France vs Ireland referee: Who is Six Nations official Karl Dickson?

The Englishman is one of the officials for the championship

(Getty Images)

England’s Karl Dickson is one of the officials for the 2024 Six Nations.

The former professional player ended a long top-level career in 2017 having narrowly missed out on an England cap.

Younger brother Lee, also a scrum half, appeared 18 times for his country between 2012 and 2014.

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While he may not have reached the international level as a player, the elder Dickson sibling has rapidly risen through the refereeing ranks after starting his officiating journey while still playing for Harlequins.

He joined the Rugby Football Union’s Professional Game Match Officials Team (PGMOT) on retirement, and three years later made the step up to Test level.

A Six Nations debut arrived last year and made the cut for a first World Cup in the autumn as one of four English referees.

Dickson refereed a number of pool matches at the tournament, before being pressed into emergency duties during the first quarter-final between Wales and Argentina.

Having been appointed as an assistant, Jaco Peyper’s Achilles injury meant that the 41-year-old was forced to take over as referee, overseeing the Pumas narrow victory.

An appointment as one of Wayne Barnes’s assistants for the final followed as part of an all-English officiating team.

France vs Ireland match officials

Referee: Karl Dickson (Eng)

Assistant Referees: Matthew Carley (Eng) & Jordan Way (Aus)

Television Match Official: Ben Whitehouse (Wal)