Irish referees selected for summer internationals

Irish referees Donal Courtney, Alan Lewis, Alain Rolland and Simon McDowell have all been named in the list of match officials for the upcoming summer international matches between May and August, 2004.

Courtney, Lewis and Rolland have been named on the A panel of referees, with Simon McDowell being named on the C panel.

The C panel is made up of promising young referees who will be given the opportunity to officiate as touch judges and television match officials at full international matches.

McDowell has been selected as a touch judge for the Barbarians fixtures against Wales (May 26) and England (May 30) and the South Africa v Wales international (June 26).

Donal Courtney has been chosen to referee the Argentina v Wales game in Tucuman (June 12), with Alan Lewis to assist him as one of his touch judges. The pair will then swap roles for the return game a week later in Buenos Aires (June 19).

Alain Rolland will take charge of the opening game of the 2004 Tri Nations in Wellington, when New Zealand take on World Cup finalists Australia (July 17), and is also named as a touch judge for the New Zealand v South Africa game in Christchurch (July 24).