Walsh returns to Test arena

The IRB have announced the match official appointments for the Test matches to be played between October 30 and December 4.

The International Rugby Board (IRB) have announced the match official appointments for the schedule of international matches to be played between October 30 and December 4 this year.

The appointments were made by the IRB match official selection committee at its meeting in Dublin last weekend after a comprehensive review of international referee, assistant referee and television match official performances during the June internationals and recent Tri-Nations.

The IRB International Referee Panel features the return of Steve Walsh (Australia) after a two-year absence. Walsh was frozen out of the game after a drunken incident at a referees conference in Sydney in 2008.

He will referee his first Tier One match since February 2008 when Wales play host to South Africa at the Millennium Stadium on November 13.

There is also an addition to the IRB Assistant Referee Panel with Argentina's Francisco Pastrana included having graduated from this year's IRB Junior World Championship in Argentina.

Ireland's Alain Rolland will kick off the busy period of matches as New Zealand take on Australia in the fourth Bledisloe Cup match in Hong Kong on October 30. Rolland will also take charge of the final match of the Rugby World Cup 2011 qualification process as Romania play host to Uruguay in Bucharest on November 27.

“It is good to see Steve Walsh return to the International Referee Panel, while we are delighted to welcome Francisco Pastrana to the Assistant Referee Panel, having performed so well at the IRB Junior World Championship in Argentina this year,” said IRB Referee Manager Paddy O'Brien.

“Both have impressed the selectors and deserve their reward, and Pastrana's selection reinforces the continued role of the development pathway created via the IRB Age Grade Championships and Sevens World Series in preparing referees for the Test arena.”