Mid-year refs appointed
The IRB has announced the match officials for the mid-year Tests, including those for the British & Irish Lions tour of Australia.
The referees for the three Lions' Tests are Chris Pollock, Craig Joubert and Romain Poite.
Besides that tour, there are referees for the Pacific Nations Cup, the Junior World Championship, the Nations Cup in Eastern Europe and the Friendlies when the North tumbles down into the South.
There are some newish names involved - Angus Gardner, Glen Jackson, Jonathon White, Ben Skeen, Nigel Williams, Francesco Pastrana, JP Doyle, Leighton Hodges, Greg Garner, John Lacey, Nick Briant, Jason Jaftha and Pascal Gauzère.
South Africa's refereeing boss André Watson is delighted by South Africa's participation - five people refereeing, two assistant referees, one TMO and two performance reviewers. Those refereeing are Craig Joubert, Jaco Peyper, Lourens van der Merwe Stuart Berry and Jason Jaftha. The assistant referees, apart from these five, are Marius Jonker and Christie du Preez. The TMO is Shaun Veldsman and the performance reviewers (assessors) are Tappe Henning and Dennis Immelman. They are involved in well over 20 matches.
Appointments
British & Irish Lions Tour of Australia
1 June 2013
British & Irish Lions vs Barbarians at Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong
Referee: Steve Walsh (Australia)
Assistant referees: Lourens van der Merwe (South Africa), Angus Gardner (Australia)
Television match official: Matt Goddard (Australia)
Assessor: Scott Young/Andrew Cole (Australia)
5 June 2013
Western Force vs British & Irish Lions at Patersons Stadium, Perth, Australia
Referee: Glen Jackson (New Zealand)
Assistant referees: Jaco Peyper (South Africa), Garratt Williamson (New Zealand)
Television match official: tba (New Zealand)
Assessor: Scott Young/Andrew Cole (Australia)
8 June 2013
Queensland Reds vs British & Irish Lions at Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane, Australia
Referee: Jaco Peyper (South Africa)
Assistant referees: Jérôme Garces (France), Garratt Williamson (New Zealand)
Television match official: tba (New Zealand)
Assessor: Scott Young/Andrew Cole (Australia)
11 June 2013
Combined New South Wales & Queensland Country vs British & Irish Lions at Hunter Stadium, Newcastle, Australia
Referee: Steve Walsh (Australia)
Assistant referees: Angus Gardner (Australia), James Leckie (Australia)
The above is according to the Australian Rugby Union. The IRB's appointment is below.
Combined New South Wales & Queensland Country vs British & Irish Lions at Hunter Stadium, Newcastle, Australia
Referee: Jérôme Garces (France)
Assistant referees: Glen Jackson (New Zealand), Jaco Peyper (South Africa)
Television match official: tba (New Zealand)
Assessor: Scott Young/Andrew Cole (Australia)
15 June 2013
NSW Waratahs vs British & Irish Lions at Sydney Football Stadium, Sydney
Referee: Jaco Peyper (South Africa)
Assistant referees: Jérôme Garces, Glen Jackson (New Zealand)
Television match official: tba (New Zealand)
Assessor: Scott Young/Andrew Cole (Australia)
18 June 2013
Act Brumbies vs British & Irish Lions at Canberra Stadium, Canberra
Referee: Jérôme Garces (France)
Assistant referees: Craig Joubert (South Africa), Jaco Peyper (South Africa)
Television match official: tba (New Zealand)
Assessor: Scott Young/Andrew Cole (Australia)
22 June 2013
Australia vs British & Irish Lions at Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
Referee: Chris Pollock (New Zealand)
Assistant referees: Craig Joubert, Romain Poite (France)
Television match official: Vinny Munro (New Zealand)
Assessor: Clayton Thomas
25 June 2013
Melbourne Rebels vs British & Irish Lions at AAMI Park, Melbourne
Referee: Glen Jackson (New Zealand)
Referee: Romain Poite (France), Craig Joubert (South Africa)
Television match official: Ben Skeen (New Zealand)
Assessor: Lyndon Bray
29 June 2013
Australia vs British & Irish Lions at Etihad Stadium, Melbourne
Referee: Craig Joubert
Assistant referees: Chris Pollock (New Zealand), Romain Poite (France)
Television match official: Ben Skeen (New Zealand)
Assessor: Lyndon Bray
6 July 2013
Australia vs British & Irish Lions Sydney
Referee: Romain Poite (France)
Assistant referees: Chris Pollock (New Zealand), Craig Joubert (South Africa)
Television match official: Vinny Munro (New Zealand)
Assessor: Tappe Henning
Pacific Nations Cup
25 May 2013
Japan vs Tonga at Nippatsu Mitsuzawa Stadium, Yokohama, Japan
Referee: Angus Gardner (Australia)
Assistant referees: tba (New Zealand, tba (Japan
Canada vs USA at Ellerslie Rugby Park, Edmonton, Canada
Referee: Francisco Pastrana (Argentina)
Assistant referees: tba (Canada)
1 June 2013
Fiji vs Japan at Churchill Park, Lautoka, Fiji
Referee: Garratt Williamson (New Zealand)
Assistant referees: tba (Fiji)
5 June 2013
Canada vs Fiji at Twin Elm Rugby Park, Ottowa, Canada
Referee: JP Doyle (England)
Assistant referees: tbs (USA)
8 June 2013
Canada vs Tonga at Richardson Stadium, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
Referee: JP Doyle (England)
Assistant referees: tba (USA)
14 June 2013
USA vs Tonga at Rio Tinto Stadium, Salt Lake City, USA
Referee: Francisco Pastrana (Argentina)
Assistant referees: tba (Canada)
19 June 2013
Japan vs Canada at Mizuho Rugby Ground, Nagoya, Japan
Referee: Jonathon White (New Zealand)
Assistant referees: tba (New Zealand), tba (Japan)
Assessor: Paddy O'Brien
19 June 2013
Fiji vs USA at Mizuho Rugby Ground, Nagoya, Japan
Referee: Greg Garner (England)
Assistant referees: tba (Japan)
Assessor: Paddy O'Brien
23 June 2013
Japan vs USA at Chichibunomiya Memorial, Tokyo, Japan
Referee: Greg Garner (England)
Assistant referees: tba (New Zealand), tba (Japan)
Assessor: Paddy O'Brien
Tonga vs Fiji at Chichibunomiya Memorial, Tokyo, Japan
Referee: Jonathon White (New Zealand)
Assistant referees: tba (Japan)
Assessor: Paddy O'Brien
Friendlies
26 May 2013
England vs Barbarians at Twickenham
Referee: Leighton Hodges (Wales)
Assistant referees: Nigel Owens (Wales), tba (England)
Assessor: Donal Courtney
8 June 2013
New Zealand vs France at Eden Park, Auckland
Referee: Wayne Barnes (England)
Assistant referees: Alain Rolland (Ireland), tba (Australia)
Television match official: Matt Goddard (Australia)
Assessor: Donal Courtney
Japan vs Wales in Osaka
Referee: Lourens an der Merwe (South Africa)
Assistant referees: Greg Garner (England), tba (Japan)
Assessor: Lyndon Bray
Scotland vs Samoa at Kings Park, Durban
Referee: John Lacey (Ireland)
Assistant referees: tba (South Africa)
Assessor: Dennis Immelman
South Africa vs Italy at Kings Park, Durban
Referee: Pascal Gauzère (France)
Assistant referees: Romain Poite (France), Nigel Hennessy (Wales)
Television match official: tba (South Africa)
Assessor: Nigel Williams
USA vs Ireland at BBV Compass Stadium, Houston
Referee: Francisco Pastrana (Argentina)
Assistant referees: tba (Canada)
Assessor: Clayton Thomas
Argentina vs England
Chris Pollock (New Zealand)
Assistant referees: Nigel Owens (Wales), Christie du Preez (South Africa)
Television match official: Shaun Veldsman (South Africa)
Assessor: Carlos Molinari (Argentina)
15 June 2013
New Zealand vs France at AMI Stadium, Christchurch
Referee: Alain Rolland (Ireland)
Assistant referees: Wayne Barnes (England), tba (Australia)
Television match official: George Ayoub (Australia)
Assessor: Lyndon Bray
Japan vs Wales in Tokyo
Referee: Greg Garner (England)
Assistant referees: Lourens van der Merwe (South Africa), tba (Japan)
Assessor: Tappe Henning (South Africa)
South Africa vs Scotland at Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit
Referee: Romain Poite (France)
Assistant referees: Pascal Gauzère (France), Nigel Hennessy (Wales)
Television match official: tba (South Africa)
Assessor: Dennis Immelman
Argentina vs England
Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales)
Assistant referees: Marius Jonker (South Africa), Christie du Preez (South Africa)
Television match official: Shaun Veldsman (South Africa)
Assessor: Carlos Molinari (Argentina)
Samoa vs Italy at Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit
Referee: Craig Joubert (South Africa)
Assistant referees: John Lacey (Ireland), tba (South Africa)
Television match official: tba (South Africa)
Assessor: Nigel Williams
Canada vs Ireland at BMO Field, Toronto
Referee: Leighton Hodges (Wales)
Assistant referees: tba (USA)
Assessor: Lyndon Bray
22 June 2013
New Zealand vs France at Yarrow Stadium, Plymouth
Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales)
Assistant referees: Wayne Barnes (England), Alain Rolland (Ireland)
Television match official: George Ayoub (Australia)
Assessor: Donal Courtney
Argentina vs Georgia
Referee: George Clancy (Ireland)
Assistant referees: Marius Jonker (South Africa), Christie du Preez (South Africa)
Television match official: Shaun Veldsman (South Africa)
Assessor: Carlos Molinari (Argentina)
22 June 2013
These matches are the final round of the quadrangular tournament involving Italy, Samoa, Scotland and South Africa
Team 3 vs Team 4 at Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
Referee: Pascal Gauzère (France)
Assistant referees: tba (South Africa)
Television match official: tba (South Africa)
Assessor: Dennis Immelman
Team 1 vs Team 2 at Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
Referee: John Lacey (Ireland)
Assistant referees: Nigel Hennessy (Wales), tba (New Zealand)
Television match official: tba (South Africa)
Assessor: Nigel Williams
Junior World Championship
This will be played in France in June.
Referees: Akihisa Aso (Japan), Stuart Berry (South Africa), Ian Davies (Wales), Mike Fraser (New Zealand), Andrew Lees (Australia), Andrew Mcmenemy (Scotland), Marius Mitrea (Italy), Luke Pearce (England), Dudley Phillips (Ireland)
Nations Cup
This will be played in Tbilisi and Bucharest.
Referees: Peter Fitzgibbon (Ireland), Neil Paterson (Scotland), Nick Briant (New Zealand), Jason Jaftha (South Africa), Joaquin Montes (Uruguay), Vlad Iordachescu (Romania)