Summer refs confirmed

IRISH officials will take charge of several key international rugby tests this summer.

Alain Rolland has been appointed to the second Tri Nations game between New Zealand and South Africa as well as the South Africa-Australia test in August. Alan Lewis will take charge of the Wales v South Africa game in the Millennium Stadium in June prior to the opening game of the Tri Nations when New Zealand host South Africa in July.

George Clancy and Peter Fitzgibbon will also take charge of a number of games this summer. Clancy will referee the Pacific Nations Cup game between Fiji and Japan in Fiji on June 12th and also the clash between New Zealand and Wales a week later in Dunedin.

Fitzgibbon will handle Australia v Fiji in Canberra in early June before heading two Pacific Nations Cup games. The officials for Ireland’s three-game tour down under have also been announced by the IRB, while John Lacey has been added to the IRB Assistant Referee Panel.

June 12th: All Blacks v Ireland, New Plymouth (W Barnes, England); June 18th: NZ Maori v Ireland, Rotorua (M Lawrence, South Africa); June 26th: Australia v Ireland, Brisbane (B Lawrence, New Zealand)