FFR/LNR in professional referee drive in France

– €2m additional annual budget to enable 32 referees to become part time

– Berdos and Marchat have new/additional roles in supporting referees in Top 14, ProD2 and National leagues

The French Rugby Union, FFR, and the professional leagues organisation, the Ligue Nationale de Rugby (LNR) have announced they have committed significant new funds and resources into supporting the top end of French referees.

From this summer, the two organisations have added additional annual budget of €2million to enable up to 32 of the top referees to become part-time officials. Up to now, only there have only been three full-time match officials in France with everyone else supported by match fees and expenses as they manage refereeing around their day jobs. It isn’t known if the three current full-timers – Mathieu Raynal, Pierre Brousset and Ludovic Cayre – will remain full-time under the new plans.

In addition to the funding addition, former international referee Christophe Berdos, and Cedric Marchat, former Top 14 referee, will have new roles to support the refereeing top tiers. Berdos, becomes match officials technical manager of the Top 14, and Marchat, who was already overseeing ProD2 officials, will add support to the Nationale league too.

The ambition is to develop and professionalise refereeing in line with the professional game in France which is fully professional across the two or three leagues. The new refereeing performance plan aims to improve the preparing and monitoring of referees, professionalise their weekly activity, and strengthen relations between the referees and the clubs

The 32 referees will be offered contracts guaranteeing that they can devote more time to refereeing – match analysis and review, training, physical preparation, and medical monitoring throughout the year. It is thought that that will enable the referees to be pro for up to three days a week as well as on match days.

There will also be increased in match day allowances and improved travel expenses.

Florian Grill, President of the FFR also stressed the importance of plans to strengthen communications and training with with clubs. There will be a new digital platform for preparing for, and then debriefing, matches and in setting up workshops and training with clubs to improve law knowledge and referee application

Grill commented, “This Performance Plan for refereeing is essential. Referees and match officials are at the heart of rugby and need to be better valued and supported. In parallel with this plan for the high level, the FFR will deploy a plan for recruiting and training new referees at the grassroots level at the territorial level – with particular emphasis on female recruitment. It is crucial to solidify our foundations while building our roof: we must focus on the base as well as the top level.” 

René Bouscatel, President of theLNR, added “We are very happy to launch this Performance Plan which initiates the professionalisation of referees by offering them the means necessary to align the requirements of their profession with the excellence of our competitions. This significant progress is now possible thanks to the common desire of the FFR and the LNR to continue to grow our sport.”