Final whistle for Lewis

Irish international referee Alan Lewis has called it a day. He will retrire soon, at the end of the current season.

Lewis had had a wonderful refereeing career, that includes 45 Test matches, which makes him one of the most capped referees the rugby world has known, and a record 83 Heineken Cup games, including the 2007 final between London Wasps and Leicester.

Lewis said: "Now just feels the right time to finish up. It's a natural progression and one I have been discussing with my family and Owen Doyle in the IRFU over the past few months. I feel very privileged and honoured to have been involved at this level for so long. I have enjoyed every minute hugely."

Obviously he is disappointed that he did not make the cut for the 2011 World Cup, which he was entitled to hope for as one of the IRB's top referees. Lewis said: "Of course there's a twinge of disappointment; I wouldn't be human if there wasn't," he said. "The main thing now is to wish all match officials great enjoyment and success in New Zealand."

Lewis,  the managing director of an insurance brokerage, was born in County Cork on 1 June 1964. He started refereeing in 1987 and refereed his first Test in 1998, Argentina vs France. He is famous as the captain of Ireland's cricket team.