Reminder: Who will referee first Test between Springboks and All Blacks
The Springboks will soon face the All Blacks in the first clash of a four-Test series, which will kick off in Johannesburg on 22 August, and as always there…
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The Springboks will soon face the All Blacks in the first clash of a four-Test series, which will kick off in Johannesburg on 22 August, and as always there will be plenty of attention on the performance of the referee.
This opening Test will be officiated by Matthew Carley (England) Carley, who established himself as a mainstay on the world referee stage. His major career appointments include officiating at the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France and taking charge of the 2024 Champions Cup final between Leinster and Toulouse.
Carley has officiated several high-profile Tests involving South Africa, and the Springboks hold a remarkably strong record under his whistle:
Carley has been the referee in charge for three notable Springbok victories over New Zealand, including their historic 35-7 triumph at Twickenham in August 2023, their 31-29 thriller on the Gold Coast in 2021, and their 18-12 win in Cape Town during the 2024 Rugby Championship.
Outside of early career defeats against Wales (2018) and Australia (2021), South Africa has won every major Test match refereed by Carley in recent years, including key victories against Wales (2022), Italy (2022), Georgia (2025), and Ireland in Dublin (2025).
VIEW RUGBY’S GREATEST RIVALRY APPOINTMENTS >>
ALL THE REFEREE APPOINTMENTS FOR THE SPRINGBOKS AND ALL BLACKS
The All Blacks have so far played two out of their seven matches in South Africa on their ‘Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry’ tour, including three Tests and four matches against provincial sides.
The fourth Test will be in Baltimore in the United States.