The International Rugby Board's selectors have made the appointments to the 2010 Six Nations, kicking off in February.

Two referees have two matches each - Jonathan Kaplan and Wayne Barnes. One referee will have his first Six Nations match - Romain Poite of France who will blow the whistle to start the 2010 Six Nations. It may well come as a surprise that Chris White, who recently passed the 50-Test mark has no appointment.

Marius Jonker will referee his third Calcutta Cup match. It's not a record. Captain Mike Dowling (Ireland) did five Calcutta Cup matches between 1950 and 1956. In all Dowling did 16 Five Nations matches, three behind Gwyn Walters of Wales and one behind Kevin Kelleher of Ireland's. Kaplan is two behind Dowling.

In all there are 15 matches. The four South African referees have a total of five. Bryce Lawrence of New Zealand is the only other southern Hemisphere referee appointed. In all 13 referees have been appointed.

On the appointments,  IRB Referee Manager Paddy O’Brien said: “Romain Poite's appointment to his first Six Nations match, along with the selection of a number of up and coming match officials amongst the Assistant Referee Panel reflects the the IRB’s commitment to developing the next generation of international refereeing talent."

The appointments were made after a comprehensive review of refereeing performances by the IRB Match Official Selection Committee. The process included self-assessment, with referees giving structured feedback on their individual performances.

Week 1:

Saturday, 6 February 2010

Ireland vs Italy at Croke Park
Referee: Romain Poite (France)
Assistant referees: Christophe Berdos (France), Jérôme Graces (France)
Television match official: Geoff Warren (England)
Assessor: Clayton Thomas (Wales)

England vs Wales at Twickenham
Referee: Alain Rolland (Ireland)
Assistant referees: George Clancy (Ireland), Simon McDowell (Ireland)
Television match official: Jim Yuille (Scotland)
Assessor: Michael Lamoulie (France)

Sunday, 7 February 2010

Scotland vs France at Murrayfield
Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales)
Assistant referees: Chris White (England),Tim Hayes (Wales)
Television match official: Graham Hughes (England)
Assessor: Tappe Henning (South Africa)

Week 2:

Saturday, 13 February 2010

Wales vs Scotland at Millennium Stadium
Referee: George Clancy (Ireland)
Assistant referees: Alain Rolland (Ireland), Peter Fitzgibbon (Ireland)
Television match official: Geoff Warren (England)
Assessor: Tappe Henning (South Africa)

France vs Ireland at Stade de France
Referee: Wayne Barnes (England)
Assistant referees: Nigel Owens (Wales), Stuart Terheege (England)
Television match official: Giulio De Santis (Italy)
Assessor: Michel Lamoulie (France)

Sunday, 14 February 2010

Italy vs England at Stadio Flaminio
Referee: Christophe Berdos (France)
Assistant referees: Romain Poite (France), Pascal Gauzere (France)
Television match official: Hugh Watkins (Wales)
Assessor: Dave Herbert (Wales)

Week 3:

Friday, 26 February 2010

Wales vs France at Millennium Stadium
Referee: Jonathan Kaplan (South Africa)
Assistant referees: Alan Lewis (Ireland), Simon McDowell (Ireland)
Television match official: Jim Yuille (Scotland)
Assessor: Steve Hilditch (Ireland)

Saturday, 27 February 2010

Italy vs Scotland at Stadio Flaminio
Referee: Dave Pearson (England)
Assistant referees: Peter Fitzgibbon (Ireland), Tim Hayes (Wales)
Television match official: Nigel Whitehouse (Wales)
Assessor: Jim Fleming (Scotland)

England vs Ireland  at Twickenham
Referee: Mark Lawrence (South Africa)
Assistant referees: Christophe Berdos (France), David Changleng (Scotland)
Television match official: Carlo Damasco (Italy)
Assessor: Michel Lamoulie (France)

Week 4:

Saturday, 13 March 2010

Ireland vs Wales at Croke Park
Referee: Craig Joubert (South Africa)
Assistant referees: Dave Pearson (England), Peter Allan (Scotland)
Television match official: Jim Yuille (Scotland)
Assessor: Paul Bridgman (England)

Scotland vs England at Murrayfield
Referee: Marius Jonker (South Africa)
Assistant referees: Peter Fitzgibbon (Ireland), Carlo Damasco (Italy)
Television match official: Giulio De Santis (Italy)
Assessor: Patrick Robin (France)

Sunday, 14 March 2010

France vs Italy at Stade de France
Referee: Alan Lewis (Ireland)
Assistant referees: Bryce Lawrence (New Zealand), David Changleng (Scotland)
Television match official: Hugh Watkins (Wales)
Assessor: Michel Lamoulie (France)

Week 5:

Saturday, 20 March 2010

Wales vs Italy at Millennium Stadium
Referee: Wayne Barnes (England)
Assistant referees: Marinus Jonker (South Africa), Stuart Terheege (England)
Television match official: Graham Hughes (England)
Assessor: Douglas Kerr (Scotland)

Ireland vs Scotland at Croke Park
Referee: Jonathan Kaplan (South Africa)
Assistant referees: Craig Joubert (South Africa), Jérôme Garces (France)
Television match official: Giulio De Santis (Italy)
Assessor: Steve Hilditch (Ireland)

France vs England at Stade de France
Referee: Bryce Lawrence (New Zealand)
Assistant referees: Alain Rolland (Ireland), Simon McDowell (Ireland)
Television match official: Nigel Whitehouse (Wales)
Assessor: Michel Lamoulie (France)