One last international window and then it's gone.
French referee Mathieu Raynal announced on Tuesday that he would officiate his 50th test during the July international window, before retiring from rugby permanently.
“This sport has given me a lot and refereeing it at the highest level for all these years has been a privilege and an immense honor,” said the Catalan, quoted in the League press release.
But, he added, “it is time for me to put an end to a profession that I deeply loved and which allowed me to live unique experiences on all terrains of the world”.
In July, Mathieu Raynal will become the fourth French referee to pass 50 international call-ups, after Romain Poite (73 test matches), Jérôme Garcès (55) and Pascal Gaüzère (52).
👊 Mathieu Raynal: « 𝗵𝗶𝗲 »
After more than 𝟯𝟱𝟬 high-level matches and a professional career that began in 2007, Mathieu Raynal decided to end his career.
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His interview ⬇
— France Rugby (@FranceRugby) March 26, 2024
In his 18-year career, Raynal has achieved his goals.
“I’m 43 years old and everything I wanted to do in refereeing, I did it.
Three World Cups, a British Lions tour, the Six Nations Tournament, the Rugby Championship…” declared the main interested party to the FFR.
Joël Jutge, World Rugby's head of men's elite match officials, paid tribute to Raynal.
“I would like to thank Mathieu for everything he has done for the advancement of international arbitration.
He has always performed at a high technical level (…) Our group has always appreciated his strength of character, his convictions, his leadership, without forgetting his unstoppable humor.
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For World Rugby chairman Bill Beaumont, the Frenchman “has played an important role in the development of refereeing on a global scale and is deeply invested in supporting the next generation of match officials”.
During the last World Cup, Mathieu Raynal, the only French field referee, was on the whistle for England-Argentina on September 9, South Africa-Romania on September 17, Uruguay-Namibia on September 27, and Country of Wales-Georgia on October 7, before officiating in the quarter-final between England and Fiji on October 15.