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The sport’s governing body, World Rugby has appointed a panel of twelve referees for Rugby World Cup 2023 in France this year. In a bold statement World Rugby is labeling the panel as Everyone’s team.
The referees are not from all corners of the world nor are they from twelve different countries. Four of the twelve referees are from one country. The nationalities attributed to the officials is limited to the former Tri Nations and Five Nations.
With World Rugby also having gone back on eligibility tightening promises has Bill Beaumont used the DMC Delorean and turned back the clock to 1999? Alarmingly, under Beaumont’s leadership Australia’s Jack Dempsey now plays for Scotland. All while Spain was disqualified. Follow the rules.
A lot has changed since 1999 but not in rugby. No referee from the Americas will feature at Rugby World Cup 2023. None of the twelve are from the Western Hemisphere. None of the twelve are Spanish speakers; yet, Argentina, Chile and Uruguay will all compete at the World Cup.
World Rugby’s statement of Everybody’s Team also declared that the selection has been made on merit. No details were presented to explain merit. The Chairman of the Match Officials Selection Committee is Graham Mourie (New Zealand). World Rugby’s High Performance 15s Match Official Manager is Joël Jutge (France).
24 of the 26 people chosen by Mourie, Jutge and their colleagues are from what is commonly referred to as the Old Boy’s Club. That is to say they are from one of England, France, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. The officials from other countries are Nika Amashukeli (Georgia) and Andrea Piardi (Italy).
History will be made at the World Cup in Nantes, France this year. Argentina face Chile in a pool match. It is to be the first ever meeting between two South American teams at the Rugby World Cup. The Argentina XV vs Chile is an annual contest. It is always refereed in Spanish. At the World Cup it will be refereed in English because World Rugby have appointed no Spanish-Speakers on their panel.
Super Rugby Americas (formerly Súper Liga Americana de Rugby – SLAR) and Major League Rugby (MLR) are both professional rugby competitions. The former is refereed in Spanish with matches involving the Raptors being refereed in Spanish and English.
From the former Nehuén Jauri Rivero (AR), Damien Schneider (AR) or Tomás Bertazza (AR) are examples of referees who could officiate matches such as Uruguay vs Namibia, Uruguay vs Italy or Chile vs Samoa. They could do so with calls in Spanish for Uruguay or Chile and in English for the other side. Francisco González (UY) is an example of a referee who could officiate Argentina vs Chile in Spanish.
RUGBY WORLD CUP 2023 – REFEREES
Nic Berry (Australia), Angus Gardner (Australia), Wayne Barnes (England), Matthew Carley (England), Karl Dickson (England), Luke Pearce (England), Mathieu Raynal (France), Nika Amashukeli (Georgia), Andrew Brace (Ireland), Ben O’Keeffe (New Zealand), Paul Williams (New Zealand), Jaco Peyper (South Africa).
RUGBY WORLD CUP 2023 – ASSISTANT REFEREES
Chris Busby (Ireland), Pierre Brousset (France), James Doleman (New Zealand), Craig Evans (Wales), Andrea Piardi (Italy), Christophe Ridley (England), Jordan Way (Australia).
RUGBY WORLD CUP 2023 – TELEVISION MATCH OFFICIALS (TMO)
Brett Cronan (Australia), Tom Foley (England), Marius Jonker (South Africa), Brian MacNeice (Ireland), Joy Neville (Ireland), Brendon Pickerill (New Zealand), Ben Whitehouse (Wales).
