Rugby:England's Wayne Barnes will referee two of Ireland's games in the upcoming Six Nations tournament after the list of match official appointments were announced by the International Rugby Board.
The 33-year-old will take charge of the game against Scotland at Murrayfield on Sunday February 24th and the concluding trip to Rome to take on Italy on Saturday March 16th.
Frenchman Roman Poite will referee Ireland’s opening clash away to Grand Slam champions Wales at the Millennium Stadium on Saturday February 2nd, while the home game against England at the Aviva Stadium on Sunday February 10th will see his compatriot Jérôme Garces take charge.
Garces will be the man in the middle for Munster’s Heineken Cup clash away to Harlequins at Vicarage Road on Sunday afternoon.
Australian referee Steve Walsh has been named for Ireland’s home game against France on Saturday March 9th.
Ireland has two representatives on the nine-strong IRB panel of referees for the Six Nations in Alain Rolland and George Clancy.
Rolland will take control of the Calcutta Cup clash between England and Scotland at Twickenham on the opening weekend of the championship, while Clancy will be in charge for the games involving France and Wales in Paris and England’s home game with Italy.
Officials for Ireland’s Six Nations matches:
Saturday February 2nd:Wales v IRELAND, Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, 1.30pm. Referee:Romain Poite (Fra); Assistants:Jaco Peyper (Rsa), Pascal Gauzere (Fra); TMO:Graham Hughes (Eng).
Sunday February 10th: IRELANDv England, Aviva Stadium, 3.0pm. Referee:Jérôme Garces (Fra); Assistants:Nigel Owens (Wal), Pascal Gauzere (Fra); TMO:Iain Ramage (Sco).
Sunday February 24th:Scotland v IRELAND, Murrayfield, Edinburgh , 2.0pm: Referee:Wayne Barnes (Eng); Assistants:Jérôme Garces (Fra), Greg Garner (Eng); TMO:Eric Gauzins (Fra).
Saturday March 9th: IRELANDv France, Aviva Stadium, 5.0pm: Referee:Steve Walsh (Aus); Assistants:Wayne Barnes (Eng), Greg Garner (Eng); TMO:Nigel Whitehouse (Wal).
Saturday March 16th:Italy v IRELAND, Stadio Olimpico, Rome, 2.30pm Irish time: Referee:Wayne Barnes (Eng); Assistants:Romain Poite (Fra), Glen Jackson (NZ); TMO:Jim Yuille (Sco).
