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Lawrence back in Test frame
02/05/2008 08:42 - (SA)
Johannesburg - South Africa's Mark Lawrence is back on the panel for international referees after two years which brings the total number of South Africans on the panel to four.
Lawrence joins fellow South Africans Marius Jonker, Craig Joubert and Jonathan Kaplan. Only New Zealand, who also have four referees, are on par with South Africa, while Australia's only two referees are Stuart Dickinson and newcomer Matt Goddard.
Kelvin Deaker from New Zealand, who has frustrated South African Super 14 sides this season with his inconsistency, has been cut from the panel, but his equally unpopular compatriots with South African teams and coaches, Lyndon Bray and Bryce Lawrence, are however on the panel.
The new panels for international referees was announced earlier this week by the International Rugby Board's manager of referees Paddy O'Brien.
New on the panel are George Clancy of Ireland and Australia's Goddard.
The changes are in structure as well as in personnel.
The structure changes involve the introduction of specialised assistant referees (touch judges) and specialised television match officials (video refs).
Cobus Wessels, now a specialised touch judge in South Africa, is on the touch judge panel. Stuart Terheege of England is also a specialised touch judge while most of those on the touch judge/assistant referee panel are active referees, aspirants to moving into the top panel of referees.
All of those on the TMO panel are specialists. They include Johan Meuwesen and Shaun Veldsman of South Africa.
Moreover Dennis Immelman, recently elected chairperson of the Western Province Referees' Society, has been promoted to Test status as a performance reviewer (assessor).
Andre Watson, South Africa's manager of referees, is thrilled. On hearing the news, he said: "Seven South Africans on the panels plus Dennis being appointed - wow! Well done, boys, I'm very proud.
"It's nice to see the guys performing and getting recognition but we can't take the foot off the pedal. It's great to see the next crop of referees coming through who will do South Africa proud.
"Jaco Peyper, Pro Legoete and Joey Salmans are on the Sevens circuit, Phillip Bosch is going to the Junior World Cup in Wales and Pro is going to the Nations Cup in Romania where it is likely he will become South Africa's next Test referee," Watson said.
The IRB International Referee Panel by country is:
Australia: Stuart Dickinson, Matt Goddard
England: Wayne Barnes, Dave Pearson, Chris White
France: Christophe Berdos, Joel Jutge
Ireland: George Clancy, Alan Lewis, Alain Rolland
New Zealand: Lyndon Bray, Paul Honiss, Bryce Lawrence, Steve Walsh
South Africa: Craig Joubert, Marius Jonker, Jonathan Kaplan, Mark Lawrence
Wales: Nigel Owens.
Touch judges by country:
Argentina: Federico Cuesta
Australia: James Leckie, Paul Marks
England: Rob Debney, Stuart Terheege
France: Romain Poite
Fiji: James Bolabiu
Ireland: Simon McDowell
Italy: Carlo Damasco
Japan: Taizo Hirabayashi
New Zealand: Chris Pollock
South Africa: Cobus Wessels
Scotland: Peter Allan, David Changleng
Wales: Tim Hayes, Hugh Watkins
TMOs by country:
Australia: George Ayoub
England: Graham Hughes Geoff Warren
Italy: Giulio De Santis
South Africa: Johan Meuwesen, Shaun Veldsman
Wales: Nigel Whitehouse
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