Mark Lawrence, like his fellow South African Andy Turner, is another referee on the International Rugby Board’s provisional 26 man list for Rugby World Cup 2003 to have made his Test debut in this Millennium.
The 38 year old, who was born in Standerton in South Africa, took charge of his first Test on July 15 2000 when Fiji overcame the visiting Italians 43-9 in Lautoka and cites lining up for the anthems on that debut as his refereeing highlight.
Lawrence took his first tentative steps as a referee in 1991 with a place on the South Africa RFU panel following four years later, the same year he made his provincial debut on home soil.
A member of the Mpumalanga Referees Society, Lawrence was educated at the Highbury Primary and Beechwood High School before qualifying as an optometrist from Witwatersrand Technikon in 1987.
The South African, who has gained further experience by refereeing at Super 12 and Currie Cup level, continues to practice as an optician, while his reputation as a referee goes from strength to strength.
Lawrence was in control of Australia’s 30-10 defeat of Wales in Stadium Australia in Sydney on June 14 2003 – his eighth Test match.