Ben O’Keeffe will be the man in the middle for Ireland’s Six Nations showdown against England – but the official was at the centre of controversy during the 2023 Rugby World Cup

Referee Ben O’Keeffe officiates Ireland’s highly anticipated Six Nations clash against England, and will be aiming to avoid further controversy.

The Kiwi faced a barrage of criticism during the 2023 Rugby World Cup over several contentious decisions, so Ireland and England will be hoping there’s no repeat on Saturday afternoon.

Andy Farrell’s men welcome England to Dublin’s Aviva Stadium, where supporters are crossing their fingers for a smoother performance from O’Keeffe, who endured his fair share of disputes during his second World Cup stint with the whistle.

The 36-year-old found himself in the crosshairs of virtually the entire French rugby fraternity back in 2023, and even an English rugby legend didn’t shy away from lambasting his semi-final officiating.

O’Keeffe was at the helm for France’s nail-biting quarter-final against South Africa two years prior, where the French side felt the sting of what they felt were several unfavourable rulings.

The hosts’ hopes were dashed in a gut-wrenching 29-28 defeat to the Springboks in what many hailed as one of the most thrilling World Cup matches ever played. Post-match, French captain Antoine Dupont didn’t hold back his vexation.