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Cape Town - New South African referee panels have been announced for the 2016 rugby season.
According to the SA Rugby Referees website, the panels are drawn up after reviews of matches during the year.
For each match a referee would be monitored by an assessor/performance reviewer. He has a coach who would view his match, is required to give his own review of his performance and the teams involved have a chance to state their views.
This would happen for each match and then reviewed during the season and finally, as now, at the end of the year when panels are drawn up.
World Rugby and SANZAR will also compose their panels for their competitions.
Elite Panel
The top panel has just 10 referees. They would be regarded as the 10 top referees of the thousands of referees in South Africa.
Jason Jaftha, who had serious injury problems in recent times, has dropped off this panel while Cwengile Jadezweni of Western Province has come into the panel after refereeing his first Currie Cup matches this year.
These referees are contracted to SARU (provinces mentioned for interest sake).
Stuart Berry (KwaZulu-Natal)
Rodney Boneparte (Eastern Province)
Quinton Immelman (Western Province)
Cwengile Jadezweni (Western Province)
Craig Joubert (KwaZulu-Natal)
Lesego Legoete (Golden Lions)
Jaco Peyper (Free State)
Rasta Rasivhenge (Western Province)
Marius van der Westhuizen (Western Province)
Jaco van Heerden (Blue Bulls)
National Panel
The second panel is the National Panel with 18 referees.
Jadezweni has been promoted from this panel to the Elite Panel.
There have been other changes, with Jaftha arriving from the Elite Panel, while Tahla Ntshakaza, Fernando Uithaler and Renier Vermeulen are no longer on the panel.
Those promoted to the panel are Egon Seconds, once a top Super Rugby and Currie Cup wing for Western Province and the Stormers, Ruhan Meiring and Pieter Maritz.
Ben Crouse (Blue Bulls)
Stephan Geldenhuys (Blue Bulls)
AJ Jacobs (Griffons)
Jason Jaftha (South Western Districts)
Jaco Kotze (Free State)
Pieter Maritz (Blue Bulls)
Mpho Matsaung (Griquas)
Ruhan Meiring (South Western Districts)
Paul Mente (Leopards)
Vusi Msibi (KwaZulu-Natal)
Sindile Ngcese (Eastern Province)
Francois Pretorius (Western Province)
Jaco Pretorius (Valke)
Oregopotse Rametsi (Leopards)
Egon Seconds (Western Province)
Archie Sehlako (KwaZulu-Natal)
Ricus van der Hoven (Pumas)
Lourens van der Merwe (Free State)
Sevens Panel
This is a new panel. Of the referees on this panel, four are on World Rugby's circuit - Ben Crouse, Craig Joubert, Rasta Rasivhenge and Marius van der Merwe.
Aimee Barrett (Western Province)
Ben Crouse (Blue Bulls)
Craig Joubert (KwaZulu-Natal)
Jaco Kotze (Free State)
Rasta Rasivhenge (Western Province)
Egon Seconds (Western Province)
Marius van der Westhuizen (Western Province)
Women’s Panel
There are eight referees on this panel. Of them, Mariandi Janse van Vuuren and Bulela Qwane are new to the panel, while Henchalla Oerson is no longer refereeing.
Aimee Barrett (Western Province)
Larentia Fred (South Western Districts)
Mariandi Janse van Vuuren (Free State)
Siyanda Belinda Ketse (Free State)
Motshidisi Maria Mabote (Griffons)
Le-Ann MacClune (South Western Districts)
Ashleigh Murray (Golden Lions)
Bulela Qwane (Western Province)
Contender Squad
This squad is disbanded as the selectors felt that referees on this squad should be included in the academy squad to develop their skills and receive continuous coaching.
In 2015, there were nine referees in this squad of whom some were promoted this year - Ruhan Meiring, Paul Mente and Egon Seconds.
Academy Squad
This group will continue to grow and change as the officials progress during the year.
The office reserves the right to appoint any of the Academy Squad referees to SARU competitions for performance or logistical reasons.
SA Primary Schools Group
This will be drawn up in 2016.
TMO Panel
Christie Du Preez (Eastern Province)
Johan Greeff (Blue Bulls)
Marius Jonker (KwaZulu-Natal)
Shaun Veldsman (Boland)
Willie Vos (Golden Lions)
JJ Wagner (Griquas)
Selectors
Rassie Erasmus replaces Neville Heilbron.
Rassie Erasmus
Dennis Immelman
Mark Lawrence
Balie Swart
Deon van Blommestein
Banks Yantolo
Performance Reviewers/Assessors
Keith Hendricks (Boland)
Jacques Hugo (Eastern Province)
Dennis Immelman (Western Province)
Thuso Mngqibisa (Western Province)
Pierre Oelofse (Valke)
Willie Roos (Valke)
Kim Smit (Pumas)
Deon van Blommestein (Western Province)
Banks Yantolo (Border)
Coaching
Academy Coaches/Scouting
Eugene Daniel - Manager Academy Squad
Philip du Toit - Referee Academy Manager, North/ Central
Abe Steenberg - Referee Academy Manager, South
Fumanekile Yamile - Referee Academy Manager, East
Johan Zurich - Referee Academy Manager, North
Office may appoint any other person for coaching purposes if deemed necessary.
Women Coaches
Philip du Toit
Neville Heilbron
Rupert Jacobs
Kim Smit
Abe Steenberg
Fumanekile Yamile
Johan Zurich
