Referees sorted out for Tri-Nations
series

Englishman Russell Smith was agreed upon as the referee for the Kiwis-Kangaroos match at North Harbour Stadium on Saturday despite Australia's refusal to accept him in the past.

The Australians will be forced to accept a New Zealand referee for their games against Great Britain in the tri-nations rugby league series.

Under Rugby League International Federation rules, all tests are supposed to be refereed by neutral referees, but that has not been the case since the last tri-nations series in 1999, largely due to Australian insistence that their officials were the best.

Last-minute manoeuvring has seen Christchurch referee Glen Black appointed to control Saturday's test curtain-raiser between New Zealand A and the New South Wales Jim Beam Cup champions in what will be a final examination of Black's abilities before the Australians approve his involvement in the series in England.

Dave Pakieto was to handle the game but stepped aside at the insistence of the Australian Rugby League, who required tapes of Black's performances in the Super League and Bartercard Cup finals before agreeing to him as a tri-nations' referee.

Each country puts up three refereeing prospects.

There is some irony in the fact that Pakieto was the last New Zealand referee to just about break into the international scene, only to have his career sidelined by the Australians' reluctance to accept the neutral referee rule.

Black, 37, has wide experience. He has overseen the finals of Oceania tournaments and the New Zealand A side against France and the United States in 2002. He has refereed games in the European Cup involving Wales/Russia and Ireland/France.

He has been in charge of the Kangaroos once before, controlling their game against England A last year as well as some Super League matches.

"I've proved myself over the years and the bosses believe I've got the ability ? if I'm not up to it now I never will be," Black said.

"Opportunity is as important as ability.

"If I blow it, I blow it for all New Zealand referees."