England vs South Africa referee: Meet Rugby World Cup official Ben O’Keeffe - TMOs and touch judges

England and South Africa are set to face off in the Rugby World Cup semi-final and while it will be the players receiving the most attention, scrutiny will also fall on the referee in the middle. Whether decisions go your team’s way or not, there’s a good chance the referee will become a talking point in this evening’s game.

Steve Borthwick’s side remains unbeaten in the tournament after defeating Fiji 30-24 but they come up against a roaring Springbok team in fine form. South Africa played out a World Cup match for the ages against France, with the teams trading blow’s until it ended in heartbreak for the hosts.

But who will be the match officials at the Stade de France in Paris on Saturday, 21 October. Here’s all you need to know.

Who is the referee for England vs South Africa?

New Zealand’s Ben O’Keeffe will be the man with the whistle in Paris on Saturday evening. He has been a professional referee since 2013, and featured as one of the assistant referees when England met South Africa in the 2019 final.

O’Keeffe has refereed games in the Super Rugby, international tests, Rugby World Cup games and even a Lions test match in 2021. He famously had the whistle for England vs Wales in the 2020 Six Nations when he sent off Manu Tualangi, leading Eddie Jones to claim they were playing “16 against 13”. Jones was made to apologise to O’Keeffe by the Rugby Football Union.

Who are his touch judges and TMO?

O’Keeffe’s assistant referee for the match on Saturday evening was originally Andrew Brace but the Irishman sustained a calf injury and had to withdraw. Mathieu Raynal will now assist the New Zealand referee. The experienced Frenchman took charge of England’s quarter-final affair against Fiji.

Paul Williams remains as the second assistant while the TMO will be New Zealander Brendon Pickerill.

How can I watch England vs South Africa?

UK viewers can watch the Rugby World Cup semi-final between England and South Africa live on ITV1 with coverage beginning at 7.15pm and kick-off at 8pm. Users can also stream the match for free online via ITV’s streaming platform, ITVX.