2023-09-13 12:14:13
Whistle in mouth, watch around wrist. This is the classic paraphernalia of any good referee. But that’s not the case at the Rugby World Cup. Since the start of the 2023 World Cup in France, referees simply do not wear watches. The fault lies in a conflict with the official sponsor of the Tudor competition, according to New Zealand media Stuff. Explanations.
One of the leaders in Swiss watchmaking signed a partnership in 2017 with World Rugby to become the official timekeeper of the men’s and women’s Rugby World Cups for at least 7 years. If Tudor is still one of the official sponsors, and also puts it regularly featured on its site and in its advertisements, behind the scenes, it’s not the same thing.
Eyes on the clock on the giant screens?
Rolex’s little sister would not have appreciated, again according to Stuff, that a referee at the 2019 World Cup would have sold her watch after the competition. To avoid any recurrence, Tudor would have refused to provide the watches to the referees, but would force the officials to pay for their own watches, as they are prohibited from playing with a watch of another brand (except Garmin, not considered as a competitor).
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A decision that did not please the referees of the 2023 World Cup at all. They decided, together, to simply no longer wear a watch. To control the time and duration of the match, they only have two solutions left, the giant screen of the stadium with its siren to mark the end of the halves, or video refereeing (TMO). A controversy that has gone unnoticed in this World Cup for the moment.
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