Australian Angus Gardner will take charge of the opening Test between the Springboks and All Blacks in the Republic next month, with no South African referees given the whistle in the Rugby Championship.

Gardner will blow the encounter in Nelspruit on 6 August, while Luke Pearce from England was appointed for the second clash on 13 August in Johannesburg.

Gardner and Pearce are two of 12 referees appointed within a team of 26 match officials, including assistant referees and TMOs.

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The Boks’ remaining matches in the competition will be refereed by a trio of Kiwis – Paul Williams (vs Australia on 27 August, Adelaide), Ben O’Keeffe (vs Australia on 3 September, Sydney) and James Doleman (vs Argentina on 17 September, Buenos Aires) – and Australian Damon Murphy (vs Argentina on 24 September, Durban).

Marius van der Westhuizen has been appointed as the TMO for the clashes between Argentina and the Wallabies in Argentina.

Full list of Rugby Championship match officials