Marks's whistle silenced

Johannesburg - This weekend's appointments of referees for the Super 14 have been announced - and there is probably a sigh of relief throughout all the franchises at the news that Australian referee Paul Marks gets a break from officiating this weekend.

After last Saturday's match in which the Stormers were at the wrong end of virtually every 50-50 decision there was some serious grumbling in the corridors that matter about his continued inconsistency - and although the referees code does not to allow criticism on the incompetence of their own, it is a good weekend for all 14 teams in a full programme with Marks's absence.

He will be the assistant referee in two matches, one in Canberra and one in Brisbane, this weekend.

Marks's understudy in the SANZAR rankings, Nathan Pearce, again handles a Cheetahs match - this time in Kimberley where the Cheetahs play the Chiefs.

South Africa's Mark Lawrence is in charge in Durban where the Sharks play the Crusaders, while the clash between the Bulls and the Brumbies in Canberra will be handled by Kiwi Chris Pollock.

The referees' appointments for the weekend are:

Friday:

Blues v Highlanders in Auckland, Referee: Stuart Dickinson (Australia), Assistant referees: Vinny Munro (New Zealand), Ben Skeen (New Zealand), Television match official: Glenn Newmann (New Zealand)

Brumbies v Bulls in Canberra, Referee: Chris Pollock (New Zealand), Assistant referees: Paul Marks (Australia), James Scholtens (Australia), Television match official: Steve Leszczynski (Australia)

Saturday:

Hurricanes v Stormers in Wellington, Referee: Jonathan Kaplan (South Africa), Assistant referees: Vinny Munro (New Zealand), Joey Salmans (South Africa), Television match official: Garratt Williamson (New Zealand)

Reds v Lions in Brisbane, Referee: Keith Brown (New Zealand), Assistant referees: Paul Marks (Australia), Simon Moore (Australia), Television match official: Geoff Acton (Australia)

Waratahs v Western Force in Sydney, Referee: James Leckie (Australia), Assistant referees: Ian Smith (Australia), Daniel Cheever (Australia), Television match official: George Ayoub (Australia)

Cheetahs v Chiefs in Kimberley, Referee: Nathan Pearce (Australia), Assistant referees: Marius Jonker (South Africa), Daniel Mitchelmore (Australia), Television match official: Shaun Veldsman (South Africa)

Sharks v Crusaders in Durban, Referee: Mark Lawrence (South Africa), Assistant referees: Phillip Bosch (South Africa), Cobus Wessels (South Africa), Television match official: Johann Meuwesen (South Africa).