Australian Steve Walsh will officiate at his fourth Rugby World Cup after being named in a panel of 10 referees for the tournament in New Zealand from September.

It will also be the fourth World Cup for South African referee Jonathan Kaplan.

Both Walsh and Kaplan were touch judges at the 1999 World Cup before refereeing games in 2003 in Australia and '07 in France.

Kaplan has refereed 63 tests, including the 2007 World Cup semi-final between England and France in Paris, while Walsh took charge of the other last-four match that year between South Africa and Argentina.

George Clancy - one of two referees to be provided by Ireland - will take the whistle for the opening match of the 2011 World Cup, between New Zealand and Tonga on September 9 at Eden Park.

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