Referees announced for World Cup

French referee Joel Jutge will take charge of England's crucial World Cup pool clash against South Africa in Paris on September 14.

Jutge is the solitary French official named among a 12-strong list of referees to officiate at the tournament.

England provide three referees in Chris White, Tony Spreadbury and World Cup debutant Wayne Barnes - the highest representation of any country.

The panel is completed by Welshman Nigel Owens, Australian Stuart Dickinson, Irish pair Alain Rolland and Alan Lewis, New Zealanders Steve Walsh and Paul Honiss, plus the South African duo of Jonathan Kaplan and Marius Jonker.

England's three other pool games - against the USA, Samoa and Tonga - will be controlled by Kaplan, Lewis and Rolland respectively.

Barnes, meanwhile, has been handed four group fixtures, including New Zealand's opener against Italy, with Spreadbury taking charge of the tournament's first game between France and Argentina and White officiating a potential group decider between Ireland and France.

Elsewhere, Wales' Cardiff showdown with Australia in September has been awarded to Walsh, while Owens and Jonker join Barnes as World Cup newcomers.

The appointments were announced following a two-day session of the International Rugby Board's match official selection committee in Dublin.