THERE’S a nastily parochial feeling in this part of the world that none of the northern hemisphere nations can manage to win the three games on the trot that would allow them to take home the big chocolate box.

SOUTH AFRICA’S Craig Joubert will take charge of Saturday’s Rugby World Cup quarter-final between Ireland and Wales in Wellington.

South Africa’s Craig Joubert will take charge of Saturday’s first northern hemisphere showdown, between Wales and RBS 6 Nations rivals Ireland in Wellington, tournament organisers have announced.

Australia 68 Russia 22

Tim Horan is adamant that the source behind his claim of Irish subterfuge at Eden Park last Saturday is Ireland backs coach Alan Gaffney.

ON Saturday morning, in our national newspaper, the creatively named The Australian, there was a degree of chest thumping about what was to happen that evening in Auckland.

TWO weeks into this Rugby World Cup and the momentum keeps building. This weekend’s results, the All Blacks aside, have favoured northern hemisphere teams with the big games going Wales and Ireland’s way.

Ireland 15 Australia 6

HT: Ireland 6 Australia 6

IRELAND forwards coach Gert Smal has issued a “Stop Pocock” order to his pack as he bids to clean up a problematic breakdown and counter Australia’s back-row menace.

IN 1981 rugby in New Zealand took a huge battering as a result of the controversial Springbok tour and it didn’t regain its mojo until the inaugural Rugby World Cup in 1987.

COURTNEY LAWES’ World Cup could be curtailed if Argentina cite the second row following England’s victory yesterday.

Argentina 9 England 13

THE referees for Ireland’s Rugby World Cup Pool C games were announced yesterday.

LIMERICK referee George Clancy will take charge of the opening game of this year’s Rugby World Cup.

Ireland 24 England 8

Ireland 17 England 3

England stood on the brink of completing their first Grand Slam since 2003, with Ireland the final obstacle between themselves and European rugby’s most treasured prize.

England manager Martin Johnson is still haunted by the memories of last year’s defeat to France in Paris – and he wants revenge.

ALAIN ROLLAND will help kick-off the 2011 RBS Six NationsChampionship when he referees the opening day clash between Wales and England at the Millennium Stadium on February 4.

INSPIRATIONAL, brave, committed, skilful … all these adjectives and many more apply in spades to a magnificent Munster machine that completely outgunned the Australian tourists in appalling conditions at Thomond Park last night.

Munster 15 Australia 6

South Africa 42 France 17

THREE Irish referees are among the 13 officials who will oversee the 2010 RBS Six Nations next spring.

IRELAND’S shadow team overpowered Tonga last night by seven tries to three in an hugely entertaining and open game of rugby at Belfast’s Ravenhill stadium.

THE Tri-Nations tournament is South Africa’s to lose after Peter de Villiers’ side racked up their fourth straight win with a 32-25 victory over Australia in Perth on Saturday.

SOUTH Africa coach Peter de Villiers has described Morne Steyn as a match winner after calling up the fly-half to replace the injured Ruan Pienaar for Saturday’s Tri-Nations Test match with New Zealand.

NEW ZEALAND referees boss Lyndon Bray is backing Bryce Lawrence after his actions as assistant referee in the second British and Irish Lions Test against South Africa saw him savaged in the British and Irish media.

FOUR DAYS on, and that defeat in Pretoria is still pretty hard to take, especially from a smug South African support base who are slow to recognise the limitations within their own set up. Let’s face it; the Lions could have done with winning last Saturday or even in the circumstances holding on for the draw which their herculean efforts over the last two weekends have deserved.

SOUTH AFRICA coach Peter de Villiers has launched an astonishing defence of banned flanker Schalk Burger, who gouged Ireland’s Luke Fitzgerald in Saturday’s second test.

SPRINGBOK coach Peter de Villiers is developing a reputation for putting his foot in it, and he did little to diminish that view by effectively condoning the eye gouging of Ireland’s Luke Fitzgerald by Springbok flanker Schalk Burger on Saturday.

IT COULD have been one of the greatest Lions victories of all time, in fact even a draw would have offered something tangible to play for in Johannesburg next Saturday. To lose that opportunity and the series as a whole to a last ditch penalty converted from five metres inside the opposition half makes the second Lions test defeat even more harrowing.

Luke Fitzgerald insisted South Africa flanker Schalk Burger should have been sent off for eye-gouging him less than 30 seconds into the second Test.

VICTOR MATFIELD believes referee Christophe Berdos should be left to do his job and the rest should adapt when the second Test against the British and Irish Lions kicks off today.

WE HAVE a series. At least that was the general consensus in the press box at the final whistle. That, I hope, is not wishful thinking.

IRELAND full-back Rob Kearney, who realised a lifetime ambition when coming on for the Lions at Kings Park on Saturday, believes a Test series victory is still possible.

Lions captain Paul O’Connell accused Bryce Lawrence of only refereeing one side after South Africa held off a late fightback to win the first Test 26-21 in Durban.

South Africa 26 British and Irish Lions 21

GET SET for a rare treat in modern international rugby — a three-test series. The question on everyone’s lips, however, is how competitive will it be and for how long?

ONE day in the limelight has set Heinrich Brussow’s pulse racing, and believing he can be architect of the British and Irish Lions’ downfall.

The International Rugby Board has announced the appointment of match officials for the Lions Tour to South Africa.

The International Rugby Board have named the referees for the Lions’ Test series against South Africa this summer.

REFEREES for the Lions Test series against South Africa this summer will come from neutral countries, the International Rugby Board confirmed yesterday.

Referees for the British and Irish Lions Test series against South Africa this summer will come from neutral countries, the International Rugby Board confirmed this afternoon.