Australian Peter Marshall will retire from international rugby refereeing after the World Cup to take up the position of referees' manager at the Australian Rugby Union.
Marshall, 48, will replace Russell Trotter, who will step down after 11 years in the position.
Marshall was included in a 26-man preliminary squad of World Cup officials, named in April. That will be cut to 24, with 16 named match referees and eight touch judges or television match officials.
"If I get chosen to officiate at the World Cup then I'll start my new role after the tournament, otherwise I'll finish refereeing after the conclusion of the Tooheys New Cup [in New South Wales]," Marshall said yesterday.
A former first-grade player with Sydney club Manly, Marshall made his test refereeing debut in the match between Fiji and Tonga in 1993. He has controlled 30 tests, including three at the 1999 World Cup.
Rugby: Australian referee retiring after World Cup
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