Referee Steve Walsh will return to Super 14 rugby action on Saturday when he controls the Chiefs' match against the Waratahs in Hamilton.

The Australian-based New Zealand referee was stood down from his scheduled appointment for the Brumbies-Reds match last weekend after his performance the previous week was slammed by the Brumbies.

Star Brumbies five-eighth Matt Giteau was fined $5000 by a SANZAR judicial panel for his comments after their 19-12 defeat to the Waratahs when he said of Walsh: "I don't know if we will turn up (against the Reds). What's the point?"

Walsh was replaced by compatriot Chris Pollock for the game, in which the Brumbies scored a comfortable victory in Canberra to stay in playoffs contention.

SANZAR confirmed Walsh on Tuesday for the Hamilton match after New Zealand referees' boss Lyndon Bray publicly supported him last week.

"We still clearly back Steve as a class referee. He's done a pretty admirable job here in getting back on the horse at this level. Yes, he's had a couple of games like I think every referee has where he hasn't been at his very best, and (last) Saturday was a good example of that, but we back him in this competition."

Meanwhile, South African Marius Jonker will control the Crusaders' crucial match against the table-topping Bulls in Pretoria.

Crusaders coach Todd Blackadder raised public concerns about Australian ref Stu Dickinson's breakdown rulings after their heavy defeat to the Stormers last weekend. Dickinson will control the Sharks-Stormers match in Durban.

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