{"id":290612,"date":"2023-09-14T08:34:47","date_gmt":"2023-09-14T08:34:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tellmysport.com\/?p=290612"},"modified":"2023-09-14T08:34:47","modified_gmt":"2023-09-14T08:34:47","slug":"france-vs-uruguay-referee-who-is-rugby-world-cup-official-ben-okeeffe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tellmysport.com\/rugby-union\/france-vs-uruguay-referee-who-is-rugby-world-cup-official-ben-okeeffe\/","title":{"rendered":"France vs Uruguay referee: Who is Rugby World Cup official Ben O\u2019Keeffe?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Ben O\u2019Keeffe is one of the referees at the Rugby World Cup <\/p>\n<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 is one of the referees in France for the 2023 Rugby World Cup.<\/p>\n<p>It 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<h3>Recommended<\/h3>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/static.independent.co.uk\/2023\/09\/06\/15\/2023-09-04T090926Z_12386583_UP1EJ940PFO14_RTRMADP_3_RUGBY-UNION-WORLDCUP-OPENING-CONFERENCE.JPG\"><br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/static.independent.co.uk\/2023\/08\/09\/17\/GettyImages-1230121936.jpg\"><br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/static.independent.co.uk\/2023\/09\/11\/11\/newFile-4.jpg\"><\/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<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<h3>Recommended<\/h3>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/static.independent.co.uk\/2023\/09\/13\/15\/AFP_33UV2HH.jpg\"><br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/static.independent.co.uk\/2023\/09\/13\/13\/newFile-1.jpg\"><br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/static.independent.co.uk\/2023\/09\/12\/21\/SEI170891259.jpg\"><\/p>\n<p>ARs: Paul Williams (NZ) &#038; James Doleman (NZ)<\/p>\n<p>TMO: Brendon Pickerill (NZ)<\/p>\n<p>Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.independent.co.uk\/sport\/rugby\/rugby-union\/rugby-world-cup-referee-ben-okeeffe-b2410495.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Read Full Article<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Ben O\u2019Keeffe is one of the referees at the Rugby World Cup 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 is&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":290611,"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>France vs Uruguay referee: Who is Rugby World Cup official Ben O\u2019Keeffe? 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