IRB confirm Lions Test refs

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

IRB High Performance referee panel members Bryce Lawrence (New Zealand), Christophe Berdos (France) and Stuart Dickinson (Australia) will take charge of the three Test matches.

The appointments were made after a meeting of the IRB referee selection committee, chaired by WRU chairman David Pickering, in Dublin over the weekend.

“We met with the Lions and South Africa team management last month and all were in favour of the appointment of neutral match officials for the Test series,” said IRB referee manager Paddy O’Brien.

“Bryce, Christophe and Stuart are all highly experienced members of the IRB’s High Performance Referee Panel with nearly 80 internationals between them. They are relishing the opportunity to take their place in Lions history.”

The IRB has also announced a strong match official line up for the seven provincial tour matches.

South African Marius Jonker will get the series underway when the Lions play a Highveld XV in Rustenburg on May 30.

Craig Joubert (South Africa), Wayne Barnes (England), Jonathan Kaplan (South Africa), Mark Lawrence (South Africa) and Nigel Owens (Wales) will also take charge of provincial matches, while Rugby World Cup 2007 Final referee Alain Rolland will referee the match between the Lions and Emerging Springboks on June 23.