World Rugby on Wednesday revealed the names of the 26 referees selected for the World Cup to be held in France, from September 8 to October 28. Ireland's 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.
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Joy Neville is one of seven professionals who will provide video assistance to the referee. At 38, this former 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 row notably directed the last semi-final of the World Cup last autumn between France and New Zealand.
It is also not new to men's competitions. The Irishwoman officiated as a touch judge during a match between France and Japan in 2017 at the Paris La Défense Arena. She has also been a central referee in numerous Challenge Cup matches and is a regular on video during the Six Nations.
Six English referees were retained 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 act as an assistant referee for his first World Cup.
This is a clear setback for the French refereeing since five Frenchmen had been designated 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 had notably refereed the final between South Africa and England, has since joined the coaching of the XV of France and Alexandre Ruiz that of Montpellier in the Top 14.