SANZAR appoints referees for Super 14

Officials for the first four rounds appointed

SANZAR, the body which organises the Tri-Nations and the Super 14, has announced the referees for the first four rounds of the 2007 Super 14.

Commenting on the referees, Peter Marshall, Australia's referee manager and the referees coordinator for SANZAR, said: "Season 2007 will see a good mixture of experienced referees like Paul Honiss, Steve Walsh, Stuart Dickinson and Jonathan Kaplan and some younger referees like Paul Marks, Chris Pollock, Jerome Fortuin and James Leckie officiating in Super 14.

"With 2007 being a Rugby World Cup year, match officials will be out to impress the International Rugby Board Referee Selectors.

As Bryce Lawrence did last year, Paul Honiss will blow the whistle to start the 2007 Super 14. Again the competition will kick off with a New Zealand derby, this time the Blues vs Crusaders in Auckland on Friday February 2. Last year it was the Blues against the Hurricanes.

The appointments for the first four rounds.

Week 1

Blues vs Crusaders in Auckland
Referee: Paul Honiss (New Zealand)
Touch judges: Bryce Lawrence (New Zealand), Gary Wise (New Zealand)
Television match official: Ben Skeen (New Zealand)

Western Force vs Highlanders in Perth
Referee: JC Fortuin (South Africa)
Touch judges: Pro Legoete (South Africa), James Scholtens (Australia)
Television match official: Bradley Wahl (Australia)

Lions vs Waratahs in Johannesburg
Referee: Chris Pollock (New Zealand)
Touch judges: Keith Brown (New Zealand), Johann Meuwesen (South Africa)
Television match official: Shaun Veldsman (South Africa)

Chiefs vs Brumbies in Hamilton
Referee: Mark Lawrence (South Africa)
Touch judges: Deon van Blommestein (South Africa), Gary Wise (New Zealand)
Television match official: Ben Skeen (New Zealand)

Reds vs Hurricanes in Brisbane (New Zealand)
Referee: Jonathan Kaplan (South Africa)
Touch judges: Christie du Preez (South Africa), Stuart Dickinson (Australia)
Television match official: James Leckie (Australia)

Sharks vs Bulls in Durban
Referee: Lyndon Bray (New Zealand)
Touch judges: Vinny Munro (South Africa), Jaco Peyper (South Africa)
Television match official: Johann Meuwesen (South Africa)

Cheetahs vs Stormers in Bloemfontein
Referee: Craig Joubert (South Africa)
Touch judges: Linston Manuels (South Africa), Deon van Blommestein (South Africa)
Television match official: Shaun Veldsman (South Africa)
 
Week 2

Chiefs vs Hurricanes in Hamilton
Referee: Bryce Lawrence (New Zealand)
Touch judges: Paul Honiss (New Zealand), Gary Wise (New Zealand)
Television match official: Chris Rooney (New Zealand)

Stormers vs Western Force in Cape Town
Referee: Lyndon Bray (New Zealand)
Touch judges: Vinny Munro (New Zealand), Linston Manuels (South Africa)
Television match official: Shaun Veldsman (South Africa)

Sharks vs Waratahs in Durban
Referee: Chris Pollock (New Zealand)
Touch judges: Keith Brown (New Zealand), Deon van Blommestein (South Africa)
Television match official: Johann Meuwesen (South Africa)

Crusaders vs Reds in Christchurch
Referee: Mark Lawrence (South Africa)
Touch judges: Craig Joubert (South Africa), Gary Wise (New Zealand)
Television match official: Ben Skeen (New Zealand)

Brumbies vs Blues in Canberra
Referee: Jonathan Kaplan (South Africa)
Touch judges: Christie du Preez (South Africa), Stuart Dickinson (Australia)
Television match official: Andrew Lindsay (Australia)

Bulls vs Cheetahs in Pretoria
Referee: JC Fortuin (South Africa)
Touch judges: Phillip Bosch (South Africa), Pro Legoete (South Africa)
Television match official: Shaun Veldsman (South Africa)

Lions vs Highlanders in Johannesburg
Referee: Paul Marks (Australia)
Touch judges: Brett Bowden (Australia), Marius Jonker (South Africa)
Television match official: Johann Meuwesen (South Africa) 
 
Week 3

Stormers vs Chiefs in Cape Town
Referee: Paul Marks (Australia)
Touch judges: Brett Bowden (Australia), Willie Roos (South Africa)
Television match official: Shaun Veldsman (South Africa)

Bulls vs Western Force in Pretoria
Referee: Chris Pollock (New Zealand)
Touch judges: Keith Brown (New Zealand), Marius Jonker (South Africa)
Television match official: Johann Meuwesen (South Africa)

Reds vs Brumbies in Brisbane
Referee: Stuart Dickinson (Australia)
Touch judges: Matt Goddard (Australia), James Scholtens (Australia)
Television match official: Nathan Pearce (Australia)

Hurricanes vs Blues in Wellington
Referee: Jonathan Kaplan (South Africa)
Touch judges: Christie du Preez (South Africa), Paul Honiss (New Zealand)
Television match official: Gary Wise (New Zealand)

Cheetahs vs Waratahs in Kimberley
Referee: Lyndon Bray (New Zealand)
Touch judges: Vinny Munro (New Zealand), Pro Legoete (South Africa)
Television match official: Deon van Blommestein (South Africa)

Lions vs Crusaders in Johannesburg
Referee: Brett Bowden (Australia)
Touch judges: Paul Marks (Australia), Mark Lawrence (South Africa)
Television match official: Johann Meuwesen (South Africa)

Sharks vs Highlanders in Durban
Referee: James Leckie (Australia)
Touch judges: Geoff Acton (Australia), JC Fortuin (South Africa)
Television match official: Shaun Veldsman (South Africa)

Week 4

Hurricanes vs Brumbies in Wellington
Referee: Craig Joubert (South Africa)
Touch judges: Willie Roos (South Africa), Matt Stanish (New Zealand)
Television match official: Gary Wise (New Zealand)

Highlanders vs Stormers in Dunedin
Referee: Matt Goddard (Australia)
Touch judges: Andrew Lindsay (Australia), Vinny Munro (New Zealand)
Television match official: Brent Murray (New Zealand)

Blues vs Reds in Auckland
Referee: Willie Roos (South Africa)
Touch judges: Craig Joubert (South Africa), Brent Murray (New Zealand)
Television match official: Chris Rooney (New Zealand)

Western Force vs Lions in Perth
Referee: Bryce Lawrence (New Zealand)
Touch judges: Josh Noonan (New Zealand), Julian Pritchard (Australia)
Television match official: Bradley Wahl (Australia)

Bulls vs Chiefs in Pretoria
Referee: Brett Bowden (Australia)
Touch judges: Geoff Acton (Australia), Phillip Bosch (South Africa)
Television match official: Johann Meuwesen (South Africa)

Cheetahs vs Crusaders in Bloemfontein
Referee: James Leckie (Australia)
Touch judges: Daniel Cheever (Australia), Gareth Lloyd-Jones (South Africa)
Television match official: Shaun Veldsman (South Africa)