 November 2006

Previous World Cup experience: Nil

Alain Rolland

Born: Dublin (Ireland) on 22 August 1966

Tests refereed: 48 since 19 September 2001

Previous World Cup experience: 2007

Steve Walsh

Born: Cambridge (New Zealand) on 28 March 1972

Tests refereed: 37 since 13 June 1998

Previous World Cup experience: 2003, 2007

(*) As a touch judge.

The referees who were at the 2007 World Cup who are not there again:  Stuart Dickinson (Australia), Paul Honiss (New Zealand), Joël Jutge (France), Marius Jonker (South Africa), Alan Lewis (Ireland), Tony Spreadbury (England), Chris White (England).

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