Kerry Fitzgerald
Kerry Victor Joseph Fitzgerald was an Australian rugby union Rugby union [match officials|referee] best known for officiating in the Rugby World Cup Final">1987 Rugby World Cup">Rugby World Cup Final, the first ever Rugby World Cup final.
Refereeing career
Fitzgerald took up refereeing in 1977. In 1984 he made his international debut in the 1984 [New Zealand rugby union tour of Fiji|unofficial test between the All Blacks and Fiji] in Suva.For the first 1987 [Rugby World Cup|Rugby World Cup] in 1987 he was one of two Australian referees selected, the other being Bob Fordham. Fitzgerald refereed pool matches between the England national [rugby union team|England] and the United States and Ireland verses Wales. In the semi-final between New Zealand and Wales, The Welsh player Huw Richards was elbowed in the head by Gary Whetton, who he then punched before being knocked out by Buck Shelford. After Richards regained consciousness, Fitzgerald issued him the first red card of the tournament. Fitzgerald, went on to referee the 1987 Rugby [World Cup Final|World Cup Final].
In his career Fitzgerald refereed 26 tests, including the semi-final between England and Scotland in the 1991 Rugby World Cup, just 6 weeks before his death.