World Rugby has announced the match officials for the Rugby World Cup 2023 semi-finals at Stade de France this weekend.
Angus Gardner (Australia) will referee Argentina v New Zealand in Saint-Denis on Friday, 20 October (21:00 CET). He will be joined by assistant referees Nic Berry (Australia) and Karl Dickson (England) with Ben Whitehouse (Wales) as TMO.
Ben O’Keeffe (New Zealand) will take charge of England v South Africa in Saint-Denis on Saturday, 21 October (21:00 CET). He will be joined by assistant referees Andrew Brace (Ireland) and Paul Williams (New Zealand) and TMO Brendon Pickerill (New Zealand).
It will be a first Rugby World Cup semi-final for both Angus Gardner and Ben O’Keeffe.
Gardner will referee Argentina v New Zealand for the fifth time in what is his first Rugby World Cup knockout match as a referee.
The Australian official was in the middle for Argentina’s historic 25-15 victory in November 2020.
He also refereed their most recent meeting, won 41-12 by New Zealand in July, in the Rugby Championship.
It will be Gardner’s fourth match in the middle at RWC 2023 and a fifth of the tournament for O’Keeffe.
The New Zealand official will referee England v South Africa for the second time, having been in the middle for South Africa’s 42-39 victory in June 2018.
World Rugby can confirm that Jaco Peyper wasn’t considered, owing to a calf injury sustained during the Wales v Argentina quarter-final in Marseille.