Romain PoiteSteve WalshFrancisco PastranaIRBNo, this is no April Fools joke, it is true… the IRB has released the names of the Match Official Appointments for the June International Test window!

Romain Poite (FFR), hated by most South Africans, will referee the match between South Africa and Wales on 14 June 2014 at Growthpoint Kings Park and will be assisted by Steve Walsh (ARU), Francisco Pastrana (UAR) and Vinnie Munro (NZR).

One could be forgiven to believe, despite our assurances, that this MUST SURELY be an April Fools joke, because apart from the run-in with Romain Poite, South Africans have had run-in’s by Steve Walsh too and just recently Francisco Pastrana was taken off the Super Rugby officiating lists till further notice for his abhorrent and totally inept refereeing performance against yet another South African side.

Let’s cut to the chase and just place the Official Appointments list here for you…

 

JUNE 2014 INTERNATIONAL MATCH OFFICIAL APPOINTMENTS                 

DATE KO TOURNAMENT FIXTURE VENUE REFEREE ASSISTANT REFEREE 1 ASSISTANT REFEREE 2 TMO
30 05 14 International Japan v Samoa Prince Chichibu Memorial Stadium, Tokyo John Lacey (IRFU) Dudley Phillips (IRFU) IRFU Appointment Simon McDowell (IRFU)
1 06 14 15:00 Representative Match England v Barbarians Twickenham, London Mathieu Raynal (FFR) WRU Appointment WRU Appointment Gareth Simmonds (WRU)
7 06 14 19:35 International New Zealand v England Eden Park, Auckland Nigel Owens (WRU) Jaco Peyper (SARU) Jérôme Garces (FFR) George Ayoub (ARU)
7 06 14 International Fiji v Italy National Stadium, Suva JP Doyle (FRU) Rohan Hoffman (ARU) James Leckie (ARU) NO TMO
7 06 14 20:00 International Australia v France Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane Craig Joubert (SARU) Chris Pollock (NZR) Garratt Williamson (NZR) Ben Skeen (NZR)
7 06 14 International Argentina v Ireland Estadio Centenario, Resistencia, Chaco Glen Jackson (NZR) Mike Fraser (NZR) Jaco van Heerden (SARU) Shaun Veldsman (SARU)
7 06 14 International USA v Scotland BBVA Compass Stadium, Houston Pascal Gauzere (FFR) Francisco Pastrana (UAR) Chris Assmus (Rugby
Canada)
Andrew Hosie (Rugby Canada)
14 06 14 19:35 International New Zealand v England Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin Jaco Peyper (SARU) Nigel Owens (WRU) Jérôme Garces (FFR) George Ayoub (ARU)
14 06 14 International Samoa v Italy Apia Park, Apia George Clancy (IRFU) Andrew Lees (ARU) James Leckie (ARU) NO TMO
14 06 14 20:00 International Australia v France Etihad Stadium, Melbourne Wayne Barnes (RFU) Craig Joubert (SARU) Chris Pollock (NZR) Glenn Newman (NZR)
14 06 14 17:00 International South Africa v Wales King’s Park, Durban Romain Poite (FFR) Steve Walsh (ARU) Francisco Pastrana (UAR) Vinny Munro (NZR)
14 06 14 International Argentina v Ireland Estadio Jose Fierro, Tucuman Pascal Gauzere (FFR) Glen Jackson (NZR) Lourens van der Merwe
(SARU)
Shaun Veldsman (SARU)
14 06 14 International Canada v Scotland BMO Field, Toronto Mike Fraser (NZR) Stuart Berry (SARU) Nick Ricono (USA Rugby) Dave Ardrey (USA Rugby)
17 06 14 Representative Match Crusaders v England AMI Stadium, Christchurch Nigel Owens (WRU) Andrew Lees (ARU) James Leckie (ARU) George Ayoub (ARU)
21 06 14 19:35 International New Zealand v England Waikato Stadium, Hamilton Jérôme Garces (FFR) Nigel Owens (WRU) James Leckie (ARU) George Ayoub (ARU)
21 06 14 20:00 International Australia v France Allianz Stadium, Sydney Chris Pollock (NZR) Wayne Barnes (RFU) George Clancy (IRFU) Ben Skeen (NZR)
21 06 14 International Japan v Italy Prince Chichibu Memorial Stadium, Tokyo Jaco Peyper (SARU) Garratt Williamson (NZR) Brendon Pickerill (NZR) Peter Marshall (ARU)
21 06 14 17:00 International South Africa v Wales Mbombella Stadium, Nelspruit Steve Walsh (ARU) Romain Poite (FFR) Francisco Pastrana (UAR) Vinny Munro (NZR)
21 06 14 International Argentina v Scotland Cordoba John Lacey (IRFU) Pascal Gauzere (FFR) Lourens van der Merwe
(SARU)
Deon van Blommestein (SARU)
22 06 14 Representative Match Pacific Barbarians v Tonga (TBC) Mt Smart Stadium, New Zealand Nick Briant (NZR) NZR Appointment NZR Appointment NZR Appointment
28 06 14 17:00 International South Africa v Scotland Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port
Elizabeth
Glen Jackson (NZR) Romain Poite (FFR) John Lacey (IRFU) Vinny Munro (NZR)
2 06 14 JWC JWC 2014: Round 1 New Zealand Federico Anselmi (UAR) Joaquin Montes (URU) Vlad Iordachescu (FRR) Matt O’Brien (ARU)
Marius van der Westhuizen (SARU)
Ben O’Keeffe (NZR) Alexandre Ruiz (FFR) Akihisa Aso (JRFU) Angus Gardner (ARU)
6 06 14 JWC JWC 2014: Round 2 New Zealand
10 06 14 JWC JWC 2014: Round 3 New Zealand
15 06 14 JWC JWC 2014: Round 4 New Zealand
20 06 14 JWC JWC 2014: Round 5 New Zealand
13 06 14 17:00 IRB Nations Cup Emerging Ireland v Russia Stadionul National Arcul de Triumf, Bucharest Match Official Team
Chris Assmus (Rugby Canada) Marius Mitrea (FIR)
Ian Davies (WRU)
13 06 14 19:00 IRB Nations Cup Romania v Uruguay Stadionul National Arcul de Triumf, Bucharest
18 06 14 17:00 IRB Nations Cup Emerging Ireland v Uruguay Stadionul National Arcul de Triumf, Bucharest
18 06 14 19:00 IRB Nations Cup Romania v Russia Stadionul National Arcul de Triumf, Bucharest
22 06 14 17:00 IRB Nations Cup Russia v Uruguay Stadionul National Arcul de Triumf, Bucharest
22 06 14 19:00 IRB Nations Cup Romania v Emerging Ireland Stadionul National Arcul de Triumf, Bucharest
28-06-14 RWC 2015 Qualifier Fiji v Cook Islands National Stadium, Suva Nick Briant (NZR) NZR Appointment ARU Appointment
28-06-14 13:00 RWC 2015 Qualifier Kenya v Namibia Mahamasi Stadium, Antananarivo, Madagascar Luke Pearce (RFU) Francisco Pastrana (UAR) SARU Appointment
28-06-14 15:00 RWC 2015 Qualifier Zimbabwe v Madagascar Mahamasi Stadium, Antananarivo, Madagascar Lourens van der Merwe
(SARU)
Francisco Pastrana (UAR) SARU Appointment
02-07-14 13:00 RWC 2015 Qualifier Zimbabwe v Namibia Mahamasi Stadium, Antananarivo, Madagascar Francisco Pastrana (UAR) Lourens van der Merwe
(SARU)
SARU Appointment
02-07-14 15:00 RWC 2015 Qualifier Kenya v Madagascar Mahamasi Stadium, Antananarivo, Madagascar Luke Pearce (RFU) Lourens van der Merwe
(SARU)
SARU Appointment
06-07-14 13:00 RWC 2015 Qualifier Kenya v Zimbabwe Mahamasi Stadium, Antananarivo, Madagascar Lourens van der Merwe
(SARU)
Luke Pearce (RFU) SARU Appointment
06-07-14 15:00 RWC 2015 Qualifier Madagascar v Namibia Mahamasi Stadium, Antananarivo, Madagascar Francisco Pastrana (UAR) Luke Pearce (RFU) SARU Appointment

I kid you not, unless the IRB is FULLY into April Fools jokes!

116 Responses to Match Officials: June Internationals – Guess what, Bokke gets Poite, Walsh & Pastrana to referee!

  • 1

    I farking cannot believe it… I just cannot!

  • 2

    @1
    I saw that earlier, was thinking it’s some sort of sick April’s fool joke.
    He is brave to travel here.

  • 3

    2 @ nortierd:
    I saw it on some of the Rugby News sites… and then investigated… went and Downloaded the list from the IRB’s Official website in PDF format… read it, re-read it, then saved it as an Excel Spreadsheet, to be able to then drag it into an article for us here on Rugby-Talk as a properly formatted Table.

    Despite doing all of this, I’d be bloody happy if this turns out to be an elaborate April Fools joke!

    I shit you not!

    Tired

  • 4

    Jeeez, Poite is a fool… but what about the other 2, Walsh & Pastrana…

    Dopey, Sleepy & Bashful, the 3 Snow White dwarfs, would have and could have done a better job than these jobbos!

  • 5

    @GBS
    Overjoy
    Poitte will be extra careful this time, I actually feel sorry for the Welsh. They will have to walk on eggs.
    Walsh loves the home teams as a rule, so he should also be ok

  • 6

    Goeie moer… Lourens van der Merwe, James Leckie & Jaco Peyper also got some appointments… so too Shaun Veldsman as TMO.

  • 7

    5 @ nortierd:
    Yeah, Poite might be careful… but the thing is, do we want good refs or not… ones who will blow a fair game and not lean to one side or another, just to set some record straight?

    Flok, there are some folks fast asleep at the IRB, that much I can tell you!

    I mean for varks steaks, Lourens van der Merwe, James Leckie and Francisco Pastrana was just suspended a week or 2 ago, for the kak they did… now they get rewarded with Test matches… fok hulle man!

  • 8

    west indies vs Pakistan on
    interesting stat from cricinfo
    gayle vs hafeez
    total balls faced: 6
    dismissed: 3 times
    runs scored: 1
    now that is what I call a bunny!!! THANK-YOU

  • 9

    Hello thanks for the info, a lot of names in that list and what makes it even ‘odder’ for me is that I have trawled through it and don’t see a single Scottish referee there! This in spite of the competency of many of the refs who are there being questioned, surely Andrew McMenemy would be better than many of that bunch? That list even has Junior World Cup and Nations Cup fixtures on it and they cannot find a slot for a Scottish referee, I have noticed earlier this year that not many are given chances in some of the European competitions so maybe a reason why are not making it up to the international scene, but Andrew McMenemy has reffed at Junior World Cup in the past! Maybe need to do some digging into this one.

  • 10

    It is the Golden Age of Refs. The golden puke age that is.

  • 11

    Eish!!! All I can think is that the appointments were done well in advance!!!
    Walsh on his day can be good, but those days are far and few in number. Poite was ok till he got it wrong against Bissie, and Pastrana, well the TMO is going to have to speak in baby English.

  • 12

    Baby English? Baby thoughts more like it.

  • 13

    I am ashamed of the reffing appointments.

    SA without Stuart Berry?

    I smell a conspiracy

    Ssshh

  • 14

    13 @ nga puhi:
    Howzit nga. How you doing mate. Hope well.

    Yip the refs have not been great this year or last year or any of the years for that matter. Only a few are doing their job just okay.

    Well with Bryce Lawerence in the quarter final of World Cup 2011 we also smelled conspiracy….. Tounge-Out Ssshh

    See your Blues are doing okay this year. My Sharks face them in Auckland this year. We have had the rub on them since 2006 but they playing a lot better this year.

  • 15

    Things are slow on this site this week. Where is the SR teams of the week thread?

    Bulls have named their team and see Victor will only travel as a coach for this tour and not play. Or is it a sneaky move by Bulls to have a extra player tour in case of injury and have Victor there on the spot to fill in? He was playing very well so why not play him on the away tour or is it just to manage him being for the season? That might be it who knows, otherwise it is a crafty move by Bulls… :).

  • 16

    15 @ Puma:

    Smiley face never came up so here it is… 🙂

  • 17

    @ Puma:
    I’m backing your “sneaky move” theory.

    1st Tour game, is against The Mighty Canes in Hawkes Bay. Bullies will need to be very sneaky indeed to pull this one off. Sneaky and crafty.

    😉

  • 18

    “Romain Poite (FFR), hated by most South Africans,………..”
    GBS.

    Come on now Oke’s.
    One error.
    And a genuine mistake.
    An error freely admitted.
    An error duly punished by the IRB.

    “Hated” is a bit over the top.
    Shit happens as they say.
    If Refs were selected on a “feel the love basis”, well,…………… Barnsey would have a lot of free time on his hands.

    Best to look at it this way…………………………HE OWES YOU ONE.

  • 19

    Puma wrote:

    Things are slow on this site this week. Where is the SR teams of the week thread?
    Bulls have named their team and see Victor will only travel as a coach for this tour and not play. Or is it a sneaky move by Bulls to have a extra player tour in case of injury and have Victor there on the spot to fill in? He was playing very well so why not play him on the away tour or is it just to manage him being for the season? That might be it who knows, otherwise it is a crafty move by Bulls… :).

    Victor is there as an injury replacement, it is in their statement.

  • 20

    Besides, i am fine with resting Victor, it is made easier that the Bulls do have Flip and Paul, who might not be AS dominant in the lineouts, but their overall play has so far been awesome this year, resting players is fine if you have abled replacements and select a team with the overall picture in mind.

    It is fine to rest Vic for the easy game on tour Pondering

  • 21

    @ cane:

    Bring back Gerty!

  • 22

    @ cane:
    Hullo mate, did you perhaps see the report from Devon yesterday?

    A penguin in a zoo laid a golden egg…

    ‘Tis true I tell yer Conceited !

  • 23

    I am ok with Poitte, he can redeem himself still.

    As long as it is not that F%@#$ 2011 NZ referee of the year ^#$%@.

  • 24

    18 @ cane:
    Well Cane, Romain Poite is not exactly revered in South Africa now, is he… in fact “Despised” or “Loathed” or “Disliked” or even “Hated” would aptly describe the general sentiment amongst South Africans for Poite.

    ONE ERROR… seen by him after he made the call, on the BIG Screens… and then he proceeds to give Bissie that Card AND another Card.

    Result… all contest taken out of the Test match, 14 against 16 for (yes 16) half the game.

    It was a travesty, should have been investigated properly and he should have been stood down from Tests for a minimum of 2 or 3 years, because he basically determined the outcome, singlehandedly!

    You can spin it whichever way… that is the gist of it. His performance far LESS THAN a year ago was abysmal, it was wrong… and it seems it is just painted over, whilst the cracks are showing.

    I do not want him or any referee owing anybody anything, I want a fair and just result!

    Tell me, how do you New Zealand okes feel about the ref who blew against you when France knocked New Zealand out of the World Cup in 2007… what’s his name again… and that was’nt even a Card… or a 2nd Card… it was a simple possible forward pass… a flat one at that?

    As far as I recall, it is still mentioned by many New Zealanders, now 7 year later.

  • 25

    17 @ cane:
    Yip Cane I think it is a sneaky move vy Bulls to take along a extra player… Pondering

    Sharks should take along John Smit as a coach as well… Overjoy

  • 26

    @ grootblousmile:

    We still talk about Gerty 38 years later and righty so, the worst hometown ref cheating in the history of the game, your own commentators were astounded.

  • 27

    19 @ MacroBull:

    Well I thought you could only take a squad of 27 that means no injury replacements to tag along. Victor is there as wrriten down on Supersport as a coach and not as a replacemebt player in case of injury… Tounge-Out

  • 28

    26 @ NZINCHINA:
    China,

    You think the ’81 Flour Bomb Tour and the home NZ referees were any different, despite the already difficult conditions the Bokke faced, sleeping in Stadiums ect?

    I remember that last kick from the All Blacks fullback, minutes into injury time, to MAKE the All Blacks win too, mate….

  • 29

    27 @ Puma:

    Should read: replacement player… Weary

  • 30

    @ grootblousmile:

    lets not get into that GBS, Clive Norling is still talked about by many Saffas today for the 81 test at Eden park.

    thing is, SA would NOT have beaten NZ last year at Eden park either.

    no complaints when NZ beat you at “fortress” lol Ellis with 14 men for the last twenty minutes?

    why can the ABs run away with a game with 14 men and you somehow assert that the Boks would have beaten a NZ team with 15 on the park at our true fortress?

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