THE WORLD CUP may be over for Irelandโs defeated players but the dream lives on for one of us at least.
Alain Rolland will referee the opening World Cup semi-final between Wales and France in Auckland on Saturday.
The IRB released the details for next wekeendโs mouth-watering fixtures this morning.
Rolland will have Englandโs Wayne Barnes and South African Jonathan Kaplan as his assistants. The Irishman is no stranger to the big occasion, of course, having officiated the decider when South Africa beat England in Paris last time out.
On Sunday, when New Zealand and Australia face off, South African Craig Joubert will be assisted by Welshman Nigel Owens and Romain Poite of France.
Thatโs gonna be an interesting semi final