Peyper and Jonker to officiate at Rugby World Cup

As expected, Jaco Peyper and Marius Jonker were the only South Africans included as match officials for this year's Rugby World Cup (RWC) in France.

Twenty-six 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.

Announcing the list, World Rugby stressed the appointments were made on merit.

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

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

The list also includes Joy Neville, the first woman named on the match official panel for a men’s RWC. She refereed the RWC 2017 final.

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

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 453 Tests among the 12 referees (eight have refereed at a RWC).

The appointments for the pool phase will be announced after the completion of the Rugby Championship and RWC 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).

Other important points

• First RWC selection as referee for Matthew Carley, Karl Dickson and Andrew Brace (assistant referees at RWC 2019)

• Three Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games match officials (James Doleman, Jordan Way and Craig Evans)

• Neville and Whitehouse were both on the Rugby World Cup 2021 panel as referee and TMO respectively