The IRB have announced the match official appointments for the 2013 Six Nations champtionship. Rugby being a game of countless laws and far too many interpretations, the appointment of match officials for particular games causes far more interest than it should.

Ireland’s Six Nations Schedule

02/02/12 Wales (a) – Romain Poite

10/02/12 England (h) – Jerome Garces

24/02/12 Scotland (a) – Wayne Barnes

09/03/12 France (h) – Steve Walsh

16/03/12 Italy (a) – Wayne Barnes

Munster fans (and perhaps Ireland’s Munster players) will perhaps wince at the lineup of match officials for Ireland’s opening game in Cardiff on Saturday February 2nd. That early 1.30pm kickoff will see Romain Poite take charge of proceedings with Pascal Gauzere, his much-booed replacement last weekend for the visit of Saracens to Thomond Park, alongside him as one of his touch judges.

For their second game Ireland will see another Frenchman, Jerome Garces, referee their match against England in the Aviva Stadium on Sunday February 10th, with Gauzere again running the line along with Nigel Owens.

After that it’s time to be very, very nice to Wayne Barnes. The English referee will oversee Ireland’s visit to Murrayfield, do a run at touch judge for Ireland’s home match against France (refereed by Steve Walsh) with Barnes grabbing the whistle again for Ireland’s concluding game at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome on March 16th.

Interestingly, Ireland’s match with Italy will feature former New Zealand Maori first five-eighth Glen Jackson as touch judge. Jackson has been fast-tracked into top level refereeing and will have made his Six Nations debut, also as touch judge, in the Scotland vs. Wales match the previous weekend. They are high profile gigs for the long-time Saracens man whose goal will be to be awarded a big game at the 2015 Rugby World Cup.

Ireland’s own ex-player turned whistler, Alain Rolland, caused much furore in Wales in 2011 after his straight red card for Welsh captain, Sam Warburton, after just 18 minutes of their World Cup semi-final loss to France. Rolland, uninvolved in any of Wales’ 2012 Six Nations games but given charge of Wales vs. Barbarians in June of this year, now gets two Welsh Six Nations matches as touch judge including, mischievously, their February trip to face France in Paris.

Continuing the look at Irish officials, apart from Rolland’s two games running the line he will also take charge of England vs. Scotland in Twickenham. George Clancy gets two games with the whistle, overseeing France vs. Wales and England’s match against Italy and taking the touch judge’s flag for France vs. Scotland in Paris. John Lacey gets touch judge runs for both Scotland vs. Italy and England vs. France. Lastly, both Simon McDowell (once) and Marshall Kilgore (twice) will gets turns sitting in the TMO booth during the championship.

2013 Six Nations Referees

Roman Poite – FFR – 2 (matches)

Nigel Owens – WRU – 2

George Clancy – IRFU – 2

Wayne Barnes – RFU – 2

Craig Joubert – SARU – 2

Steve Walsh – ARU – 2

Jerome Garces – FFR – 1

Jaco Peyper – SARU – 1

Alain Rolland – IRFU – 1

Full RBS Six Nations 2013 Match Official Schedule (PDF): http://www.irb.com/mm/document/newsmedia/mediazone/02/06/47/79/121210toc6nations2013appointmentskb.pdf