South Africa’s Jaco Peyper was yesterday named as referee for the Super Rugby final as officials shrugged off calls for a neutral whistle-blower and a yellow-card controversy in the semis. Governing body SANZAAR said Peyper’s appointment was purely “merit-based” after putting him in charge of Saturday’s final between South Africa’s Golden Lions and New Zealand’s Canterbury Crusaders in Johannesburg.
“The selection criteria for all match official appointments for the last two years follows a clear tournament policy that such appointments be merit-based,” SANZAAR CEO Andy Marinos said in a statement. He added that New Zealand’s Glen Jackson refereed last year’s final between the Lions and the Hurricanes in Wellington, when the home team lifted the trophy. Some experts have questioned the wisdom of using referees from the same country as one of the teams involved, with Crusaders coach Scott Robertson among those calling for the “best neutral ref”.
“I’d love a neutral referee,” he said. “Look it’s not my decision, but in my opinion it’s more around what’s best for the game. Let’s get the best neutral ref, I just think it’s fair.” 
Peyper was also at the centre of controversy last week when he sin-binned Hurricanes fly-half Beauden Barrett at a key stage of their semi-final against the Lions in Johannesburg. Replays suggested the punishment was harsh but the Lions took full advantage, scoring 17 points to seize the lead while Barrett was off the field in the second half.
“It was a pretty tough decision against Beauden,” former Springboks coach Nick Mallett said on SuperSport TV at the time. On Saturday, Peyper will have fellow South African Marius van der Westhuizen and New Zealander Glen Jackson as his assistants, while South Africa’s Marius Jonker is the television match official.

Ex-All Black Mauger to coach Highlanders
Former All Blacks centre Aaron Mauger was appointed head coach of the Otago Highlanders yesterday under a three-year deal with the New Zealand Super Rugby club. Mauger said he was excited at the prospect of joining the Highlanders, who won the competition in 2015 and were quarter-finalists this year.
“The club has become a consistent performer at the top of the competition in recent years and we look forward to the challenge of growing our game and achieving great things,” he said. Mauger, 36, played 45 Tests for New Zealand and made 89 appearances for the Canterbury Crusaders.
After a chronic back injury forced him to hang up his boots in 2010, he was an assistant coach with the Crusaders before joining the coaching team at Leicester Tigers in 2015. Outgoing Highlanders coach Tony Brown was always on a one-year deal for 2017 and will now join Jamie Joseph as an assistant in the Japanese national team’s coaching set up.

Argentina scrumhalf Cubelli heads home to join Jaguares
Argentina scrumhalf Tomas Cubelli will head home to link up with Super Rugby’s Jaguares after an injury-blighted stint with the ACT Brumbies, the Canberra team said. The 58-test halfback was lured to the Brumbies in 2016 to much fanfare but managed only 18 games in his two seasons.
A serious knee injury sidelined him for most of the current season which wraps up with Saturday’s final between the Lions and Canterbury Crusaders in Johannesburg. “I had a very enjoyable two seasons at the Brumbies and thank everyone connected with the club for their support during my time here,” the 28-year-old said in a statement.
Cubelli played in the Brumbies’ quarter-final defeat to the Hurricanes two weeks ago but Canberra fans may have another chance to see him when the Pumas play a Rugby Championship match against the Wallabies in the Australian capital in September.
Cubelli’s departure will heap more responsibility on young scrumhalf Joe Powell, who acquitted himself well in the Argentine’s absence and made his Wallabies debut during the June internationals. The Brumbies have also released journeyman flanker Chris Alcock, with the former New South Wales Waratah and Western Force player heading to Japan.
World class flanker David Pocock is set to fill the breach next season when he returns to Canberra following a year-long sabbatical.