New refs boss: Joel Jutge
Former international referee Joël Jutge has been appointed the IRB High Performance Match Official Manager, succeeding Paddy O'Brien in the key position.
The IRB announced on Friday that the Frenchman will take the helm as part of the process building towards Rugby World Cup 2015.
New Zealand's O'Brien is to oversee the development of Sevens match officials ahead of the sport's Olympic debut in 2016.
Jutge will start on September 3. A vastly experienced former international referee, the 46-year-old took charge of 35 Tests between 1996 and 2007 before retiring with a knee injury and later becoming referee manager for the French Rugby Federation.
"This is a key appointment for the IRB in what is a hugely important area of the game and Joël brings with him vast experience, great knowledge and expertise as well as enormous respect within the international Rugby family. This is an excellent opportunity," said IRB chairman Bernard Lapasset.
Comments
turboboy says...
Can't believe I'm agreeing with JayStarr but Andre Watson is a great shout.
Jutge is a shocker of an appointment. From a kiwi perspective I think the Safas do tend to have the stronger and more capable referees.
Posted 18:24 03rd August 2012
ImLaigheanIt says...
Posted 17:46 03rd August 2012
ImLaigheanIt says...
Leinster goy is right. Ex-referees should not be in charge of adjudicating on the competence of referees and selecting them for high-profile matches. The international game is going down the pan. Look at the last four World Cups. And it's primarily down to the standard of officiating.
Referees who determine the rules of a sport make bad decisions because they only understand rules and not the game itself. It is precisely because of the likes of O'Brien that the scrum and the breakdown in international rugby union are a mess because these ex-referees are obsessed with regulations and policy and various other considerations that are stifling the free flow of the average rugby game.
Posted 17:44 03rd August 2012
JayStarr says...
I'm absolutely thrilled Paddy (and Bryce Lawrence) is finally gone... But Jutge? Really? What about André Watson!? Look what he's done with the SA referees - there is not another country with more top-class referees now (Craig Joubert, Jaco Peyper, Jonathan Kaplan, Mark Lawrence, Marius Jonker, etc.) What has Jutge done? Turned Romain Poite into the most over-rated referees on the international panel? Strange appointment.
Posted 16:54 03rd August 2012
lawynd says...
@leinster_goy - try reading it again. '... IRB High Performance Match Official Manager' and '...development of Sevens match officials' are the key phrases there.
Posted 14:11 03rd August 2012
DutchWing says...
leinster_goy, what are you on about? I only read match official managing places. Both for Jutge and for O'Brien. Oh and a chairman who played rugby himself.
Posted 14:06 03rd August 2012
D4tress says...
About time!
Finally other teams will have a fair crack at the All Blacks!
Posted 13:31 03rd August 2012
leinster_goy says...
it is truly astonishing that the person in charge of driving forward the development of international rugby union is a referee. i know of no other professional sport where this is the case
Posted 13:28 03rd August 2012