2023-05-10 17:14:04
World Rugby announced on Wednesday the names of the 26 referees selected for the World Cup which will take place in France, from September 8 to October 28. Irish Joy Neville, on video, will become the first woman to officiate at a men’s Rugby World Cup. The French Mathieu Raynal and Pierre Brousset will also be there.
Joy Neville is one of seven professionals who will provide video assistance to the refereeing. At 38, this ex-international (70 caps with Ireland) converted to refereeing in 2016. Awarded as “referee of the year” by World Rugby the following year, the former third line notably led the last semi-final of the World Cup last fall between France and New Zealand.
She is also not new to men’s competitions. The Irishwoman thus officiated as linesman during a match between France and Japan in 2017 at the Paris La Défense Arena. She has also been a central referee in many Challenge Cup matches and is a regular on video during the Six Nations Tournament.
Six English referees have been selected in total, including four centre-backs. Wayne Barnes will officiate for a fifth consecutive World Cup, a record. Mathieu Raynal (41) is the only Frenchman selected to lead a meeting. Aged 34, Pierre Brousset will operate as an assistant referee for his first World Cup.
This is a clear setback for tricolor refereeing since five French people had been appointed for the previous World Cup in Japan in 2019: Jérôme Garcès, Pascal Gaüzère, Romain Poite and Mathieu Raynal as central referees, and Alexandre Ruiz as assistant. Jérôme Garcès, who notably refereed the final between South Africa and England, has since joined the management of the XV of France and Alexandre Ruiz that of Montpellier in the Top 14.
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