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Cape Town - World Rugby has included two South Africans in an experienced disciplinary team for the 2015 Rugby World Cup.
The selections underscore World Rugby’s commitment to the clear and consistent application of the disciplinary process and rules at rugby’s showcase event.
The South African judicial officials to perform duty at the RWC are former Test referee Freek Burger and Justice Lex Mpati.
Burger was named amongst the team of citing commissioners, while Mpati was appointed as an appeal officer.
Selected on merit, the team representing 11 nations comprises 11 citing commissioners, 10 judicial officers and four appeal officers, who will preside over all disciplinary matters concerning on-field acts of foul play and any misconduct matters that might arise.
Citing commissioners: James Absaloms (Kenya), Freek Burger (South Africa), Steve Hinds (New Zealand), Douglas Hunter (Scotland), Bruce Kuklinski (Canada), Peter Larter (England), Scott Nowland (Australia), Mike Rafter (England), Yves Thieffine (France), Maurizio Vancini (Italy), Murray Whyte (Ireland).
Judicial officers: Prof. Lorne Crerar (Scotland), Adam Casselden (Australia), Jean-Noël Couraud (France), Antony Davies (England), Alan Hudson (Canada), Sheriff Kathrine Mackie (Scotland), Roger Morris (Wales), Christopher Quinlan QC (England), Simon Thomas (Wales), Terry Willis (Australia).
Appeal officers: Justice Lex Mpati (South Africa), Justice Sir James Dingemans (England), Justice Graeme Mew (Canada), Rod McKenzie (Scotland).
In addition, Justice Douglas White (recently retired as a judge of the New Zealand Court of Appeal) has been appointed for a third consecutive Rugby World Cup as the Disputes Panel Chairperson, to deal with any breaches of the tournament terms of participation applicable to teams.
The selection of the team is the result of a detailed pathway programme implemented by World Rugby. Under the programme, candidates from across the rugby world were invited to be considered for selection for England 2015.
All of the citing commissioners will be based at the RWC international broadcast centre where they will have access to every camera angle of every match. They will, like the television match officials, be using the Hawkeye technology to view and review all angles of any incident arising.
