The full schedule of match official appointments for next year’s Six Nations has been announced.
Welsh referee Nigel Owens will take the whistle for Ireland’s opening fixture against France in Paris - with Wayne Barnes (England) and Paul Williams (New Zealand) running the lines, with Rowan Kitt (England) acting as TMO.
Roman Poite (France) will referee Ireland’s second fixture against Italy, with Glen Jackson (New Zealand) in charge of their third game against Wales at the Aviva Stadium.
Wayne Barnes has been assigned to the penultimate clash with Scotland in Edinburgh, before the Angus Gardner (Australia) takes over for the potentially championship-defining fixture against England at Twickenham.
Ireland’s Six Nations campaign gets underway at the Stade de France on February 3rd (4.45pm ko).
Ireland match-officials for 2018 Six Nations:
France v Ireland, Saturday February 3rd:
Referee - Nigel Owens (Wales)
Assistant 1 - Wayne Barnes (England)
Assistant 2 - Paul Williams (New Zealand)
TMO - Rowan Kitt (England)
Ireland v Italy, Saturday February 10th:
Referee - Romain Poite (France)
Assistant 1 - Pascal Gauzere (France)
Assistant 2 - Matthew Carley (England)
TMO - David Grashoff (England)
Ireland v Wales, Saturday February 24th:
Referee - Glen Jackson (New Zealand)
Assistant 1 - Pascal Gauzere (France)
Assistant 2 - Matthew Carley (England)
TMO - Rowan Kitt (England)
Ireland v Scotland, Saturday March 10th:
Referee - Wayne Barnes (England)
Assistant 1 - Ben O'Keeffe (New Zelaand)
Assistant 2 - Luke Pearce (England)
TMO - George Ayoub (Australia)
England v Ireland, Saturday Match 17th:
Referee - Angus Gardner (Australia)
Assistant 1 - Jaco Peyper (South Africa)
Assistant 2 - Marius van der Westhuizen (South Africa)
TMO - Ben Skeen (New Zealand)
