Frenchmen Dominate Rugby Championship Referees

Frenchmen dominate Rugby Championship referees. Today’s announcement of match officials  has four different French officials appointed as referees for the premier Southern Hemisphere competition. No other country has three, with New Zealand the only one to have two.

Of Argentina’s six matches three are to be refereed by Frenchmen. In round one Romain Poite will officiate Los Pumas’ away match against South Africa. He was in charge of this past Saturday’s deciding fixture between New Zealand and the British & Irish Lions.

The same two sides will got rom Port Elizabeth to Salta for round two. The August 26 fixture is to be refereed by Pascal Gauzere, also of France.

In round three and four Los Pumas will play away matches in Oceania. This year the games are to be played in New Plymouth and Canberra. The fixture against the All Blacks will be officiated by Australian Angus Gardner. Meanwhile in Canberra Irishman John Lacey will be in charge.

In rounds five and six Argentina will play at home. On September 30 Los Pumas will take-on the All Blacks in Buenos Aires. South African Jaco Peyper will referee the match in Buenos Aires. He refereed the corresponding fixture in all prior Rugby Championships except for 2014. That year another South African, Craig Joubert, was in charge.

The final round match against the Wallabies will be played in Mendoza. France’s Mathieu Raynal will referee the match. He refereed the corresponding fixture in 2016. On that occasion the teams met in London, England.