the essential
The French Rugby Federation (FFR) and the National Rugby League (LNR) announced the creation of a new technical unit dedicated to professional refereeing this Thursday, June 27.
Mathieu Raynal has already found something to keep him busy in his post-career as a rugby referee. The Catalan must retire at the end of the 2023/2024 season after more than 20 years on the whistle. It will now be at the heart of a new project created jointly by the French Rugby Federation (FFR) and the National Rugby League (LNR).
The two French rugby authorities announced this Thursday, June 27, the creation of a technical unit aimed at improving the performance of professional refereeing. To carry out this new unit, the FFR and the LNR have opted for two former recognized professional referees: Romain Poite and Mathieu Raynal.
“We are very pleased to welcome Romain and Mathieu within our technical unit. Their experience and skills are invaluable resources for French rugby. They will contribute to further raising the level of refereeing in our country both at the level professional and amateur” declared Jean-Marc Lhemet, vice-president of the FFR, in the press release.
Their main mission will be to provide their expertise in order to improve the link with the clubs and to do better in terms of the physical and technical preparation of French referees. This unit is a continuation of the Refereeing Performance Plan initiated in July 2023.
