Bay of Plenty referee Glen Jackson's dream of holding a whistle at a Rugby World Cup has come true, after he was named as part of a quartet of Kiwi match officials for this year's event.

Some 163 days out from the opening match on September 18 in London, World Rugby unveiled its 12-member referee panel along with seven assistant referees and four television match officials.

Bay of Plenty referee Glen Jackson. Photo: File.

Heading the Kiwi contignet is Jackson, along with fellow referee Chris Pollock, while Mike Fraser has gained an assistant role and Ben Skeen is on the panel of television match officials.

France will provide three referees in the form of Jerome Garces, Romain Poite and Pascal Gauzere. New Zealand, South Africa, England and Ireland will provide two each with one from the Welsh Rugby Union.

Wales' Nigel Owens is the most experienced with 60 tests - three more than England's Wayne Barnes, who will appear in his third World Cup.

For Jackson it marks a rapid rise in the professional referee ranks after the former Chiefs and Steamers first five accepted a three-year contract from the New Zealand Rugby Union after hanging up his boots in 2010.

Jackson began refereeing at Test level at the end of 2012 after carving out a career with the Chiefs between 1999-2004. The 39-year-old helped the Steamers lift the Ranfurly Shield for the first time and also enjoyed a stint in the UK.

Speaking to LiveSport this morning, Jackson admits his goal of whistling at a Rugby World Cup has come four years early, as he becomes the first former professional player to referee at the tournament.

When he took up refereeing in 2010 he set himself a goal of refereeing the Japan tournament in 2019, but it will be an exciting time nonetheless, admits Jackson.

'If things come then they come,” he says. 'It's a bit different to rugby playing I think, in terms of goals, you've got the winning target in front of you; it's pretty tough to win as a referee."

The selection was made after a comprehensive review of refereeing performances by the World Rugby Match Official Selection Committee, headed by chairman John Jeffrey.

'Since Rugby World Cup 2011, we have been focused on developing a strong panel that can preside over the 48 matches at this year's tournament,” says Jeffrey.

'The fact that seven of the referee panel were involved in the 2011 tournament points to the big-match experience that they hold.”

The eighth instalment of the game's showpiece tournament will take place in England, with the host nation and Samoa facing off in the tournament's opening match on September 18.

New Zealand's defending champions' first hit out is against Argentina on September 20 at London's Wembley Stadium.

The individual match appointments will be announced in due course.

World Cup match officials:

Referees: Wayne Barnes (England, 57 tests), George Clancy (Ireland, 38), JP Doyle (England, 12), Jerome Garces (France, 22), Pascal Gauzere (France, 17), Glen Jackson (NZ, 10), Craig Joubert (South Africa, 55), John Lacey (Ireland, 13), Nigel Owens (Wales, 60), Jaco Peyper (South Africa, 20), Romain Poite (France, 39) and Chris Pollock (NZ, 18).

Assistant referees: Federico Anselmi (Argentina, 5), Stuart Berry (South Africa, 15), Mike Fraser (NZ, 10), Angus Gardner (Australia, two), Leighton Hodges (Wales, 19), Marius Mitrea (Italy, 13) and Mathieu Raynal (France, nine).

Television match officials: George Ayoub (Australia, 33), Graham Hughes (England, 60) Ben Skeen (NZ, 11) and Shaun Veldsman (South Africa, 50).