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).
