South African duo Peyper and Jonker named on Rugby World Cup match official panel

World Rugby on Wednesday announced the match officials for the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France later this year, with South Africans Jaco Peyper and Marius Jonker officiating at the prestigious event.

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Peyper was named as one of 12 referees for the tournament, while Jonker is part of the television match official (TMO) panel.

A total of 26 match officials (12 referees, seven assistant referees and seven TMOs) representing nine nations with more than 630 collective Test appearances will take charge of the 48 tournament matches.

The 42-year-old Peyper, who has officiated in 61 Tests, will appear at his third World Cup. 

Jonker, 54, who has been involved in 30 Tests and 53 Test TMO appointments, will also be at his third World Cup (one as a referee and two as a TMO).

In an experienced referee group, Wayne Barnes (England), holder of the most Test appearances (102), will officiate in a fifth-straight Rugby World Cup in the country in which he debuted in 2007, while Nika Amashukeli will make history as the first Georgian to officiate at a Rugby World Cup.

Women's World Cup 2017 final referee Joy Neville (Ireland) becomes the first woman to officiate at a men's Rugby World Cup, taking her place as TMO. Fellow TMO Ben Whitehouse (Wales) will follow in the footsteps of his father, Nigel, who was an assistant referee and TMO at RWC 2003.

The nine nations represented on the panel are Australia, England, France, Georgia, Ireland, Italy, New Zealand, South Africa and Wales, with a total of 453 Tests among the 12 referees (eight have refereed at a RWC).

The appointments for the RWC pool phase will be announced after the completion of the Rugby Championship