Craig Joubert has announced his retirement from Test refereeing to take up a World Rugby job developing elite young match officials.

Joubert, who refereed his 69th Test match this past November, will take up this new role from 2017, which will see him working towards identifying and developing the next crop of top men’s and women’s referees in both sevens and fifteens rugby.

'This was not a decision I took lightly given the obvious lure of possibly refereeing the British & Irish Lions in New Zealand next year, as well as the rugby World Cup in Japan in 2019,' he commented.

'However, the opportunity to make a difference in other peoples’ careers and lives is something which I’m excited about. It really is a dream job. Over the past few years I have taken Rasta Rasivhenge under my wing and have mentored and coached him, and it has been enormously rewarding to see him grow as a person and as a referee.

'This position gives me the opportunity to play a more formal role in sharing my experiences and developing referees, and to have a positive influence on the lives and careers of other young referees.'

Although Joubert has retired from Test refereeing, he will continue to officiate on the World Rugby Sevens circuit.

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