England were outvoted over the appointment of Australian Gerard Sutton for Sunday’s crucial rugby league Four Nations clash in Melbourne.

Sutton will take charge of Australia’s must-win round two game against England after four hours of debate between the match officials directors of all three major countries was finally resolved by a show of hands.

New Zealand referee Henry Perenara was the logical choice to take charge of the Australia-England game but Jon Sharp, the Rugby Football League’s match officials director, told Press Association Sport from Melbourne that the tournament is not based on neutral appointments.

He said that it instead follows on from the philosophy set in latter stages of the 2013 World Cup – going with the best man for the job.

“The appointment of Gerry Sutton was made following four hours of debate and it finally came down to being outvoted,” Sharp said.

Perenara will be in charge of the Kiwis’ clash with Samoa in Wharangei on Saturday, with England’s Phil Bentham inactive this weekend.