Plus: his track record refereeing England and his high standing among officials globally
Mathieu Raynal will take charge in England’s World Cup opener against Argentina on Saturday.
Here is everything you need to know about the Frenchman, who will be joined by Ben O’Keeffe (NZ), Pierre Brousset (FRA) and TMO Marius Jonker (RSA) in the officiating team.
Born in Perpignan in the heartlands of French rugby, Raynal has been refereeing professionally since 2006, and in the Top 14, France’s top tier, since 2007. The 39-year-old played for the professional club of his hometown, USA Perpignan, in the late 1990s, winning a junior French championship in the process.
In 2013, he suffered an horrendous leg break in a Top 14 match between Racing 92 and Montpellier, double-fracturing his tibia and fibula. He was out of the game for a year, making his return in a Top 14 match in February 2014, before returning to international rugby in 2014.