
Date: 24/10/17
NRL grand final referee Matt Cecchin has been appointed to control Friday night’s opening Rugby League World Cup 2017 match between Australia and England in Melbourne.
Cecchin will work with touch judges Chris Butler, who was a touch judge at the NRL grand final, and Chris Kendall, who was a touch judge in this year’s Super League grand final and Challenge Cup final.
Super League grand final referee James Child will be in charge of the opening match in New Zealand between the Kiwis and Samoa on Saturday at Mt Smart Stadium.
Another significant appointment will see Belinda Sleeman become the first female to officiate at a Rugby League World Cup after being appointed as a touch judge for the game in Townsville on Saturday between Fiji and USA.
There will be some key differences during the World Cup to the way NRL matches are officiated, with RLWC2017 games controlled by one referee – not two – and an in-goal video referral system replacing the Bunker for checking contentious decisions.
There will also be no shot clock for scrums and goal lines drop outs but common rules used in Super League and the NRL will be in operation, including a seventh tackle from the 20-metre re-start if the ball is kicked dead and a tap re-start from a 40:20 kick. Golden point will only be used in finals matches.
RLWC2017 Match Officials |
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GAME: AUSTRALIA V ENGLAND |
DATE: FRIDAY 27TH OCTOBER 2017 |
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VENUE: MELBOURNE RECTANGULAR STADIUM |
NRL KICK OFF: 8.00PM LOCAL |
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REFEREE: |
Matt Cecchin |
VIDEO REFEREE: |
Ben Thaler |
TOUCH JUDGES: |
Chris Butler |
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Chris Kendall |
JERSEY COLOUR: |
Pink |
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STANDBY: |
Gerard Sutton |
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GAME: PNG V WALES |
DATE: SATURDAY 28TH OCTOBER 2017 |
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VENUE: NATIONAL FOOTBALL STADIUM |
NRL KICK OFF: 3.00PM LOCAL |
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REFEREE: |
Ben Cummins |
VIDEO REFEREE: |
Jared Maxwell |
TOUCH JUDGES: |
Dave Munro |
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Scott Mikalauskas |
JERSEY COLOUR: |
Lime |
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STANDBY: |
Adam Gee |
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GAME: NEW ZEALAND V SAMOA |
DATE: SATURDAY 28TH OCTOBER 2017 |
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VENUE: MT SMART STADIUM |
NRL KICK OFF: 8.15PM LOCAL |
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REFEREE: |
James Child |
VIDEO REFEREE: |
Bernard Sutton |
TOUCH JUDGES: |
Michael Wise |
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Tim Roby |
JERSEY COLOUR: |
Pink |
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STANDBY: |
Chris Sutton |
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GAME: FIJI V USA |
DATE: SATURDAY 28TH OCTOBER 2017 |
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VENUE: TOWNSVILLE STADIUM |
NRL KICK OFF: 7.45PM LOCAL |
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REFEREE: |
Henry Perenara |
VIDEO REFEREE: |
Steve Chiddy |
TOUCH JUDGES: |
Jon Stone |
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Belinda Sleeman |
JERSEY COLOUR: |
Pink |
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STANDBY: |
Ashley Klein |
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GAME: IRELAND V ITALY |
DATE: SUNDAY 29TH OCTOBER 2017 |
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VENUE: BARLOW PARK CAIRNS |
NRL KICK OFF: 2.00PM LOCAL |
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REFEREE: |
Grant Atkins |
VIDEO REFEREE: |
Steve Chiddy |
TOUCH JUDGES: |
Liam Moore |
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Robert Hicks |
JERSEY COLOUR: |
Pink |
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STANDBY: |
Ziggy Przeklasa-Adamski |
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GAME: SCOTLAND V TONGA |
DATE: SUNDAY 29TH OCTOBER 2017 |
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VENUE: BARLOW PARK CAIRNS |
NRL KICK OFF: 4.15PM LOCAL |
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REFEREE: |
Phil Bentham |
VIDEO REFEREE: |
Ashley Klein |
TOUCH JUDGES: |
Chris McMillan |
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Mark Craven |
JERSEY COLOUR: |
Yellow |
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STANDBY: |
Ziggy Przeklasa-Adamski |
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GAME: FRANCE V LEBANON |
DATE: SUNDAY 29TH OCTOBER 2017 |
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VENUE: CANBERRA STADIUM |
NRL KICK OFF: 4.05PM LOCAL |
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REFEREE: |
Gerard Sutton |
VIDEO REFEREE: |
Ben Thaler |
TOUCH JUDGES: |
Chris Butler |
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Chris Kendall |
JERSEY COLOUR: |
Pink |
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STANDBY: |
Matt Cecchin |