NEWS: Leading Irish referee Dave McHugh, recently sidelined following an assault by a South African spectator during the Tri-Nations, is expected to resume match duties in the Celtic League by mid-September as a prelude to his record-breaking 24th Test when France host Canada on November 23rd. This landmark will eclipse the Irish record established by Kevin Kelleher in 1971, which also stood as a world record for 20 years.
McHugh had equalled Kelleher's total when taking charge of the South Africa-New Zealand game in Durban on August 10th, but was forced to retire early in the second-half when sustaining a dislocated shoulder after the assault.
"I have been given the all-clear to resume training and subject to a further medical check, I am very hopeful of returning to action on September 14th for the Neath versus Llanelli Celtic League game," he says.
McHugh, Donal Courtney, Alan Lewis, Alain Rolland and Tony Redmond are in demand for refereeing and touch judge duty in the September-December period, as are Tom Atlin, Stephen Hilditch and Jim Irvine as match assessors.
IRB Referee appointments for September-December 2002, involving Ireland matches and Irish referees, touch judges, assessors: - September 7: Ireland v Romania - Referee: Giulio De Santis; Touch judge 1: Tony Spreadbury; Touch judge 2: Antonio Lombardi;Assessor: Robert Yeman; September 7: RWC Uruguay v Chile - Referee: Donal Courtney; Touch judge 1: Peter Marshall; Touch judge 2: Pablo Deluca; Assessor: UAR; September 21: RWC Russia V. Ireland - Referee 0 Joel Jutge; Touch judge 1: Chris White, Touch judge 2: Tony Spreadbury; Assessor: TBC; September 28: RWC Italy v Romania - Referee: Donal Courtney; Touch judge 1: Alan Lewis; Touch judge 2: Tony Redmond; Assessor: TBC; September 28: RWC Ireland v Georgia - Referee: Nigel Williams; Touch judge 1: Nigel Whitehouse; Touch judge 2: Nigel Owens; Assessor: TBC.
October 5: RWC Romania v Spain - Referee: Alan Lewis; Touch judge 1: IRFU Touch judge 2: IRFU; Assessor: Giovanni Romano; October 13: RWC Georgia v Russia - Referee: Alain Rolland; Touch judge 1: IRFU; Touch judge 2: IRFU; Assessor: Colin High.
November 2: Wales v Romania - Referee: Joel Jutge; Touch judge 1: Alan Lewis Touch judge 2: Tony Spreadbury; Assessor: Brian Leigh; November 9: Ireland v Australia - Referee: Steve Walsh; Touch judge 1: Paul Honiss; Touch judge 2: Giulio De Santis; Assessor: Douglas Kerr; TV Match Official: RFU; November 9: France v South Africa - Referee: Alain Rolland; Touch judge 1: Andrew Cole; Touch judge 2: Dave McHugh; Assessor: Ian Scotney; TV Match Official: WRU; November 9: Scotland v Romania - Referee: Andy Turner; Touch judge 1: Tappe Henning; Touch judge 2: Alan Lewis; Assessor: Tom Aplin; TV Match Official: FFR; November 9: Wales v Fiji - Referee: Stuart Dickinson; Touch judge 1: Tony Spreadbury; Touch judge 2: Donal Courtney; Assessor: David Leslie; TV Match Official: SRU; November 16: Scotland v South Africa - Referee: Nigel Williams; Touch judge 1: Stuart Dickinson; Touch judge 2: Alan Lewis; Assessor: Tom Doocey; TV Match Official: IRFU; November 16: Wales v Canada - Referee: Giulio De Santis; Touch judge 1: Alain Rolland; Touch judge 2: Steve Lander; Assessor: Ian Scotney; TV Match Official: RFU; November 16: England v Australia - Referee: Paul Honiss; Touch judge 1: Paddy O'Brien; Touch judge 2: Donal Courtney; Assessor: Michel Lamoulie; TV Match Official: WRU; November 16: France v New Zealand - Referee: Scott Young; Touch judge 1: Tappe Henning; Touch judge 2: Dave McHugh; Assessor: Stephen Hilditch; TV Match Official: FIR; November 17: Ireland v Fiji - Referee: Chris White; Touch judge 1: Pablo Deluca; Touch judge 2: Joel Jutge; Assessor: Patrick Robin; TV Match Official: SRU; November 23: France v Canada - Referee: Dave McHugh; Touch judge 1: Chris White; Touch judge 2: Nigel Williams; Assessor: Tom Doocey; TV Match Official: IRFU; November 23: England v South Africa - Referee: Paddy O'Brien; Touch judge 1: Scott Young; Touch judge 2: Alain Rolland; Assessor: Robert Yeman; TV Match Official: SRU; November 23: Italy v Australia - Referee: Pablo Deluca; Touch judge 1: Alan Lewis; Touch judge 2: Joel Jutge; Assessor: Stephen Hilditch; TV Match Official: RFU; November 23: Ireland v Argentina - Referee: Steve Lander; Touch judge 1: Steve Walsh; Touch judge 2: Nigel Whitehouse; Assessor: Frans Muller; TV Match Official: WRU; November 23: Wales v New Zealand - Referee: Tappe Henning; Touch judge 1: Andre Watson; Touch judge 2: Donal Courtney; Assessor: Colin High; TV Match Official: FFR.
