Super Rugby is starting and there will be even more travelling.

By Paul Dobson, Moonsport

There is a team up in Japan this time and another over in Argentina. Players will travel even further and so will referees.

The first team to travel really far will be the Lions who go from Johannesburg to Tokyo.

The first Super Rugby referee who will referee the first Super Rugby match in Japan will be Ben O'Keeffe of New Zealand. For a New Zealand that is not too bad - straight up and down.

The first Super Rugby referee to redferee a Super Rugby match involving an Argentinian team will be Stuart Berry who has a short hop from Durban over the Drakensbrg to Bloemfontein.,

The hard refereeing is the left-right, east-west travel.

The first to taste that will be Marius van der Westhuizen and Quinton Immelman, both of Western Province.

In fact Van der Westhuizen's travel is remarkable and February has not yet finished its leap year.

In January he went to Sydney for a SANZAAR referees meeting, then down to Wellington, New Zealand, for Sevens and back up to Sydney for Sevens. then he was allowed home with a match at Newlands. On Monday he goes to Perth for Super Rugby and then on to Sydney. After Sydney he is allowed him for a day and a half before heading north to Six Nations, first Dublin, then Cardiff. Whew! And he's not complaining.

Super Rugby, Round 1

Blues vs Highlanders at Eden Park, Auckland

Referee: Glen Jackson (New Zealand)

Assistant referees: Paul Williams (New Zealand), Brendon Pickerill (New Zealand)

Television match official: Ben Skeen (New Zealand)

Cheetahs vs Jaguares at Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein

Referee: Stuart Berry (South Africa)

Assistant referees: Rasta Rasivhenge (South Africa), Lourens van der Merwe (South Africa)

Television match official: Johan Greeff (South Africa)

Brumbies vs Hurricanes at GIO Stadium, Canberra

Referee: Andrew Lees (Australia)

Assistant referees: Rohan Hoffmann (Australia), Michael Hogan (Australia)

Television match official: Damien Mitchelmore (Australia)

NSW Waratahs vs Queensland Reds at Allianz Stadium

Referee: Angus Gardner (Australia)

Assistant referees: Nicholas Berry (Australia), James Leckie (Australia)

Television match official: George Ayoub (Australia)

Crusaders vs Chiefs at AMI Stadium, Christchurch

Referee: Chris Pollock (New Zealand)

Assistant referees: Jamie Nutbrown (New Zealand), Kane McBride (New Zealand)

Television match official: Glenn Newman (New Zealand)

Kings vs Sharks at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth

Referee: Jaco van Heerden (South Africa)

Assistant referees: Rodney Bonaparte (South Africa), AJ Jacobs (South Africa)

Television match official: Marius Jonker (South Africa)

Stormers vs Bulls at Newlands

Referee: Craig Joubert (South Africa)

Assistant referees: Rasta Rasivhenge (South Africa), Cwengile Jadezweni (South Africa)

Television match official: Christie du Preez (South Africa)

Western Force vs Melbourne Rebels at nib Stadium, Perth

Referee: Marius van der Westhuizen (South Africa)

Assistant referees: Quinton Immelman (South Africa), Graham Cooper (Australia)

Television match official: Damien Mitchelmore (Australia)

Sunwolves vs Lions at Prince Chichibu Memorial Stadium, Tokyo

Referee: Ben O'Keeffe (New Zealand)

Assistant referees: Shuhei Kubo (Japan), Aki Aso (Japan)

Television match official: Takeshi Hareda (Japan)