Twickenham return for South African referee Craig Joubert

Craig Joubert will return to Twickenham when he referees England's showdown with Wales in the Six Nations next March.

The South African official has been handed his first major appointment since the Australia-Scotland quarter-final at the same venue during the Rugby World Cup.

Joubert was publicly criticised by World Rugby after he awarded Australia a controversial last-minute penalty that denied Scotland a place in the last four.

The 38-year-old punished Scotland's Jon Welsh for being offside, but video replays showed the ball hit an Australian first, making him onside.

Bernard Foley kicked the resulting penalty to snatch a 35-34 victory for Australia and Joubert then made matters worse when he sprinted down the Twickenham tunnel at the final whistle without shaking hands with players and officials from either side.

World Rugby then made the unusual decision to release a statement on Joubert's decision and inflame Scotland's feeling of injustice.

Joubert was unable to use the Television Match Official at the time, a rule which is being reviewed.

Aside from controlling the England-Wales game at Twickenham on March 12, Joubert will see the Scots again, but as an assistant referee when they play Ireland in Dublin on March 19 on the final weekend.

Nigel Owens, who took charge of the World Cup final, has been appointed for the tournament closer between France and England in Paris.