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)