BARNES IN CHARGE: The All Blacks’ rematch with France at Eden Park on June 8 has taken a juicy twist with controversial referee Wayne Barnes appointed to whistle the test.

The All Blacks’ rematch with France at Eden Park on June 8 has taken a juicy twist with controversial referee Wayne Barnes appointed to whistle the test.

It’s the first time the All Blacks have played France since winning the 2011 World Cup final against them at the same ground.

But the minds of All Blacks fans may well go back four years earlier to Cardiff when Barnes’ inept performance contributed hugely to New Zealand’s sensational quarter-final defeat at the hands of the French.

Englishman Barnes has refereed the All Blacks since that fateful day, though never in a test against the French.

He has matured into a top-level referee but his Cardiff shocker continues to haunt him.

Both former All Blacks coach Graham Henry and All Blacks captain Richie McCaw raked over those coals to give Barnes a decent grilling in their recently published biographies.

The Eden Park clash opens a three-test tour by France.

Ireland's Alain Rolland will referee the second test in Christchurch on June 15 and Welshman Nigel Owens will be in charge of the final test a week later in New Plymouth.

McCaw won’t be involved in the series against France as he continues his sabbatical.

Meanwhile, Chris Pollock is the only New Zealander on the panel for the top tests being played in June.

His stocks are clearly on the rise and he has landed the glamour appointment of controlling the opening test between the Wallabies and British & Irish Lions in Brisbane on June 22.

Fellow Kiwi Glenn Jackson will whistle one of the tour matches – the Lions against the Melbourne Rebels on June 25.

Pollock, Jackson and Garratt Williamson will have assistant referee jobs during the tour as well, while Vinny Munro and Ben Skeen will be TMOs.

Pollock has also landed the England v Argentina test on June 8 in Argentina.

New Zealand’s Jonathon White is on the refereeing panel for the IRB Pacific Nations Cup.