Marius van der Westhuizen
Marius van der Westhuizen is a South African rugby union referee known for officiating at high-profile international matches. He was recently in the news for his involvement in a controversial decision during a Six Nations match where he judged a flying headbutt by French hooker Peato Mauvaka not to have a high degree of danger, resulting in a yellow card rather than a red card. This decision has sparked discussions about the effectiveness of current officiating standards and player welfare in rugby.
Not in the pool (under ¢1).
Recent news mentions
Marius van der Westhuizen is expected to intervene during the game as the TMO.
Australia look to bounce back after losses to France and Ireland
Australia· 2026-07-18
Marius van der Westhuizen is mentioned as the TMO during the match.
Rugby Championship: All Blacks victory in Argentina and Wallabies’ comeback win show competition will be strong – Phil Gifford
New Zealand· 2025-08-17
Marius van der Westhuizen is the FPRO for the match.
Waratahs go head-to-head with Lions in SydneyAustralia· 2025-07-05
Marius van der Westhuizen judged there not to have been a high degree of danger in Mauvaka's action.
Rugby selling soul to spectacle at the expense of player welfare – The Irish Times
Ireland· 2025-03-16
