Three South African Referees Named for November Test Duty
Top South African referees Craig Joubert, Marius van der Westhuizen and Jaco Peyper have each been tasked with taking charge of two Test matches in the November internationals. World Rugby said Joubert will officiate the clash between Wales and Australia at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff on 5 November and the Test between Fiji and […]
Top South African referees Craig Joubert, Marius van der Westhuizen and Jaco Peyper have each been tasked with taking charge of two Test matches in the November internationals.
World Rugby said Joubert will officiate the clash between Wales and Australia at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff on 5 November and the Test between Fiji and Japan on 27 November at Stade de la Rabine in France respectively, while Van der Westhuizen will take charge of the Tests between Ireland and Canada at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin on 12 November and the match between Wales and Japan in Cardiff on 19 November.
Peyper, meanwhile, will hold the whistle in the Tests between Ireland and New Zealand in Dublin on 19 November, and England and Australia at Twickenham on 3 December.
Peyper will also be referee-ing his second Currie Cup Final on Saturday, when the Free State Cheetahs host the Blue Bulls in Bloemfontein.
New Zealand’s Mike Fraser, meanwhile, will officiate the clash between the Barbarians and South Africa at Wembley Stadium in England on 5 November.
France’s Jerome Garces will take charge of the Test between the Springboks and England at Twickenham on 12 November.
Ireland’s George Clancy, meanwhile, will be assisted by his counterpart David Wilkinson and Nigel Owens of Wales for the Test between the Springboks and Italy at Stadio A Franchi in Florence on 19 November, with fellow Irishman Peter Fitzgibbon on TMO duty, while France’s Romain Poite will be in the middle when the Springboks take on Wales in Cardiff on 26 November, with a full English contingent of assistant referees Greg Gamer and Tom Foley and TMO Graham Hughes.
“With a year gone since Rugby World Cup 2015, we are very much looking ahead and developing fresh talent towards RWC 2019 in Japan,” said World Rugby Match Officials Selection Committee Chairman Anthony Buchanan.
“November provides us with a huge number of very challenging matches for the referees, assistant referees and TMOs. This gives us the opportunity to see how some emerging match officials perform under that increased pressure and intensity which international rugby provides.
“The ultimate goal is to arrive in Japan in 2019 with an established group of top-class, in-form officials with the necessary experience to perform at the highest level. Our focus continues to be clear and consistent decision-making and the highest standards of physical conditioning.”