Steve Walsh is a retired professional rugby union referee from New Zealand. He officiated at international level from 1998 to 2014, and at three Rugby World Cups, including refereeing the semi-final between South Africa and Argentina in 2007. Walsh became the most experienced Super Rugby referee in 2014, passing Jonathan Kaplan's record before retiring from the game in 2015.
Sir Stephen William Hansen and High Chief Of Vaiala, is a New Zealand rugby union coach and former player.
Jonathan Isaac Kaplan, is a former international rugby union referee who used to hold the record for the most international matches as referee.
Marius Jonker is a South African rugby union Television Match Official and former referee. He refereed at the 2007 Rugby World Cup in France, and regularly took charge of Super Rugby and Currie Cup matches. He also acted as a TMO at the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan.
Nigel Owens, is a Welsh former international rugby union referee, who retired in December 2020 after a 17-year career. He currently holds the world record for the most test matches refereed and is one of five international referees listed as professional within the Welsh Rugby Union, alongside Craig Evans, Adam Jones, Dan Jones, and Ben Whitehouse.
Kenneth James Owens is a Welsh rugby union player who plays as a hooker for the Scarlets and Wales.
Bismarck Wilhelm du Plessis is a South African professional rugby union player, who plays for Montpellier in the French Top 14. He played for the Free State Cheetahs in 2003, before moving to the Sharks in 2005 where he spent the bulk of his career.
Wayne Barnes is an English international rugby union referee and barrister. He is a regular referee in the English Premiership, and has refereed games in the Heineken Cup and the European Challenge Cup. At international level, Barnes has refereed matches at the Rugby World Cup, the Six Nations, the Rugby Championship and the Pacific Nations Cup competitions.
Christophe Berdos is a full-time international rugby union referee with the French Rugby Federation and is one of the two French representatives on the IRB's International Referees Panel.
Donal Gerard Courtney is a former Irish rugby union referee. He served as a referee in the Celtic League, the Heineken Cup, the European Rugby Challenge Cup, the Six Nations Championship and the Tri Nations. Courtney refereed the 2002–03 Parker Pen Shield final. Between 2009 and 2016 he served as the ERC/EPCR match officials performance manager.
Craig Paul Joubert is a South African professional rugby union referee and a Referee Talent Development Coach at World Rugby.
The World Rugby International Referees Panel is a panel of elite rugby union referees appointed by the sports governing body, World Rugby to officiate in international matches, usually those involving the national teams of high-performance unions from across the globe, as named by World Rugby.
George Clancy is an Irish rugby union referee. Clancy refereed at the 2011 and 2015 Rugby World Cups. He has also refereed in the Pro14, the European Rugby Champions Cup, the Six Nations Championship and the Rugby Championship. Clancy refereed the 2007 Churchill Cup final and the 2009 and 2011 European Challenge Cup finals. Between 2013 and 2017 Clancy also served as a touch judge/assistant referee at five consecutive European Rugby Champions Cup finals.
George Philip North is a professional rugby union player who plays for the Ospreys in the United Rugby Championship and the Wales national team. He has also represented the British & Irish Lions and currently has the most tries in international rugby for an active player. North is the second highest all time try scorer for Wales behind Shane Williams. His usual position is wing, but he has also played at outside centre.
Jérôme Garcès is a French rugby union referee who regularly officiates high-profile club matches in tournaments such as Pro14, Top 14 and the Heineken Cup.
Chris Pollock is a former rugby union referee who represented the New Zealand Rugby Union. In 2008, he was part of the IRB's touch judge panel. He made his international referee debut in 2005, when he refereed Niue vs Tahiti, while his first IRB appointment was in 2006, taking charge of Hong Kong vs Japan.
2013 consisted of 340 Rugby union matches that included an international nation, with 295 of the matches being classed a test match. 126 international teams played at least one test either at home, away or at a neutral venue. On 154 occasions, the home side won, 118 away sides won, 5 draws and 63 neutral venue matches. 2013 marked two years to the 2015 Rugby World Cup, meaning for most tournaments; Africa Cup, Asian Five Nations, European Nations Cup, Oceania Cup and South American Rugby Championship acted as Rugby World Cup qualifiers. The Americas playoffs saw the first team to qualify for the World Cup, with Canada winning 40–20 on aggregate against the United States, to join Pool D as Americas 1. The fourteenth edition of the Six Nations Championship took place in February and March with Wales retaining the championship with a 30–3 record winning margin against England, while in August, September and October, the second edition of the Rugby Championship took place with New Zealand completing the sweep winning 6 from 6 to retain the championship.
Marius Mitrea is a rugby union referee who represents the Italian Rugby Federation.
Alexandre Ruiz is a professional rugby union referee who represents the French Rugby Federation. He is a regular appointment at Top 14 and has recently joined the top level of European Rugby.
Vlad Iordăchescu is a Romanian rugby referee who mainly referees club rugby in such tournaments as the Romanian SuperLiga.
