Cape Town - Frenchman Romain Poite will referee Saturday’s Test between Scotland and South Africa in Edinburgh (kick-off 19:20 SA time).
Poite will be assisted by New Zealand’s Ben O’Keeffe and Ireland’s Franck Murphy, with another Kiwi, Ben Skeen, the television match official (TMO).
Poite is a familiar referee for southern hemisphere teams and
Springbok fans will remember him for controversially sending off hooker
Bismarck du Plessis against the All Blacks in 2013.
Du Plessis
copped two yellow cards - and a subsequent red card - for, firstly, a
tackle on All Blacks flyhalf Dan Carter and then an elbow-charge against
flank Liam Messam during that year's Rugby Championship clash in
Auckland.
The All Blacks went
on to win the game 29-15 - a result which led to heavy criticism
against the Frenchman, so much so that the International Rugby Board
(IRB) as they were known at the time issued a statement admitting Poite
had erred.
Poite also made headlines last year
when he controversially changed his mind over a penalty he awarded the
All Blacks late in their drawn Test against the British and Irish Lions
in Auckland.
However, the Frenchman has refereed a number of Springbok Tests since the 2013 incident and will be a familiar face for the team.