Intensity of occasion

I refereed the All Blacks 18 times, often in tough encounters where they invariably found a way to get over the line. It helps a lot to have a rugby culture ingrained in their youth and I believe they have the most developed philosophy on the game, included in which is their physical conditioning, which allows them to up the tempo deep into the sharp end of matches.

There will be lots of pressure on the match officials. The whole country will basically come to a standstill. That is a beautiful thing, but it makes it ultra-intense.

One thing referees should not be fazed by is the noise from the crowd. Stadiums are good in New Zealand but are nowhere near the size or grandeur of Twickenham or Cardiff, and hence the noise levels will not be excessive.

Most referees hear the noise but are able to focus on the micro detail of their task and stay clinical and focused until the end. Fatigue will play some role for them, too, and it is vital that they are able to live with the pace of the game.

Jonathan Kaplan holds the record for most Tests as an international referee, with 70.