Nigel given whistle for North v South champs showdown

Welsh referee Nigel Owens has been handed the champion of champions showdown match of the autumn between Grand Slam winners Ireland and World Cup holders South Africa at Croke Park on November 28.

The leading Welsh official has not only been appointed to take charge of the battle of the champions clash between Brian O'Driscoll's 2009 Six Nations winners and the World Cup winning Springboks in Dublin but also England's contest against Argentina at Twickenham two weeks earlier.

And up and coming Welsh referee James Jones will take charge of his first senior representative match when Portugal host Tonga in Lisbon on the last weekend of November and Tim Hayes will join Owens and Jones on assistant referee duty during November.

Meanwhile when Wales kick-off their Invesco Perpetual 2009 Series against New Zealand at the Millennium Stadium on November 7 South African official Craig Joubert will be in the middle as Wales go in search of their first win over the All Blacks in 56 years.

Irishman Peter Fitzgibbon will referee Wales v Samoa six days later; fellow Irishman George Clancy will take charge of Wales v Argentina on November 21 and Wayne Barnes of England will control the final Wales Millennium Stadium match of the series against Australia on November 28.