Four SA referees on Super Rugby panel
The squad has a mix of experienced referees and emerging match officials with one or two years of Super Rugby behind them
EXPERIENCED rugby referee Jaco Peyper, along with AJ Jacobs, Rasta Rasivhenge and Marius van der Westhuizen, are the four South African referees named on the 12-man Vodacom Super Rugby referee panel for the 2020 season announced by SANZAAR.
Thirty-nine-year-old Peyper is the most experienced referee on the panel, with 106 matches under his belt, as well as 50 Test matches.
The squad has a mix of experienced referees and emerging match officials with one or two years of Super Rugby behind them.
As part of preparations heading into the competition, which kicks-off on Friday, the referee team has recently been in camp in Stellenbosch reviewing game management protocols from previous years, and proactively assessed the requirements for the new season.
Super Rugby Game Manager, Lyndon Bray, said the camp was a very important aspect of the referees’ preparation for the upcoming season.
Super Rugby referee panel
Federico Anselmi (Argentina – 21 Super Rugby matches), Nic Berry (Australia – 31), Mike Fraser (New Zealand – 60), Angus Gardner (Australia -72), AJ Jacobs (South Africa – 8), Ben O’Keeffe (New Zealand – 45). Jaco Peyper (South Africa – 106), Brendon Pickerill (New Zealand – 25), Rasta Rasivhenge (South Africa – 22), Marius van der Westhuizen (South Africa – 44), Paul Williams (Australia – 27) and Damon Murphy (Australia – 6).
2020 law trials
World Rugby issued a media statement on 13 January that set out the various law trials that would be applied in various domestic competitions around the world this year.
The trials were approved for the four-year law amendment review cycle that began after the 2019 World Cup following an analysis by the Law Review Group.
Several unions expressed interest in undertaking one or more of the trials.
SANZAAR is supportive of this process and awaits the outcomes of these trials to ascertain their effect on player welfare and the game in general.
The only trial that will be introduced in Vodacom Super Rugby is the high tackle technique warning.
SANZAAR will be appointing a tackle technique review officer to oversee the trial.
The shadow trial will see SANZAAR identifying tackles in which the tackler is in an upright body position, and in the event it is deemed the tackler has shown poor technique in executing an upright tackle, a warning may be issued to the player and player’s coach.
This process will not impose any sanctions on players at this stage.
This is not designed to penalise the player in any way, but to focus on poor technique that increases the risk of significant injury.
HAVE YOUR SAY
Like our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter.
For news straight to your phone invite us:
WhatsApp – 072 069 4169
Instagram – zululand_observer
