{"id":293833,"date":"2023-10-21T10:24:41","date_gmt":"2023-10-21T10:24:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportslifetale.com\/?p=293833"},"modified":"2023-10-21T10:24:41","modified_gmt":"2023-10-21T10:24:41","slug":"england-vs-south-africa-referee-who-is-rugby-world-cup-official-ben-okeeffe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportslifetale.com\/rugby-union\/england-vs-south-africa-referee-who-is-rugby-world-cup-official-ben-okeeffe\/","title":{"rendered":"England vs South Africa referee: Who is Rugby World Cup official Ben O\u2019Keeffe?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/static.independent.co.uk\/static-assets\/images\/newsletter\/sport\/sport-135x135.png\" width=\"134\" height=\"134\" layout=\"responsive\"><\/p>\n<h3>Sign up to our free sport newsletter for all the latest news on everything from cycling to boxing<\/h3>\n<h3>Sign up to our free sport email for all the latest news<\/h3>\n<h2>Thanks for signing up to the<br \/> Sport email<\/h2>\n<p>New Zealand\u2019s Ben O\u2019Keeffe will take charge of England vs South Africa at the 2023 Rugby World Cup.<\/p>\n<p>It promises to be a tense match in a rematch of the 2019 final, and this is the 34-year-old\u2019s second tournament, having taken charge of three pool games as the youngest on-field official four years ago in Japan.<\/p>\n<p>Born in Blenheim on New Zealand\u2019s South Island, O\u2019Keeffe started refereeing at the age of 19 and stepped up into the professional ranks five years later.<\/p>\n<p>He was elevated to a first international fixture in 2015 as an assistant, before a refereeing debut in June 2016 overseeing a draw between Samoa and Japan.<\/p>\n<p>A three-time recipient of the New Zealand referee of the year award, O\u2019Keeffe was selected to take charge of the second British and Irish Lions test in South Africa in 2021, before making the 12-strong list of referees for this year\u2019s World Cup.<\/p>\n<p>A qualified ophthalmologist, O\u2019Keeffe\u2019s brother Michael represented New Zealand at the London Olympics and is now a sports reporter.<\/p>\n<h3>Recommended<\/h3>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/static.independent.co.uk\/2023\/10\/20\/15\/newFile-3.jpg\"><br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/static.independent.co.uk\/2023\/10\/19\/16\/1744580473.jpg\"><br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/static.independent.co.uk\/2023\/10\/17\/12\/AFP_33WY4L6.jpg\"><\/p>\n<p>He has been appointed as the referee for three pool games at the World Cup.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Which games is Ben O\u2019Keeffe refereeing at the 2023 Rugby World Cup?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>France v Uruguay \u2013 Pool A (14 September, Lille)<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Referee: Ben O\u2019Keeffe (NZ)<\/p>\n<p>ARs: Paul Williams (NZ) &#038; James Doleman (NZ)<\/p>\n<p>TMO: Ben Whitehouse (Wal)<\/p>\n<p><strong>South Africa v Ireland \u2013 Pool B (23 September, Paris)<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Referee: Ben O\u2019Keeffe (NZ)<\/p>\n<p>ARs: Mathieu Raynal (Fra) &#038; James Doleman (NZ)<\/p>\n<p>TMO: Brendon Pickerill (NZ)<\/p>\n<p><strong>Japan v Argentina \u2013 Pool D (8 October, Nantes)<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Referee: Ben O\u2019Keeffe (NZ)<\/p>\n<p>ARs: Paul Williams (NZ) &#038; James Doleman (NZ)<\/p>\n<p>TMO: Brendon Pickerill (NZ)<\/p>\n<p><strong>France v South Africa &#8211; Quarter-final (15 October, Saint-Denis)<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Referee: Ben O\u2019Keeffe (NZ)<\/p>\n<p>ARs: Paul Williams (NZ) &#038; James Doleman (NZ)<\/p>\n<p>TMO: Brendon Pickerill (NZ)<\/p>\n<p><strong>England v South Africa &#8211; semi-final (21 October, Saint-Denis)<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Referee: Ben O\u2019Keeffe (NZ)<\/p>\n<p>ARs: Mathieu Raynal (Fra) &#038; Paul Williams (NZ)<\/p>\n<p>TMO: Brendon Pickerill (NZ)<\/p>\n<p>Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.independent.co.uk\/sport\/rugby\/rugby-union\/england-south-africa-referee-ben-okeeffe-rugby-world-cup-b2433585.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Read Full Article<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Sign up to our free sport newsletter for all the latest news on everything from cycling to boxing Sign up to our free sport email for all the latest news Thanks for signing up to the Sport email New Zealand\u2019s Ben O\u2019Keeffe will take charge of England vs South Africa at the 2023 Rugby World [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":293832,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v21.8 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>England vs South Africa referee: Who is Rugby World Cup official Ben O\u2019Keeffe? 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