New Zealander Glen Jackson will referee the Super Rugby semi-final between the Lions and Waratahs at Ellis Park on Saturday.

South African Jaco Peyper has been given the all-New Zealand semi-final between the Crusaders and Hurricanes in Christchurch.

There were not neutral referees for three of last weekend’s quarter-finals, with New Zealander Mike Fraser (Crusaders vs Sharks), Australian Angus Gardner (Waratahs vs Highlanders) and Peyper (Lions vs Jaguares) in charge of matches involving a team from their country. Jackson handled the Hurricanes-Highlanders match.

While Sanzaar said those appointments were ‘merit-based’, which is the case again for the semi-finals, it appears to have responded to criticism by appointing neutral referees for this weekend’s matches.

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