The referee taking charge of South Africa's Nations Championship opener against Italy has admitted suffering from imposter syndrome when he previously officiated the Springboks.
Irish official Eoghan Cross will be the man in the middle when Rassie Erasmus's side face Italy in Turin on Saturday.
And while the 33-year-old has quickly established himself on the international stage, his journey has not been without a few nerves.
Cross previously refereed South Africa's clash with Japan at Wembley in November 2025, his first Tier One Test.
Despite the occasion, he admitted feeling slightly out of place.
Springboks referee opens up on imposter syndrome
Speaking in an exclusive interview with RUCK, Cross reflected on the experience.
"It was my first tier one test match," he explained.
"The whole thing was amazing - you're refereeing World Cup champions who play fantastic rugby."
He admitted experiencing some imposter syndrome but said he tried to treat the occasion like any other match.
Not bad for someone whose first refereeing assignment was an Under-13s game with a plastic whistle.
Cross began officiating in 2016 and has since worked his way through the ranks.
He was named Munster Rugby Referee of the Year in 2020 before progressing to major European and international appointments.
Cheslin Kolbe named best player he's refereed
Cross has also revealed which Springboks superstar gave him the biggest headache.
And the answer will surprise absolutely nobody.
When asked to name the best player he had refereed, Cross picked Cheslin Kolbe.
His reasoning was simple.
"He's so fast, like I have to start running before he even gets the ball, because if I don't, I'll be a long way behind."
Even referees have trouble keeping up with the Springboks speedster.
Cross also named former Wales captain Alun Wyn Jones as the toughest player he had officiated.
Italy v South Africa referee and match officials
Cross will lead an international officiating team for Saturday's encounter at the Allianz Stadium in Turin.
The appointments have been confirmed by SA Rugby.
- Referee: Eoghan Cross (Ireland)
- Assistant referee 1: James Doleman (New Zealand)
- Assistant referee 2: Sam Grove-White (Scotland)
- TMO: Brett Cronan (Australia)
- Foul Play Review Officer: Mike Adamson (Scotland)
South Africa will then face France and Ireland, with Andrea Piardi and Christophe Ridley appointed to referee those Tests respectively.
Cross has previously spoken about the importance of fairness, admitting referees should be prepared to acknowledge mistakes rather than become defensive.
It is an approach that could come in handy on Saturday.
With the Springboks in town, the scrums alone should give him plenty to think about.
