Jutge To Referee Ireland’s World Cup Opener

France’s Joel Jutge has been selected to referee Ireland’s opening match at the 2007 Rugby World Cup against Namibia in Bordeaux on Sunday, September 9.

Jutge, who turned 41 at the start of the month, will be in charge for Ireland’s World Cup opener, while English pair Wayne Barnes and Chris White and New Zealand’s Paul Honiss will whistle up Ireland’s other Pool D fixtures.

Jutge refereed Ireland’s historic 43-13 win over England at Croke Park in this year’s Six Nations championship.

Barnes will be the man in the middle for Ireland’s clash with Georgia on Saturday, September 15, which, like the Namibia game, will be held at the Stade Chaban-Delmas in Bordeaux.

White will referee the crunch meeting of Ireland and hosts France at the Stade de France on Friday, September 21, while Honiss has been appointed to take charge of the Ireland-Argentina tie at the Parc des Princes in Paris on Sunday, September 30.

2007 RUGBY WORLD CUP – REFEREE APPOINTMENTS FOR IRELAND MATCHES:

Sunday, September 9 – Pool D: IRELAND v Namibia, Bordeaux, Referee: Joel Jutge (France)

Saturday, September 15 – Pool D: IRELAND v Georgia, Bordeaux, Referee: Wayne Barnes (England)

Friday, September 21 – Pool D: France v IRELAND, Paris (Stade de France), Referee: Chris White (England)

Sunday, September 30 – Pool D: Argentina v IRELAND, Paris (Parc des Princes), Referee: Paul Honiss (New Zealand)

Meanwhile, the referees for Ireland’s two summer Tests in Argentina and their two World Cup warm-up matches against Scotland and Italy have also been confirmed by the IRB.

New Zealand duo Lyndon Bray and Kelvin Deaker will be on duty in South America, while England’s Tony Spreadbury and Welshman Nigel Owens have been assigned to Ireland’s August clashes with Scotland and Italy.

SUMMER TOUR/WORLD CUP WARM-UP FIXTURES – REFEREE APPOINTMENTS FOR IRELAND MATCHES:

Saturday, May 26 – Summer Tour: Argentina v IRELAND, Santa Fe, Referee: Lyndon Bray (New Zealand)

Saturday, June 2 – Summer Tour: Argentina v IRELAND, Buenos Aires, Referee: Kelvin Deaker (New Zealand)

Saturday, August 11 – World Cup Warm-Up: Scotland v IRELAND, Murrayfield, Referee: Tony Spreadbury (England)

Friday, August 24 – World Cup Warm-Up: IRELAND v Italy, Ravenhill, Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales)