South African referee Craig Joubert will not be involved in next weekend’s World Cup semi-finals.

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Joubert blundered in awarding Australia a late penalty during Sunday’s quarter-final that Wallabies fly-half Bernard Foley kicked and condemned Scotland to an excruciating 35-34 defeat.

World Rugby said in a statement that having reviewed the incident, the “appropriate decision was a scrum to Australia for the original knock-on” and not a penalty.

English referee Wayne Barnes and Frenchman Jerome Garces have been awarded the semi-final ties at Twickenham, World Rugby announced.

Garces will take charge of Saturday’s clash between South Africa and New Zealand, with his countryman Romain Poite and Ireland’s John Lacey appointed as assistant referees.

Barnes, meanwhile, will control Argentina versus Australia next Sunday, assisted by South African Jaco Peyper and Irishman George Clancy.

The appointments would suggest that Welshman Nigel Owens is in pole position to referee the World Cup final at Twickenham on October 31.