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RWC 2023 Match Officials Announced

Two South Africans, Jaco Peyper and Marius Jonker, were included in the team of match officials World Rugby announced on Wednesday for Rugby World Cup 2023 in France later this year.

A total of 26 Emirates Match Officials (12 referees, seven assistant referees and seven Television Match Officials) representing nine nations with more than 630 test appearances between them, will take charge of the 48 tournament matches. The selection has been made on merit.

The 42-year-old Peyper, who has 61 Tests to his name and was appointed to handle the Heineken Champions Cup final in Dublin on 20 May, will referee at his third consecutive Rugby World Cup.

Jonker, 54, who has 30 Tests and 53 Test TMO appointments to his name, will be involved in his third Rugby World Cup tournament – one as referee and one as a TMO. 

In an experienced referee group, Wayne Barnes (England), holder of the most Test appearances (102), will officiate in a fifth-straight Rugby World Cup in the country in which he debuted in 2007, while Nika Amashukeli will make history as the first Georgian to officiate at a Rugby World Cup.

Rugby World Cup 2017 final referee Joy Neville (Ireland) becomes the first woman to officiate at a men’s Rugby World Cup, taking her place as TMO. Fellow TMO Ben Whitehouse (Wales) will follow in the footsteps of his father Nigel, who was an assistant referee and TMO at RWC 2003.

The nine nations represented on the panel are Australia, England, France, Georgia, Ireland, Italy, New Zealand, South Africa and Wales, with a total of 453 tests among the 12 referees (eight have refereed at a RWC).

The appointments for the RWC pool phase will be announced after the completion of the Castle Lager Rugby Championship and Rugby World Cup preparation matches.

RWC 2023 match official panel

Referees: Nika Amashukeli (Georgia), Wayne Barnes (England), Nic Berry (Australia), Andrew Brace (Ireland), Matthew Carley (England), Karl Dickson (England), Angus Gardner (Australia), Ben O’Keeffe (New Zealand), Luke Pearce (England), Jaco Peyper (South Africa), Mathieu Raynal (France), Paul Williams (New Zealand).

Assistant Referees: Chris Busby (Ireland), Pierre Brousset (France), James Doleman (New Zealand), Craig Evans (Wales), Andrea Piardi (Italy), Christophe Ridley (England), Jordan Way (Australia).

Television Match Officials: Brett Cronan (Australia), Tom Foley (England), Marius Jonker (South Africa), Brian MacNeice (Ireland), Joy Neville (Ireland), Brendon Pickerill (New Zealand), Ben Whitehouse (Wales).

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  1. Sport Trivia: Who was South Africa\’s first Olympic Gold Medal winner? Answer: Reginald Walker. Reginald Walker was born in 1889 in Natal and in 1907 was the South African 100m champion. He battled with finances to get to London for the 1908 Summer Olympics but once he was there he managed, very unexpectedly to all those competing, to beat the field and walk off with the Gold for the 100m. As at 2005 Reggie Walker was still the youngest winner of the 100m Olympic Gold Medal.

  2. South Africa’s triumph in the 1995 Rugby World Cup, held in South Africa, was a symbol of unity for the nation, with the iconic image of Nelson Mandela wearing a Springbok jersey while handing the trophy to captain Francois Pienaar. This event was immortalized in the 2009 film “Invictus.”