The match officials for the Rugby Championship and the Springboks' warm-up Tests before the 2023 Rugby World Cup were named on Tuesday. WATCH | Benetton centre scoops URC Try of the Season after stunner at Kings Park A shortened Rugby Championship sees South Africa playing against Australia, New Zealand and Argentina in July.Ben O'Keeffe (New Zealand) will officiate the sold-out Australia match in Pretoria on Saturday, 8 July, while Mathieu Raynal (France) will hold the whistle in their Test against New Zealand in Auckland on Saturday, 15 July.
Ireland's Andrew Brace will take charge of their final Test in the competition against Argentina in Johannesburg on Saturday, 29 July.The Springboks play three warm-up games before the Rugby World Cup, with Nika Amashukeli (Georgia) presiding over the first match, set for Saturday, 5 August, against Argentina in Buenos Aires.Brace is in charge of the clash against Wales two weeks later on Saturday, 19 August, while England's Matthew Carley will officiate the final warm-up match against the All Blacks in London on Friday, 25 August.Meanwhile, South African referee, Jaco Peyper, will officiate three internationals: the Rugby Championship match between Australia and Argentina in Sydney (Saturday, 15 July, and two Rugby World Cup warm-up games between Georgia and the USA on Saturday, 19 August, and England vs Fiji on Saturday, 26 August.