The backlash was not long in coming. The exit of Thomas Lombard, the general manager of the Stade Français, after the defeat of the Parisian club in Toulon Sunday (19-18), provoked the reaction of the technical director of arbitration, Franck Maciello.
"Having a young referee arbitrate a match of this level (Editor's note: Luc Ramos) , it doesn't help anyone," regretted the former international three-quarter in our columns. It was the first time that he directed a match at Mayol, he did not manage. I'm going to be told that it takes a good first time, but I think that when it goes wrong, it's normal to react. "
Thomas Lombard challenged in particular the penalty awarded to Toulon after the siren, following an offside by captain Yoann Maestri, offering the victory to the Var and keeping his team in last place in the Top 14.
"Youth is not inevitable"
"The designations are made each week by the selection committee and take into account the performances of the officials, match after match, and the referees are therefore chosen from the panel of the division concerned," replied Franck Maciello via a press release. Youth is by no means inevitable when the necessary skills are there, the current French team is a good demonstration of this ... Our referees are prepared, both on the technical aspects as well as those related to the issue or the supposed pressure such and such an encounter… ”
The former professional referee continues: “It is up to us, by working closely with the coaches - as we were able to do during the recent Tour de France of the clubs - to ensure that the individual and collective performances are improved arbitrators. This can only be done with the support of all actors, players, coaches, outside of any controversial spirit, in particular following a defeat. "