Lacey To Referee RWC Bronze Final
Ireland’s John Lacey has been appointed to referee the bronze final (third/fourth place play-off) of the Rugby World Cup between South Africa and Argentina.
The match officials for RWC 2015 bronze final and final were announced yesterday with Welshman Nigel Owens appointed to take charge of the final.
Owens will become just the seventh referee to do the job, following in the footsteps of Kerry Fitzgerald (1987), Derek Bevan (1991), Ed Morrison (1995), Andre Watson (1999 and 2003), Alain Rolland (2007) and Craig Joubert (2011).
Lacey will be in charge of the bronze final at the Olympic Stadium on Friday night. His assistant referees will be Glen Jackson and Chris Pollock, both from New Zealand.
The former Shannon and Munster winger took charge of three pool matches – Scotland v Japan, Wales v Fiji and New Zealand v Tonga – and was assistant referee for the quarter-final between New Zealand and France.
Speaking about the appointment, Owen Doyle, IRFU Director of Referees, said: “I’m delighted to see Johnny being appointed to such a prestigious match. It is testament to the hard work that he puts in and to the support that the IRFU Referee Department gives to him and all our match officials.
“It is gratifying that a former professional player has come through the system and shows there is a pathway for players to take up the whistle.
“We would also like to congratulate Nigel Owens on his appointment to take charge of the final. We know that he will do an excellent job.”