England will again cross swords with referee Steve Walsh when the New Zealander takes charge of the World Champions RBS Six Nations opener against Wales next February.

Walsh received a three-day suspension for "inappropriate behaviour" during last year's World Cup. It resulted from a post-match altercation with England fitness coach Dave Reddin following England's pool game against Samoa in Melbourne, which was overshadowed by a 16-man fiasco for which England were subsequently fined.

Walsh was the fourth official that day.
Walsh will also be the man in the middle when Australia travel to Murrayfield in November.

The IRB have issued the full list of r3eferees for the tests trough to the end of the Six Nations, with Welsh man Nigel Williams set to control Six Nation's champions France in their opening game of their defence at home against Scotland.

Referee Appointments:
6 November- Wales v South Africa (Paddy O'Brien, New Zealand); Scotland v Australia (Steve Walsh, New Zealand);
12 - Wales v Romania (Kelvin Deaker, New Zealand);
13 - England v Canada (Scott Young, Australia); Scotland v Japan (Andrew Cole, Australia); Ireland v South Africa (Stuart Dickinson, Australia);
20 - England v South Africa (Alain Rolland, Ireland); Wales v New Zealand (Tony Spreadbury, England); Scotland v Australia (Alan Lewis, Ireland); Ireland v USA (Rob Dickson, Scotland);
26 - Wales v Japan (Tappe Henning, South Africa);
27 - England v Australia (Paul Honiss, New Zealand); Scotland v South Africa (Nigel Williams, Wales); Ireland v Argentina (Tony Spreadbury).

2005 RBS 6 Nations Championship
5 February - France v Scotland (Nigel Williams), Wales v England (Steve
Walsh);
6 - Italy v Ireland (Paddy O'Brien);
12 - Italy v Wales (Andrew Cole), Scotland v Ireland (Joel Jutge, France);
13 - England v France (Paddy O'Brien);
26 - France v Wales (Paul Honiss), Scotland v Italy (Stuart Dickinson);
27 - Ireland v England (Jonathan Kaplan, South Africa).

12 March - England v Italy (Mark Lawrence, South Africa); Ireland v France (Tony Spreadbury);
13 - Scotland v Wales (Jonathan Kaplan);
19 - England v Scotland (Alain Rolland), Italy v France (Donal Courtney, Ireland), Wales v Ireland (Chris White, England).