Rugby: Wayne Barnes to ref in Air NZ Cup

Wayne Barnes will control the Air NZ Cup match between Wellington and Southland. Photo / Getty Images

English international referee Wayne Barnes, pilloried in New Zealand after the All Blacks' rugby World Cup quarterfinal in 2007, will control the Air NZ Cup match between Wellington and Southland on September 24.

Barnes will be in New Zealand as an assistant referee for the All Blacks tests against South Africa in Hamilton on Saturday and, against Australia in Wellington a week later.

New Zealand lost the World Cup match at Cardiff 20-18 and Barnes bore the brunt of criticism for the sinbinning of Luke McAlister, missing a forward pass in the lead-up to France's winning try and failing to blow a single penalty against the French in the second half.

New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU) high performance referee manager Lyndon Bray said Barnes' appearance in Wellington was a great opportunity to promote international co-operation in refereeing.

"This level of co-operation between countries will hopefully help leverage for New Zealand referees to have opportunities in England, and possibly see swaps between the European Cup and Super 14 within the foreseeable future," Bray said.

In other referee appointments with an international flavour, Australians Andrew Lees will referee the Tasman-Waikato match in Blenheim on Friday and Nathan Pearce will run next Thursday's Bay of Plenty-Tasman match at Mt Maunganui.

Three weeks ago, Pearce also officiated the Taranaki-Hawke's Bay game in New Plymouth.

- NZPA