KEY POINTS:
The International Rugby Board (IRB) will consider later this month whether it, rather than national unions, should employ the world's leading referees.
IRB referees boss Paddy O'Brien said today the idea had been "bandied about for some time" as a way to increase the independence of match officials.
"It's a strategic meeting that will look at where refereeing is heading for the next four years," O'Brien told The Dominion Post.
"We'll discuss things like whether we need specialised touch judges and TMOs.
"And we'll discuss whether the IRB should take over the fulltime employment of the referees, and that they then control games in the northern and southern hemisphere competitions."
The meeting will include the referee bosses from Sanzar and the Six Nations, as well as Japan, Canada, United States and Argentina, and South Africa's World Cup winning coach Jake White, and Wales' Warren Gatland.
- NZPA
