KEY POINTS:
Southern Hemisphere referees have been snubbed, with none taking charge of this weekend's prestigious quarter-finals.
The stunning scenario sees two Irishmen, an Englishman and a Frenchman in charge of the four ties.
The irony is that the decision was made by a group headed by New Zealander Paddy O'Brien, the IRB's refereeing supremo.
Before the tournament started, South African Jonathan Kaplan was one of the hot favourites to take charge of the World Cup final, assuming the Springboks didn't get there. But Kaplan hasn't looked at his best in this tournament so far, certainly not as impressive and as in command as during the Tri-Nations earlier in the year.
He appeared to miss a blatant trip by Italian centre Mirco Bergamasco in Italy's match against Scotland and many thought Italian halfback Alessandro was also fortunate to escape serious censure for a high challenge off the ball against his opposite Dan Parks.
New Zealander Paul Honiss gave an unconvincing display in handling the South Africa-Samoa game and in the crucial decider between Ireland and Argentina, he ignored as many as four blatant incidents in which Irish fullback Geordan Murphy was taken out off the ball.
Fellow Kiwi Steve Walsh is regarded as inconsistent and Australian Stuart Dickinson, who took charge of the Wales-Fiji match, is also seen by some as erratic. So Kaplan, Honiss, Walsh and Dickinson will get no closer to the quarter-final action than as touch judges, a huge snub. Kaplan's fellow South African, Marius Jonker, doesn't even get that far: he has only a role as a TMO.
It means that the Northern Hemisphere officials have been appointed to every quarter-final. Englishman Wayne Barnes, who is regarded as arguably the most promising referee in world rugby, gets the plum tie, New Zealand against France in Cardiff. Barnes, who is only 27 and is a former criminal law barrister, is seen as a calm, authoritative figure, an official usually in control. But this match will be the toughest test of his career.
Frenchman Joel Jutge, who, together with Barnes, is probably the joint favourite to handle the final if it is between South Africa and New Zealand, takes charge of the Argentina-Scotland tie. That leaves the two Irishmen, Alain Rolland, who will handle Australia v England and Alan Lewis, in charge of South Africa v Fiji.
Both Irishmen are seen as cool customers, officials willing to lay down markers for players and stick firmly to them. Like Barnes, both have a no-nonsense aspect about them.
Two of the Southern Hemisphere officials can only hope they will get one last chance to impress in the semifinals. But the selection for the last eight puts the Northern Hemisphere referees in pole position to dominate the knock-out stages.
And the decision has clearly been made on form at the tournament so far. O'Brien is generally pleased with the standards of refereeing to date, and delighted that no decision by an official has really decided any match so far at the tournament.
* Peter Bills is chief rugby correspondent for Independent News & Media in London
