Top Kiwi ref to take charge of Gloucester vs Leicester in Premiership
New Zealand referee Ben O’Keeffe will take to the whistle in the Premiership this weekend in preparation for reffing England at the Six Nations, City PM can reveal.
The Super Rugby official, who has officiated on a British and Irish Lions Tour, will take charge of Gloucester’s Premiership fixture against Leicester Tigers on Saturday at Kingsholm.
The 36-year-old will referee England’s opening Six Nations match a week later, against Ireland in Dublin.
He will then run touch in round two at Murrayfield, when Scotland play hosts to Ireland.
It is not the first time an overseas referee has prepared for the European international tournament by officiating a Premiership match.
O’Keeffe the trailblazer?
Luc Ramos became the 10th Frenchman to referee a Premiership game last season when he officiated Sale Sharks’ match with Harlequins.
Irishman Andrew Brace officiated a match between Bath and Harlequins in 2022 while English referee Christophe Ridley took charge of a United Rugby Championship game in the same season.
O’Keeffe has been handed a crunch match this weekend, with Leicester Tigers fourth in the table and Gloucester fifth. The winner will sit in the Premiership top four until the end of the Six Nations.
It is also the latest edition of the Slater Cup, established to raise funds for former player of both sides Ed Slater, who has been diagnosed with motor neurone disease.
It is understood that the Rugby Football Union, which appoints referees to the Premiership, takes into consideration requests from the likes of EPCR, which runs the Champions Cup and Challenge Cup, and World Rugby, which has a role to play in international referee appointments.
However, it is not yet known whether English referees will officiate across the continent during the Six Nations.
O’Keeffe will reach 50 international Tests, the first New Zealand referee to hit that milestone, during this year’s Six Nations while Pierre Brousset (England vs Scotland) is set for his debut in the tournament.
Scot Sam Grove-White will make his assistant refereeing debut in the Six Nations while five officials will become TMOs in the competition for the first time.
Premiership sources have hailed the involvement of the world’s top officials in their competition.