The match officials for the three Tests between the Springboks and the British & Irish Lions have officially been announced.
Nic Berry (Australia), Ben O’Keeffe (New Zealand) and Mathieu Raynal (France) have been appointed to officiate the Tests between the Springboks and Lions, and will be joined by five leading South African referees for the Lions series.
Jaco Peyper, AJ Jacobs, Marius van der Westhuizen and television match officials Marius Jonker and Stuart Berry were all named on the referee panel announced by World Rugby.
The Lions series will be particularly significant for Peyper, as it will be his fourth British & Irish Lions tour as a match official.
Jacobs will wield the whistle in the opening match between the Emirates Lions and B&I Lions in Johannesburg on Saturday, 3 July, while Peyper will be the man in the middle in the first midweek clash between the Cell C Sharks and Lions on Wednesday, 7 July, also at Ellis Park, as well as the South Africa A match in Cape Town on Wednesday, 14 July.
Berry, O’Keeffe and Raynal will be taking charge of the three Tests. New Zealand’s Brendon Pickerill will serve as the TMO in all three Test matches.
Mike Adamson from Scotland will be the man in the middle in the Springboks’ return to Test rugby, against Georgia on 2 July, with Ireland’s Frank Murphy taking charge of the second Test against the Lelos, on 9 July.
SA Rugby director of rugby Rassie Erasmus congratulated the contingent of South African referees appointed for this memorable international season.
‘Participating in a British & Irish Lions series is a remarkable achievement, especially since this significant occasion only comes around every 12 years, so I’d like to congratulate our match officials who have been appointed to officiate in this year’s spectacle,’ said Erasmus.
‘They are all world-class referees and their appointments in the series and the July internationals against Georgia serve as confirmation of that, and the quality of the refereeing structures in South Africa.
‘Just as every player who meets the British & Irish Lions cherishes the opportunity to face them, I have no doubt these deserving referees will do the same.’
Photo: Gallo Images
