Peyper sidelined over photo; Owens to referee NZ vs England

World Rugby has sidelined Jaco Peyper from officiating at any of the World Cup semifinals and appointed Nigel Owens as referee of the knockout game between defending champion New Zealand and England.

Peyper has apologized for posing for a photograph with a group of Wales fans, holding his right elbow horizontally and into the face of one of the supporters, in a gesture apparently mocking a key incident in Wales' comeback 20-19 win over France on Sunday when French lock Sebastian Vahaamahina was sent off for violent play.

The South African referee had been in control of the WalesFrance quarterfinal on Sunday and issued Vahaamahina a red card when the French forward raised his elbow into the face of a Welsh player in the second half.

The photo, taken by a French journalist, was widely shared Monday on social media.

World Rugby said the referee selection committee did not consider Peyper for selection this weekend, adding that the veteran referee "recognizes that a picture of him with Wales fans, which appeared on social media after the Wales versus France quarterfinal, was inappropriate and he has apologized."

Owens will handle the New Zealand-England match on Saturday, with French officials Romain Poite and Pascal Gaüzère on the sidelines and South Africa's Marius Jonker as the TMO.

Owens, 48, took charge of the New Zealand-Ireland quarterfinal last weekend and is at his fourth and final world cup before retiring. Should Wales defeat South Africa in the other semifinal, Welshman Owens would likely be precluded from officiating in the final. French referee Jérôme Garcès will take charge of Sunday's semifinal between South Africa and Wales, with England's Wayne Barnes and New Zealander Ben

O'Keeffe as touchline officials and New Zealander Ben Skeen as TMO. Garcès handled the England-Australia quarterfinal on Saturday.

"These are the best of the best, supported by a superb team, and we now look forward to compelling semifinals," World Rugby chairman Bill Beaumont said.

Cheika says next Wallabies coach should be Australian

Outgoing head coach Michael Cheika says the next man to coach the Wallabies rugby team should "definitely" be Australian.

Cheika told reporters at Sydney Airport Tuesday, on his team's return from the Rugby World Cup in Japan, that he backed an Aussie as his successor.

"I think definitely we should be pushing for an Australian coach," he said. "It's not up to me but I think we should be backing and supporting Australian coaches wherever possible."

New Zealanders Dave Rennie, currently coaching Glaswegians in Scotland, and Japan head coach Jamie Joseph have been named as prospective successors to Cheika, who stepped down after Australia's 40-16 loss to England in the World Cup quarterfinals.

Cheika said he had no regrets after stepping down after five years as head coach. He had indicated before the World Cup that he would not seek to continue if Australia didn't win.

"We came second last time (at the 2015 World Cup)...and I figure (after) four years you've got to come first next time," he said. "You can't call it and then change your mind afterwards because that's genuinely what we wanted to do: was go there and win."

Cheika, who has complained of a lack of support from Rugby Australia, said there would be "no excuses, no nothing.

"That's the way I've always operated and that's the way I'll continue to operate going forward."