The career of New Zealand referee Steve Walsh has been stalled following his verbal run-in with Lions and Irish backline player Shane Horgan.

Walsh was said to have had a heated exchange with Horgan when he was playing for the Lions during last summer's tour to New Zealand during a midweek game against Taranaki.

Acting as a touch judge, Walsh had a heated argument with Horgan, who had to be restrained by his team-mates.

It is not the first time the outspoken referee has has been sidelined by the International Rugby Board (IRB).

During a 2003 World Cup match between England and Samoa, in which England arrived at having 16 players on the pitch, Walsh became embroiled in a confrontation in the tunnel with England's fitness trainer Dave Reddin.

As a result Walsh was suspended for three days following a judicial hearing into that incident.

The latest setback for the New Zealander leaves him as the only one of 23 referees on the IRB's A or B list to have been overlooked as an official for the 22 Test matches to be played in November in Europe and Argentina.

The decision was taken by a committee headed by the IRB referees' manager and former top New Zealand official Paddy O'Brien.

The trouble with Horgan began when the Irish player was called for a knock-on against Taranaki in June's match, on touch judge Walsh's advice.

Horgan, returning to his position, told Walsh that he had kicked the ball, not knocked it on, whereupon Walsh had a heated exchange with the Irish international.

So incensed was the Irishman over the incident that a meeting was held between the Lions and Walsh a day or two later.

A few days later, when the Lions faced the New Zealand Maoris in Hamilton, Walsh was again involved with Horgan when he indicated with his hands that Horgan had been speaking out of turn.

"I have to cop it sweet," was the referee's reaction to being dropped from the elite panel of officials. "That's the way it is and I have to get on with my life."