Ireland vs England referee previously accused of costing England Rugby World Cup semi-final
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England kick off their 2025 Six Nations campaign with a daunting trip to Dublin, where Steve Borthwick's side will face reigning champions Ireland at the Aviva Stadium.
Find your local Greene King and settle in for the 2025 Six Nations!
After a turbulent 2024, both on and off the pitch, England will be hoping for a fresh start—but they won't be the only ones looking to stay out of the headlines.
Saturday's clash will be officiated by New Zealand's Ben O'Keeffe, a referee who found himself at the centre of some of the biggest talking points of last year's Rugby World Cup.
Who is Ben O'Keeffe?
A rising star in the refereeing world, O'Keeffe first picked up the whistle at 19 before turning professional five years later. He's since won New Zealand's Referee of the Year award three times and officiated at two Rugby World Cups.
But away from the pitch, he's got another impressive title—he's a qualified ophthalmologist. The Kiwi official co-founded oDocs Eye Care, a company dedicated to developing technology to prevent blindness.
And yes, he's heard all the jokes about referees needing glasses.
“Certainly, no one can question my eyesight,” he once said. “I'm an ophthalmologist.”
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World Cup drama
O'Keeffe's second World Cup was anything but smooth sailing. The Kiwi official became one of the tournament's most controversial figures, particularly after the dramatic quarter-final between France and South Africa.
Les Bleus crashed out in heartbreaking fashion, and France captain Antoine Dupont didn't hold back in his criticism.
“I don't want to sound bitter, moaning about the refereeing because we lost the match,” Dupont said. “But I'm not sure the refereeing was up to the challenge.”
French fans were equally furious, booing O'Keeffe off the pitch at the Stade de France. The backlash was so intense that the referee later admitted he felt "scared" to go out in public in the days that followed.
“The week after the quarter-final was one of the toughest I've ever had in my life,” he revealed in the Whistleblowersdocumentary. “I was starting to second guess—can I actually go out in public now? To be hated by a nation isn't nice.”
England fans won't forget his semi-final decisions either
Despite the uproar, World Rugby backed O'Keeffe to take charge of the semi-final between South Africa and England—where he was once again met with deafening boos from the French crowd.
His performance didn't go unnoticed, with England legend Lawrence Dallaglio claiming the referee had "won South Africa the game".
With the match hanging in the balance, Handré Pollard slotted a 77th-minute penalty to seal a 16-15 win for the Springboks, but Dallaglio branded the decision "questionable".
Now, as O'Keeffe prepares to take charge of another high-stakes clash, all eyes will be on whether he can keep the spotlight off himself—or if another controversial moment is just around the corner.
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