Six Nations: Craig Joubert to take charge of Ireland’s clash with England

Opening and closing matches to be officiated by French referees

Steve Walsh will take charge of Ireland’s Six Nations match against Wales in Cardiff. Photograph: Dan Sheridan/Inpho.
Steve Walsh will take charge of Ireland’s Six Nations match against Wales in Cardiff. Photograph: Dan Sheridan/Inpho.

Ireland's 2015 Six Nations Championship matches will be refereed by a couple of Frenchmen, an Englishman, a South African and a New Zealander, who referees under the Australian banner.

France’s Pascal Gauzere is in charge when Joe Schmidt’s team travel to the Stadio Olimpico in Rome for Ireland’s opening game of the tournament, while his countryman Jerome Garces will have the whistle in Ireland’s final match against Scotland at Murrayfield.

England's Wayne Barnes will be in the middle when France visit the Aviva stadium while South African Craig Joubert will preside over the eagerly anticipated clash against England, also in Dublin. Steve Walsh will officiate when Ireland travel to Wales.

John Lacey and George Clancy take charge of England against Italy at Twickenham and Scotland against Italy at Murrayfield respectively.

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ROUND 1: Wales v EnglandMillennium stadium (Jerome Garces); Italy v Ireland (P Gauzere); France v Scotland, Stade de France (Nigel Owens).

ROUND 2: England v Italy, Twickenham (John Lacey); Ireland v France, Aviva stadium (Wayne Barnes); Scotland v Wales, Murrayfield (Glen Jackson).

ROUND 3: Scotland v Italy, Murrayfield (George Clancy); France v Wales, Stade de France (Jaco Peyper); Ireland v England, Aviva stadium (Craig Joubert).

ROUND 4: Wales v Ireland, Millennium stadium (Steve Walsh); England v Scotland, Twickenham (Romain Poite); Italy v France, Stadio Olimpico (JP Doyle).

ROUND 5: Italy v Wales, Stadio Olimpico (Chris Pollack); Scotland v Ireland, Murrayfield (Jerome Garces); England v France, Twickenham (Steve Walsh).

John O'Sullivan

John O'Sullivan

John O'Sullivan is an Irish Times sports writer