World Cup: Refs appointed for pools
The International Rugby Board has announced the Match Official appointments for the 40 pool matches at Rugby World Cup 2011 in New Zealand.
The appointments were made by the IRB’s Match Official Selection Committee chaired by IRB Council Member David Pickering. IRB Match official selection committee: David Pickering, Chairman (Wales), Tappe Henning (South Africa), Kevin Bowring (England), Bob Francis (New Zealand), Stephen Hilditch (Ireland) and Michel Lamoulie (France). The IRB referee Manager is Paddy O’Brien.
Each of the 10 referees selected for rugby’s showcase tournament will take charge of four matches during the pool phase. George Clancy (Ireland), Dave Pearson (England), Romain Poite (France), Bryce Lawrence (New Zealand) and Craig Joubert (South Africa) will all be making their Rugby World Cup refereeing debuts during the pool stages, while Jonathan Kaplan (South Africa) and Steve Walsh (Australia) will be officiating at their fourth tournament.
Chairman Pickering said: “In selecting a streamlined referee panel we are committed to an approach that promotes consistency and ensures that the best referees are selected for the world’s best teams playing in rugby’s premier tournament.
“Each referee will take charge of four matches during the pool phase allowing for a comprehensive review of performances by the selection committee. A total of 10 of the 21 match officials will be retained for the knock-out stages.”
Earlier this month the IRB announced that Clancy will take charge of the opening Rugby World Cup 2011 match between hosts New Zealand and Tonga at Eden Park in Auckland on 9 September. The Irishman will lead a team of experienced officials with Joubert and Stuart Terheege (England) as assistant referees and Guilio De Santis (Italy) as television match official.
Walsh will make his first Rugby World Cup referee appearance representing Australia when he takes charge of France vs Japan on September 10, while Poite’s first match as a RWC referee will fall on his 36th birthday when he takes charge of the pool D clash between Samoa and Namibia in Rotorua on September 14.
Rugby World Cup 2007 Final referee Alain Rolland will open with the Pool C match between Australia and Italy in North Harbour on September 11. The Irishman will also take charge of New Zealand vs France at Eden Park in a repeat of the inaugural Final in 1987 at the same venue.
Russia’s first ever Rugby World Cup match, which is against the USA on September 15, will be refereed by Dave Pearson, while Kaplan will preside over the final match of the pool stages when Ireland face Italy in Pool C at the new Otago Stadium in Dunedin.
Match appointments
Friday, 9 September
in New Zealand vs Tonga in Auckland
Referee: George Clancy (Ireland)
Assistant referees: Craig Joubert (South Africa), Stuart Terheege (England)
Television match official: Giulio De Santis (Italy)
Saturday, 10 September
Scotland vs Romania in Invercargill
Referee: Dave Pearson (England)
Assistant referees: Vinny Munro (New Zealand), Tim Hayes (Wales)
Television match official: Shaun Veldsman (South Africa)
Fiji vs Namibia in Rotorua
Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales)
Assistant referees: Jonathan Kaplan (South Africa), Jérôme Garces (France)
Television match official: Graham Hughes (England)
France vs Japan in North Shore
Referee: Steve Walsh (Australia)
Assistant referees: Alain Rolland (Ireland), Stuart Terheege (England)
Television match official: Giulio De Santis (Italy)
Argentina vs England in Dunedin
Referee: Brice Lawrence (New Zealand)
Assistant referees: Romain Poite (France), Simon McDowell (Ireland)
Television match official: Matt Goddard (Australia)
Sunday, 11 September
Australia vs Italy in North Shore
Referee: Alain Rolland (Ireland)
Assistant referees: Jonathan Kaplan (South Africa), Chris Pollock (New Zealand)
Ireland vs USA in New Plymouth
Referee: Craig Joubert (South Africa)
Assistant referees: Nigel Owens (Wales), Carlo Damasco (Italy)
Television match official: Graham Hughes (England)
South Africa vs Wales in Wellington
Referee: Wayne Barnes (England)
Assistant referees: George Clancy (Ireland), Vinny Munro (New Zealand)
Television match official: Matt Goddard (Australia)
Wednesday, 14 September
Samoa vs Namibia in Rotorua
Referee: Romain Poite (France)
Assistant referees: Wayne Barnes (England), Jérôme Garces (France)
Television match official: Graham Hughes (England)
Tonga vs Canada in Whangarei
Referee: Jonathan Kaplan (South Africa)
Assistant referees: Steve Walsh (Australia), Stuart Terheege (England)
Television match official: Giulio De Santis (Italy)
Scotland vs Georgia in Invercargill
Referee: George Clancy (Ireland)
Assistant referees: Simon McDowell (Ireland), Tim Hayes (Wales)
Television match official: Shaun Veldsman (South Africa)
Thursday, 15 September
Russia vs USA in New Plymouth
Referee: Dave Pearson (England)
Assistant referees: Craig Joubert (South Africa), Carlo Damasco (Italy)
Television match official: Graham Hughes (England)
Friday, 16 September
in New Zealand vs Japan in Hamilton
Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales)
Assistant referees: Alain Rolland (Ireland), Jérôme Garces (France)
Television match official: Giulio De Santis (Italy)
Saturday, 17 September
Argentina vs Romania in Invercargill
Referee: Steve Walsh (Australia)
Assistant referees: Jonathan Kaplan (South Africa), Simon McDowell (Ireland)
Television match official: Shaun Veldsman (South Africa)
South Africa vs Fiji in Wellington
Referee: Romain Poite (France)
Assistant referees: George Clancy (Ireland), Vinny Munro (New Zealand)
Television match official: Matt Goddard (Australia)
Australia vs Ireland in Auckland
Referee: Brice Lawrence (New Zealand)
Assistant referees: Dave Pearson (England), Stuart Terheege (England)
Television match official: Graham Hughes (England)
Sunday, 18 September
Wales vs Samoa in Hamilton
Referee: Alain Rolland (Ireland)
Assistant referees: Romain Poite (France), Jérôme Garces (France)
Television match official: Giulio De Santis (Italy)
England vs Georgia in Dunedin
Referee: Jonathan Kaplan (South Africa)
Assistant referees: Steve Walsh (Australia), Chris Pollock (New Zealand)
Television match official: Shaun Veldsman (South Africa)
France vs Canada in Napier
Referee: Craig Joubert (South Africa)
Assistant referees: Brice Lawrence (New Zealand), Vinny Munro (New Zealand)
Television match official: Matt Goddard (Australia)
Tuesday, 20 September
Italy vs Russia in Nelson
Referee: Wayne Barnes (England)
Assistant referees: Steve Walsh (Australia), Chris Pollock (New Zealand)
Television match official: Shaun Veldsman (South Africa)
Wednesday, 21 September
Tonga vs Japan in Whangarei
Referee: Dave Pearson (England)
Assistant referees: Alain Rolland (Ireland), Stuart Terheege (England)
Television match official: Giulio De Santis (Italy)
Thursday, 22 September
South Africa vs Namibia in North Shore
Referee: George Clancy (Ireland)
Assistant referees: Brice Lawrence (New Zealand), Tim Hayes (Wales)
Television match official: Graham Hughes (England)
Friday, 23 September
Australia vs USA in Wellington
Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales)
Assistant referees: Wayne Barnes (England), Vinny Munro (New Zealand)
Television match official: Tim Hayes (Wales)
Saturday, 24 September
England vs Romania in Dunedin
Referee: Romain Poite (France)
Assistant referees: Jonathan Kaplan (South Africa), Simon McDowell (Ireland)
Television match official: Shaun Veldsman (South Africa)
in New Zealand vs France in Auckland
Referee: Alain Rolland (Ireland)
Assistant referees: George Clancy (Ireland), Carlo Damasco (Italy)
Television match official: Graham Hughes (England)
Sunday, 25 September
Fiji vs Samoa in Auckland
Referee: Brice Lawrence (New Zealand)
Assistant referees: George Clancy (Ireland), Stuart Terheege (England)
Television match official: Graham Hughes (England)
Ireland vs Russia in Rotorua
Referee: Craig Joubert (South Africa)
Assistant referees: Dave Pearson (England), Jérôme Garces (France)
Television match official: Giulio De Santis (Italy)
Argentina vs Scotland in Wellington
Referee: Wayne Barnes (England)
Assistant referees: Nigel Owens (Wales), Chris Pollock (New Zealand)
Television match official: Shaun Veldsman (South Africa)
Monday, 26 September
Wales vs Namibia in New Plymouth
Referee: Steve Walsh (Australia)
Assistant referees: Alain Rolland (Ireland), Carlo Damasco (Italy)
Television match official: Giulio De Santis (Italy)
Tuesday, 27 September
Canada vs Japan in Napier
Referee: Jonathan Kaplan (South Africa)
Assistant referees: Brice Lawrence (New Zealand), Vinny Munro (New Zealand)
Television match official: Matt Goddard (Australia)
Italy vs USA in Nelson
Referee: George Clancy (Ireland)
Assistant referees: Wayne Barnes (England), Chris Pollock (New Zealand)
Television match official: Shaun Veldsman (South Africa)
Wednesday, 28 September
Georgia vs Romania in Palmerston North
Referee: Dave Pearson (England)
Assistant referees: Romain Poite (France), Vinny Munro (New Zealand)
Television match official: Giulio De Santis (Italy)
Friday, 30 September
South Africa vs Samoa in North Shore
Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales)
Assistant referees: Wayne Barnes (England), Stuart Terheege (England)
Television match official: Graham Hughes (England)
Saturday, 1 October
Australia vs Russia in Nelson
Referee: Brice Lawrence (New Zealand)
Assistant referees: George Clancy (Ireland), Simon McDowell (Ireland)
Television match official: Shaun Veldsman (South Africa)
France vs Tonga in Wellington
Referee: Steve Walsh (Australia)
Assistant referees: Dave Pearson (England), Carlo Damasco (Italy)
Television match official: Matt Goddard (Australia)
England vs Scotland in Auckland
Referee: Craig Joubert (South Africa)
Assistant referees: Nigel Owens (Wales), Jérôme Garces (France)
Television match official: Tim Hayes (Wales)
Sunday, 2 October
Argentina vs Georgia in Palmerston North
Referee: Alain Rolland (Ireland)
Assistant referees: Dave Pearson (England), Vinny Munro (New Zealand)
Television match official: Giulio De Santis (Italy)
