White laying down the whistle
The International Rugby Board has announced the appointments for mid-year Tests. It has announced the appointment of four new referees to its matches and also the retirement of one of the great referees of rugby history – Chris White of England.
White, who has refereed 50 Tests in an international career of 12 years, will continue as one of England’s Elite Referees till the end of the season. He is 47 years of age.
Paddy O’Brien, the IRB’s manager of referees said of White: “I’d like to thank Chris White for his superb contribution to the Game on and off the field as a member of the IRB International Referee’s Panel over the past decade.”
The new referees are Keith Brown (New Zealand), Andrew Small (England), Chris Pollock (New Zealand) and Jérôme Garces (France). Small, who is a New Zealander living in England, and Brown will referee Tests between South Africa and Italy while Pollock and Garces will referee Churchill Cup matches.
O’Brien said: “It is very pleasing to see Keith Brown, Andrew Small, Chris Pollock and Jerome Garces join the elite panel this year, having performed so well at the IRB Junior World Championship in Japan last year and also in domestic competition.
“They have impressed the selectors and deserve their reward, and their selection reinforces the role of the development pathway created via the IRB Age Grade Championships.”
Stuart Dickinson will referee his milestone 50th Test and back in the mix is Steve Walsh, formerly of New Zealand, now of Australia.
Then, too, there are three North Americans with IRB appointments – Chris Henshall, who learnt his refereeing in KwaZulu Natal, Bryan Arciero and Aruna Ranaweera who was born in Sri Lanka.
In addition to top competitions, the IRB has also appointed up-and-coming referees to the Junior World Championships to take place in Argentina in June – Pascal Gauzere (France), Peter Allan (Scotland), JP Doyle and Greg Garner (England), Garratt Williamson (New Zealand) and Jaco Peyper (South Africa).
O’Brien also said: “The IRB is able to appoint from a strong panel of international referees, assistant referees and TMOs. The volume of fixtures during this busy period also means that we are able to blood the next crop of aspiring Test referees, which is extremely exciting.”
The appointments:
Churchill Cup referees: Carlo Damasco (Italy), Chris Pollock (New Zealand), Jérôme Garces (France), Chris Henshall (USA)
Nations Cup referees: Referees: Bryan Arciero (Canada), Aruna Ranaweera (USA), Marius Jonker (South Africa), Neil Paterson (Scotland)
5 June:
Australia vs Fiji in Canberra
Referee: Peter Fitzgibbon (Ireland)
Assistant referees: Keith Brown (New Zealand), Vinny Munro (New Zealand)
Television match official: Matt Goddard (Australia)
Wales vs South Africa at Millennium Stadium
Referee: Alan Lewis (Ireland)
Assistant referees: Dave Pearson (England), Robin Goodliffe (England)
Television match official: Jim Yuille (Scotland)
Uruguay vs Canada
Russia vs USA
9 June – Churchill Cup:
Russia vs England Saxons in Colorado
Uruguay vs France A in Colorado
11 June:
Round 1 Nations Cup Bucharest
Australia vs England in Perth
Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales)
Assistant referees: Romain Poite (France), Vinny Munro (New Zealand)
12 June:
New Zealand vs Ireland in New Plymouth
Referee: Wayne Barnes (England)
Assistant referees: Mark Lawrence (South Africa), James Leckie (Australia)
Television match official: George Ayoub (Australia)
South Africa vs France at Newlands
Referee: Bryce Lawrence (New Zealand)
Assistant referees: Keith Brown (New Zealand), David Changleng (Scotland)
Television match official: Graham Hughes (England)
Argentina vs Scotland in Tucumán, Argentina
Referee: Dave Pearson (England)
Assistant referees: Christophe Berdos (France), Stuart Dickinson (Australia)
Pacific Nations Cup
Samoa vs Tonga at Apia Park, Samoa
Referee: Peter Fitzgibbon (Ireland)
Fiji vs Japan at Churchill Park, Fiji
Referee: George Clancy (Ireland)
13 June:
Churchill Cup
England Saxons vs USA in Colorado
France A vs Canada in Colorado
Uruguay vs Russia in Colorado
15 June:
Round 2: Nations Cup in Bucharest
18 June:
New Zealand Maori vs Ireland in Rotorua
Referee: Mark Lawrence (South Africa)
19 June:
Churchill Cup
Finals Day in New Jersey
Pacific Nations Cup
Samoa vs Japan at Apia Park, Samoa
Referee: Wayne Barnes (England)
Fiji vs Tonga at Apia Park, Samoa
Referee: Peter Fitzgibbon (Ireland)
Other internationals
Australia vs England in Sydney
Referee: Romain Poite (France)
Assistant referees: Nigel Owens (Wales), Vinny Munro (New Zealand)
New Zealand vs Wales in Dunedin
Referee: George Clancy (Ireland)
Assistant referees: Mark Lawrence (South Africa), Paul Marks (Australia)
Television match official: Matt Goddard (Australia)
South Africa vs Italy in Witbank
Referee: Keith Brown (New Zealand)
Assistant referees: Andrew Small (England), David Changleng (Scotland)
Television match official: Graham Hughes (England)
Argentina vs Scotland in Mar del Plata, Argentina
Referee: Christophe Berdos (France)
Assistant referees: Stuart Dickinson (Australia), Dave Pearson (England)
20 June:
Round 3 Nations Cup in Bucharest
23 June:
New Zealand Maori vs England in Napier
Referee: Craig Joubert (South Africa)
26 June:
Australia vs Ireland in Brisbane
Referee: Bryce Lawrence (New Zealand)
Assistant referees: Wayne Barnes (England), Chris Pollock (New Zealand)
New Zealand vs Wales in Hamilton
Referee: Jonathan Kaplan (South Africa)
Assistant referees: Craig Joubert (South Africa), James Leckie (Australia)
Television match official: George Ayoub (Australia)
South Africa vs Italy in East London, South Africa
Referee: Andrew Small (England)
Assistant referees: Keith Brown (New Zealand), Andy Macpherson (Scotland)
Television match official: Graham Hughes (England)
Argentina vs France in Buenos Aires
Referee: Stuart Dickinson (Australia)
Assistant referees: Dave Pearson (England), Jaco Peyper (South Africa)
Pacific Nations Cup
Fiji vs Samoa at Apia Park, Samoa
Referee: Romain Poite (France)
Japan vs Tonga at Apia Park, Samoa
Referee: Steve Walsh (Australia)
Tri-Nations
10 July:
New Zealand vs South Africa in Auckland
Referee: Alan Lewis (Ireland)
Assistant referees: Alain Rolland (Ireland), Stuart Dickinson (Australia)
17 July:
New Zealand vs South Africa in Wellington
Referee: Alain Rolland (Ireland)
Assistant referees: Alan Lewis (Ireland), Stuart Dickinson (Australia)
24 July:
Australia vs South Africa in Brisbane
Referee: Bryce Lawrence (New Zealand)
Assistant referees: Keith Brown (New Zealand), Vinny Munro (New Zealand)
Television match official: Matt Goddard (Australia)
31 July:
Australia vs New Zealand in Melbourne
Referee: Craig Joubert (South Africa)
Assistant referees: Jonathan Kaplan (South Africa), Cobus Wessels (South Africa)
Television match official: George Ayoub (Australia)
7 August:
New Zealand vs Australia in Christchurch
Referee: Jonathan Kaplan (South Africa)
Assistant referees: Craig Joubert (South Africa), Cobus Wessels (South Africa)
21 August:
South Africa vs New Zealand in Johannesburg
Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales)
Assistant referees: Alain Rolland (Ireland), Simon McDowell (Ireland)
Television match official: Shaun Veldsman (South Africa)
28 August:
South Africa vs Australia in Pretoria
Referee: Alain Rolland (Ireland)
Assistant referees: Nigel Owens (Wales), Simon McDowell (Ireland)
Television match official: Shaun Veldsman (South Africa)
4 September:
South Africa vs Australia in Bloemfontein
Referee: Wayne Barnes (England)
Assistant referees: Nigel Owens (Wales), Simon McDowell (Ireland)
Television match official: Johann Meuwesen (South Africa)
11 September:
Australia vs New Zealand in Sydney
Referee: Mark Lawrence (South Africa)
Assistant referees: Jonathan Kaplan (South Africa), Christie du Preez (South Africa)
Television match official: Matt Goddard (Australia)
