Jaco Peyper. Photo by Grant Pitcher/Gallo Images)
Who is RWC referee Jaco Peyper?
Jaco Peyper is the sole South African representative on the Rugby World Cup panel of referees.
Jaco Peyper. Photo by Grant Pitcher/Gallo Images)
The only South African official chosen to referee matches at the Rugby World Cup is Jaco Peyper.
Peyper has fallen into the role of being South Africa’s top referee but this is likely to be his last Rugby World Cup.
His last game before the World Cup saw him oversee Fiji’s sensational first win over England.
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Peyper has taken charge of 59 Test matches across his career and the 2023 RWC will be his third tournament as an official.
How has Jaco Peyper officiated recently?
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Jonny Sexton got a ban for his violent reaction to Peyper’s performance in the European Champions Cup final.
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His decision to red card Freddie Steward in the Six Nations match between England and Ireland raised a few eyebrows.
Peyper will be given the honour of refereeing the opening match of the Rugby World Cup.
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Peyper has experience officiating opening games; during the Rugby World Cup 2015 at Twickenham, he officiated the opening encounter between England and Fiji.
His history
Born in Bloemfontein in 1980, Peyper took charge of his first Currie Cup match in 2006 and quickly rose to become a prominent whistleman.
On the international scene no team have had Peyper as a referee more often than New Zealand.
Whether that is an advantage for the men from New Zealand remains to be seen.
He courted controversy at the last Rugby World Cup after opoosing for pictures with fans while making an albowing gesture following a match where he had sent off France’s Sébastien Vahaamahina for elbowing a Wales player in the face rather viciously.
Peyper was not considered for further duty beyond the last eight.
Rugby World Cup assignments
France v New Zealand 8 September
England v Chile 23 September
Japan v Samoa 28 September
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