Plum Ties For Irish Referees

Alan Lewis shows his agility whilst awarding a try to Italy in June

Ireland’s top referees have been assigned a number of plum international Tests to take charge of over the coming season.

Donal Courtney, Alan Lewis and Alain Rolland, who are all IRB ‘A’ Panel match officials, each have a Test to referee during November. All eyes will be on Dubliner Courtney, 41, on November 26 as he has been selected to whistle the All Blacks’ final Test on the year-end tour of Europe – their Murrayfield date with Scotland.

An Irishman will also be in charge of New Zealand’s third Test against a Home Union, seven days earlier. Cork-born Lewis, also 41, has been chosen to referee the almighty November 19 clash between the reigning World champions and Tri-Nations champions – England and the All Blacks – at Twickenham.

Dubliner Rolland, capped three times by Ireland as a scrum-half, will ref the Scotland v Samoa Test at Murrayfield on November 20. The former Blackrock and Leinster stalwart, who turned 39 last month, whistled last month’s Tri-Nations clash between Australia and South Africa in Perth.

Meanwhile, Rolland will have two refereeing appointments in the forthcoming Six Nations. He will take charge of two games in the space of six days next March – France v England (March 12) and Italy v England (March 18).

Alan Lewis will referee the Murrayfield meeting of Scotland and England on February 25 – it will be the fourth straight time in four seasons that an Irishman has taken charge of the Calcutta Cup clash. Former cricket international Lewis refereed the 2003 tie which England won 40-9 at Twickenham.

IRISH REFEREES’ APPOINTMENTS 2005/06:

AUTUMN TESTS:

Saturday, November 12: England v Australia, Twickenham

Referee: Joel Jutge (France); Touch Judges: Alain Rolland, Alan Lewis (both Ireland); Television Match Official: Simon McDowell (Ireland)

Saturday, November 19: England v New Zealand, Twickenham

Referee: Alan Lewis (Ireland); Touch Judges: Joel Jutge (France), Craig Joubert (South Africa); Television Match Official: Malcolm Changleng (Scotland)

Sunday, November 20: Scotland v Samoa, Murrayfield

Referee: Alain Rolland (Ireland); Touch Judges: Donal Courtney (Ireland), Christophe Berdos (France); Television Match Official: Simon McDowell (Ireland)

Saturday, November 26: France v South Africa, Stade de France

Referee: Scott Young (Australia); Touch Judges: Alain Rolland, Alan Lewis (both Ireland); Television Match Official: Roy Maybank (England)

Wales v Australia, Millennium Stadium

Referee: Tony Spreadbury (England); Touch Judges: Dave Pearson (England), Simon McDowell (Ireland); Television Match Official: Carlo Damasco (Italy)

Scotland v New Zealand, Murrayfield

Referee: Donal Courtney (Ireland); Touch Judges: Chris White (England), George Clancy (Ireland); Television Match Official: Christophe Berdos

SIX NATIONS:

Saturday, February 4, 2006: England v Wales, Twickenham

Referee: Paul Honiss (New Zealand); Touch Judges: Alain Rolland (Ireland), Christophe Berdos (France); Television Match Official: Donal Courtney (Ireland)

Saturday, February 11: Italy v England, Stadio Flaminio

Referee: Kelvin Deaker (New Zealand); Touch Judges: Donal Courtney (Ireland), Nigel Whitehouse (Wales); Television Match Official: Simon McDowell (Ireland)

Saturday, February 25: Scotland v England, Murrayfield

Referee: Alan Lewis (Ireland); Touch Judges: Stuart Dickinson (Australia), Carlo Damasco (Italy); Television Match Official: Christophe Berdos (France)

Saturday, March 11: Wales v Italy, Millennium Stadium

Referee: Joel Jutge (France); Touch Judges: Donal Courtney (Ireland), Rob Dickson (Scotland); Television Match Official: Eric Darriere (France)

Sunday, March 12: France v England, Stade de France

Referee: Alain Rolland (Ireland); Touch Judges: Alan Lewis (Ireland), Nigel Owens (Wales); Television Match Official: Simon McDowell (Ireland)

Saturday, March 18: Italy v Scotland, Stadio Flaminio

Referee: Alain Rolland (Ireland); Touch Judges: Alan Lewis (Ireland), Nigel Owens (Wales); Television Match Official: Christophe Berdos (France)

Wales v France, Millennium Stadium

Referee: Chris White (England); Touch Judges: Tony Spreadbury (England), Donal Courtney (Ireland); Television Match Official: Giulio De Santis (Italy)