Pearson and Barnes axed by IRB in shake-up

Declan Kidney’s misgivings about the performance of referee Dave Pearson during the recent RBS 6 Nations campaign appear to have been taken fully on board by the International Rugby Board (IRB) with the sport’s governing body set to axe the English official from it’s tierone panel.

Big changes appear to be coming from the IRB, which is expected to announce on Monday the departure of New Zealand’s Paddy O’Brien as the head of its referees and the demotion of Pearson, his compatriot Wayne Barnes and O’Brien’s fellow Kiwi Bryce Lawrence from the elite panel of Test officials.

Former Test referee O’Brien is expected to be standing down as IRB referees’ manager in order to take up a new rule as head of the IRB Sevens Series. Which means one of his last acts in charge of Test officials was to meet Ireland head coach Kidney to discuss Pearson’s performance in Paris on March 4 during the Six Nations clash between France and Ireland.