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Not a single South African among Rugby Championship's 12 referees

Jaco Peyper /Getty Images

Not a single South African referee has made the 12-man cut for this year’s Rugby Championship. The World Rugby match officials have been appointed for this year’s competition, which runs from August 6 to September 24.

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Following a busy schedule of Test matches across June and July, 12 referees will take charge of the matches within a team of 26 match officials, including assistant referees and television match officials.

What is surprising is that there is no Jaco Peyper. In fact, there are no South Africans among those 12 referees.

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Marius van der Westhuizen has been appointed as the TMO for the Los Pumas v Wallabies clashes in Argentina.

Mike Adamson (Scotland), Nika Amashukeli (Georgia) and James Doleman (New Zealand) will make their Championship debuts.

Adamson will become the first Scottish official to referee in the tournament since Jim Fleming in the 1999 Tri-Nations.

Mathieu Raynal (France) will referee in The Rugby Championship for first time since 2018.

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World Rugby Match Officials Selection Committee Chairman Graham Mourie said: “We have a group of very committed match officials who, like players, continually work on their game through a robust, team-driven 360 degree review process.

“As we move closer to France 2023, we are growing as a team and the focus continues to be on consistent officiating of the clear and obvious with a particular emphasis on safety, speed and space.”

Match officials for 2022 Rugby Championship
Saturday, August 6:

South Africa v New Zealand
(Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit)

Referee: Angus Gardner (RA)
Assistant referees: Luke Pearce (RFU), Christophe Ridley (RFU)
TMO: Brett Cronan (RA)

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Argentina v Australia
(Estadio Malvinas Argentinas, Mendoza)

Referee: Mike Adamson (SRU)
Assistant referees:: Karl Dickson (RFU), Chris Busby (IRFU)
TMO: Marius van der Westhuizen (SARU)

Saturday, August 13:

South Africa v New Zealand
(Ellis Park, Johannesburg)

Referee: Luke Pearce (RFU)
Assistant referees: Angus Gardner (RA), Christophe Ridley (RFU)
TMO: Brett Cronan (RA)

Argentina v Australia
(Estadio San Juan del Bicentenario, San Juan)

Referee: Karl Dickson (RFU)
Assistant referees: Mike Adamson (SRU), Chris Busby (IRFU)
TMO: Marius van der Westhuizen (SARU)

Saturday, August 27:

New Zealand v Argentina
(Christchurch Stadium, Christchurch)

Referee: Nika Amashukeli (GRU)
Assistant referees: Nic Berry (RA), Jordan Way (RA)
TMO: Brian MacNeice (IRFU)

Australia v South Africa
(Adelaide Oval, Adelaide)

Referee: Paul Williams (NZR)
Assistant referees: Ben O’Keeffe (NZR), Tual Trainini (FFR)
TMO: Brendon Pickerill (NZR)

Saturday, September 3:

New Zealand v Argentina
(Waikato Stadium, Hamilton)

Referee: Nic Berry (RA)
Assistant referees: Nika Amashukeli (GRU), Jordan Way (RA)
TMO: Brian MacNeice (IRFU)

Australia v South Africa
(Sydney Football Stadium, Sydney)

Referee: Ben O’Keeffe (NZR)
Assistant referees: Paul Williams (NZR), Tual Trainini (FFR)
TMO: Brendon Pickerill (NZR)

Thursday, September 15:

Australia v New Zealand
(Docklands Stadium, Melbourne)

Referee: Mathieu Raynal (FFR)
Assistant referees: Andrew Brace (IRFU), Pierre Brousset (FFR)
TMO: Ben Whitehouse (WRU)

Saturday, September 17:

Argentina v South Africa
(José Amalfitani Stadium, Buenos Aires)

Referee: James Doleman (NZR)
Assistant referees: Damon Murphy (RA), Craig Evans (WRU)
TMO: Chris Hart (NZR)

Saturday, September 24:

New Zealand v Australia
(Eden Park, Auckland)

Referee: Andrew Brace (IRFU)
Assistant referees: Mathieu Raynal (FFR), Pierre Brousset (FFR)
TMO: Ben Whitehouse (WRU)

South Africa v Argentina
(Kings Park, Durban)

Referee: Damon Murphy (RA)
Assistant referees: Frank Murphy (IRFU), Andrea Piardi (FIR)
TMO: Chris Hart (NZR)

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Comments

7 Comments
R
Rob 802 days ago

Saturday, August 27:

Australia v South Africa
(Adelaide Oval, Adelaide)
____*Referee: Paul Williams (NZR)____ should be fired
Assistant referees: Ben O’Keeffe (NZR), Tual Trainini (FFR)
TMO: Brendon Pickerill (NZR)*
and the rest for not correcting him on the multiple blatant shoulder charges to head by Marika Koroibete.
Safety first, my arse.

World Rugby Match Officials Selection Committee Chairman, Graham Mourie. Another NZ official who should be fired.

B
Bill 811 days ago

Absolute travesty to Rugby in total. There needs to be a TOTAL OVERALL of International rugby officiating selection and accountability. The amount of pointiest errors made by rugby officials over the first 3 weekends of this tournament is proof of the biasedness inherent in the upper structures. BRING BACK RASSIE.

K
Kenneth 846 days ago

Very interesting.....Nic Barry is also there what a joke on this selections....

B
Belson 847 days ago

Utterly ridiculous when you consider you have refereeing imbeciles like Angus the Gardener, Ben O’Thief, Nick Dingleberry and a whole lot of other clowns I won’t even bother naming. After we beat NZ 2-O we should just pull out of the rest of the tournament and refuse to participate further.

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J
JPM 2 hours ago
Forget Ireland, the All Blacks face the real alpha of Europe next

Unfortunately you don't know anything about French rugby, coaches and players but still making a lot of assumptions and judgements to push your prefabricated and simplistic point of view that Dupont is manipulating everything and is a bad guy. I am not a NZ rugby specialist and wouldn't dare make such theories about what is going on within the ABs team. Therefore my advice to you is to do like Dupont and stay humble when you don't know all the background of the issues !!!


Firstly if you knew a bit of Galthié, he is not the type of coach who is going to ask advice to his players and even his captain about team selection. He is as stubborn as you...


Second Ramos has played a lot of times as 10 with Toulouse and therefore Dupont (in particular when Ntamack is injured and unfortunately it has often happened recently and for long periods). He even played 10 during the last 3 games of the 2024 6N and this was far better performance than the first two games with Jalibert as 10.


Thirdly Jalibert lacked of respect to a La Rochelle player so your theory is once again out.


Fourth as I explained to you Galthié went for a 6-2 bench and Jalibert can only play 10 which doesn't fit that plan. Furthermore as 15 Buros is better under high balls than Ramos and everybody is prepared for a tactical kicking game.


So you can blame Galthié for a lot of things (as you clearly enjoy doing at the end of your post and you should be very happy as an AB fan) but certainly not Dupont. Sorry once more for your conspiracy theory.


And don't worry about potential disharmony in the French team; they are excellent mates around their captain. Jalibert is well known in the French rugby circles to have not a strong character (and we saw that in the WC quarter finals as he is very nervous in any decisive international game unlike Ntamack and Ramos as for his late penalty kick vs England this year).


In conclusion enjoy the game tmrw night. It is good that the ABs are very upset; we should watch a great game of rugby. I hope for running rugby and not too much kicking. With 5 key players injured on our side (Ntamack, Baille, Atonio, Cros and Penaud) and 2 on your side I and various French fans see you as favourites. I obviously hope for another result.


If you are interested you can read a good article in the Guardian on the subject of France-NZ games.

92 Go to comments
K
KB 2 hours ago
The 'one difference' between Boks and the back-to-back All Blacks

Consistency hasnt been there they have many great players SA were also not unbeaten in the 2023 WC - NZ were in 2015 WC McCaw and Carter Nonu and Smith - SA did not have those Marque players in those postions in 2019 or 2023 - I wouldnt rank them ahead of the 20I5 ABs - They clocked up 60 points against France in the QF - Furthermore I do not believe for one moment SA won 2023 fairly no way - they were so favoured it became obvious that behind the scenes SA the nation bought the title - Their last 3 matches were won by a solitary point there were many contentious decisions that went their way that it became obvious it wasnt coincidence - Sport has been hijacked by a satanic cult just as is Politics

Some players coaches officials and sponsors are involved - they know who they are - its called Freemasonry - any sport that allows betting is corrupt - its not all about money either for these parasites its also about control - Lots of American NFL players have spoken openly about games being scripted - Football is also rigged Referees have been caught on film showing freemason hand signs - The 95 RWC final ranks as the highest and most obvious attempt at cheating There was no way SA were going to allow NZ to gate crash Nelson Mandelas reunification party - NZ were so good they had to posion almost the entire team to get a 3 point win - a Hollywood Movie ( theres your Red Flag ) was made about SAs triumph called Invictus


William Henley wrote a poem called Invictus


It starts


Out of the night that covers me BLACK ( All Blacks ) as the pit from pole to pole, I thank whatever GODS maybe for my unconquerable Soul ...( Olan says INVICTUS is an evil Malevolent entity who corrupted the Titans ... this is Mandelas double meaning speech ( hes a fraud ) - of thanks for helping overcome SA's adversary NZ - There is only ONE true God Yahuah - Only a false god would be complicit in Cheating Corruption and Harming others to win a RWC for a sick and sinful Nation ) the poem ends with


I am the CAPTAIN of my soul


SA will forever bear the stain of guilt and disgrace over their involvement in poisoning the ABs a day before the 95 RWC Final

13 Go to comments
C
CO 2 hours ago
Forget Ireland, the All Blacks face the real alpha of Europe next

I cannot believe that you don't think the French rugby team coach and captain are not discussing putting Jalibert on the bench in favour of Duponts club teammate that doesn't even play at 10.


This is a terrible, massive insult to a 10 and I'm sure Dupont would also be very enraged if benched for a player that doesn't even play halfback.


A good captain would've insisted to the coach that it was an idea of madness and either select Jalibert or replace him with another 10 if you want him to be reserve.


Jalibert may not be the world's finest tacklers but that's often not a tens main strength that the loose forwards and second five cover. An intercept pass is never great but they happen.


When any player is playing for his club then it's club first, respect doesn't need to be shown to opposition players simply because they're internationals.


Who exactly are you claiming Jalibert hasn't respected? If it's Toulouse international players then it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure this bench demotion out.


The outcome of selecting Jalibert to the bench and he then throwing his croissants out the window of the team bus immediately prior to playing the Allblacks is a disaster that will be team disharmony as any team mates of Jalibert are in a state of anger and revolt so a performance that will be sub optimal against a team that is thirsting for revenge against France.


I don't know about you but the Allblacks are very upset they've lost twice in a row to France and want to put out a statement performance so this preparation by Galthie of creating havoc looks to me like a coach that is clueless.

92 Go to comments
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