Refs appointed to 6 Nations
Walsh gets first at Croke Park
The International Rugby Board (IRB) has announced the match official appointments for the RBS Six Nations 2007 which kicks-off on 3 February.
Most notable amongst them is Steve Walsh's appointment to the match between Ireland and England. It will be at the grand new international venue – Croke Park. It has never before been used for a rugby match as it was always reserved to Gaelic Games. (For some information on Croke Park click here)
Nigel Owens (Wales), Wayne Barnes (England), and Marius Jonker and Craig Joubert (both South Africa) will take charge of their first RBS 6 Nations matches, while Jonathan Kaplan (South Africa) returns after undergoing medical attention to both his knees to take charge of two matches: England vs France at Twickenham and Italy vs Ireland in Rome.
Taizo Hirabayashi is the Japanese referee who was involved in the November Tests, will do the whole of the Sevens Circuit and is on the line again for two Six Nations matches.
No Scots have been appointed as referees and no Australians at all.
Six Nations Appointments – 2007
3 February 2007
Italy vs France at Stadio Flaminio
Referee: Wayne Barnes (England)
Touch judges: Dave Pearson (England), Rob Debney (England)
Television match official: Tim Hayes (Wales)
Assessor: Michel Lamoulie (France)
England vs Scotland at Twickenham
Referee: Marius Jonker (South Africa)
Touch judges: Alain Rolland (Ireland), Federico Cuesta (Argentina)
Television match official: Donal Courtney (Ireland)
Assessor: Paul Bridgman (England)
4 February 2007
Wales vs Ireland at Millennium Stadium
Referee: Kelvin Deaker (New Zealand)
Touch judges: Steve Walsh (New Zealand), David Changleng (Scotland)
Television match official: tba (England)
Assessor: Steve Hilditch (Ireland)
10 February 2007
England vs Italy at Twickenham
Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales)
Touch judges: Joël Jutge (France), Christophe Berdos (France)
Television match official: Hugh Watkins (Wales)
Assessor: Michel Lamoulie (France)
Scotland vs Wales at Murrayfield
Referee: Alan Lewis (Ireland)
Touch judges: Chris White (England), Federico Cuesta (Argentina)
Television match official: Rob Debney (England)
Assessor: Douglas Kerr (Scotland)
Ireland vs France at Croke Park,
Referee: Steve Walsh (New Zealand)
Touch judges: Kelvin Deaker (New Zealand), Malcolm Changleng (Scotland)
Television match official: Peter Allan (Scotland)
Assessor: Steve Hilditch (Ireland)
24 February 2007
Scotland vs Italy at Murrayfield
Referee: Donal Courtney (Ireland)
Touch judges: Wayne Barnes (England), Hugh Watkins (Wales)
Television match official: George Clancy (Ireland)
Assessor: Patrick Robin (France)
Ireland vs England at Croke Park
Referee: Joël Jutge (France)
Touch judges: Nigel Whitehouse (Wales), Christophe Berdos (France)
Television match official: Romain Poite (France)
Assessor: Steve Hilditch (Ireland)
France vs Wales at Stade de France
Referee: Tony Spreadbury (England)
Touch judges: Alan Lewis (Ireland), Simon McDowell (Ireland)
Television match official: David Changleng (Scotland)
Assessor: Michel Lamoulie (France)
10 March 2007
Scotland vs Ireland at Murrayfield
Referee: Dave Pearson (England)
Touch judges: Nigel Owens (Wales), Tim Hayes (Wales)
Television match official: Hugh Watkins (Wales)
Assessor: Michel Lamoulie (France)
Italy vs Wales at Stadio Flaminio
Referee: Chris White (England)
Touch judges: Wayne Barnes (England), Taizo Hirabayashi (Japan)
Television match official: tba (England)
Assessor: Douglas Kerr (Scotland)
11 March 2007
England vs France at Twickenham
Referee: Jonathan Kaplan (South Africa)
Touch judges: Alain Rolland (Ireland), Craig Joubert (South Africa)
Television match official: Nigel Whitehouse (Wales)
Assessor: Steve Hilditch (Ireland)
17 March 2007
Italy vs Ireland at Stadio Flaminio
Referee: Jonathan Kaplan (South Africa)
Touch judges: Tony Spreadbury (England), Malcolm Changleng (Scotland)
Television match official: David Changleng (Scotland)
Assessor: Steve Hilditch (Ireland)
France vs Scotland at Stade de France
Referee: Craig Joubert (South Africa)
Touch judges: David Courtney (Ireland), Taizo Hirabayashi (Japan)
Television match official: Simon McDowell (Ireland)
Assessor: Michel Lamoulie (France)
Wales vs England at Millennium Stadium
Referee: Alain Rolland (Ireland)
Touch judges: Alan Lewis (Ireland), Christophe Berdos (France)
Television match official: George Clancy (Ireland)
Assessor: Jim Bailey (Wales)
