Ben O’Keeffe will be the referee for the France – Uruguay match this Thursday (9 p.m.). At 34, the New Zealander is starting his second World Cup and has already refereed the Blues, against Scotland in a preparation match.
The Blues find a “francophile” referee. The second meeting of the French XV, against Uruguay, will be refereed by Ben O’Keeffe. A big regular at Super Rugby, the 34-year-old New Zealander is starting his second World Cup, after having already officiated in Japan in 2019. But the man with the whistle is already known to certain French players since he has already refereed matches of the Top 14. In October 2022, Ben O’Keeffe officiated a match between Bayonne and Toulouse, before refereeing the Paris derby in February 2023.
The Kiwi also has the advantage of speaking French, thus facilitating communication with the Blues and certain Uruguayans. As a reminder, Castres Santiago Arata or Vannes Andres Vilaseca should start the match at the Pierre-Mauroy stadium in Lille.
Ben O’Keeffe had refereed the Blues during the 2019 World Cup against the United States.
Five defeats in nine games with O’Keeffe on the whistle
Ben O’Keeffe refereed his first match in 2012, and his first international match in June 2016. In total, the New Zealander has refereed the French XV nine times, with very mixed results. The Blues have only won four times under the leadership of Ben O’Keeffe. Four years ago, the New Zealander was already on the whistle for a World Cup match, with France – United States.
Symbol of this mixed record, Ben O’Keeffe refereed the defeat of the Blues in Scotland, in a preparation match, but he was also on the whistle for the resounding victory of the XV of France in England.