English referee Wayne Barnes will blow the whistle in the All Blacks opening Rugby World Cup match.

Wayne Barnes will referee the All Blacks' Rugby World Cup opening pool match against Argentina.

The English referee has a controversial RWC history with the All Blacks having held the whistle in the team's 2007 quarterfinal loss to France in Cardiff. Barnes was heavily criticised at the time by New Zealand rugby fans for his performance in the match.

World Rugby published a referee schedule for the tournament's pool play on Wednesday (NZT Thursday), naming Barnes as referee for the All Blacks' Cup opener at Wembley Stadium on September 20.

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The All Blacks vs Namibia match will have Frenchman Romain Poite as referee, the match against Georgia will be officiated by Frenchman Pascal Gauzere and Irishman John Lacey will hold the whistle for the match against Tonga at St James' Park on Ocotober 9.

Leading Kiwi referees Chris Pollock and Glen Jackson have each been allocated three matches during World Cup pool play.

Jackson will take the whistle for Ireland vs Canada in Cardiff on September 19, Tonga vs Namibia in Exeter on September 29 and USA vs Japan in Gloucester.

Pollock's first game in charge is the Australia vs Fiji clash in Cardiff on September 23, while he will also referee Scotland vs USA in Leeds on September 27 and England vs Uruguay in Manchester on October 10.

South Africa referee Jaco Peyper was the man of the moment though, named to take charge of the RWC opener between England and Fiji at Twickenham on September 18.

Peyper was also the referee for this weekend's Super Rugby final and the historic All Blacks vs Samoa test in Apia next week.

World Rugby match officials selection committee chairman John Jeffrey commented on the release of the pool play appointments.

"With just 79 days to go, the eyes of the sports-loving world are now turning towards Rugby World Cup and as the players look forward to taking to the field in September, the same is true for the team of match officials, Jeffrey said.

"This is what they have been building up to over the past four years and their preparation has been excellent."

"Refereeing is a very demanding discipline, both physically and mentally, so just like the teams, they will have to be at the very top of their game if they are to feature in the closing stages of the tournament."

Appointments for the knock-out matches will be made at the conclusion of the pool stage.