Controversial Kaplan to ref Lions final clash

SOUTH AFRICAN official Jonathan Kaplan - who was in charge of Ireland’s contentious RBS 6 Nations victory over England two months ago - will referee the Lions this summer.

Kaplan has been appointed to the potentially- decisive third Test in Auckland on July 9.

The first and second Tests - in Christchurch and Wellington on June 25 and July 2 - will be refereed by Frenchman Joel Jutge and Australian Andrew Cole respectively.

Jutge will be assisted in Christchurch by touch judges Cole and Stuart Dickinson, with Kaplan and Dickinson running the lines in Wellington and Dickinson and South African Mark Lawrence handed the task at Eden Park.

Dickinson, meanwhile, will referee the Lions’ pre-tour game against Argentina in Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium on May 23.