World Rugby have confirmed in a statement that the referee for England’s clash with New Zealand has been changed.
A statement read: “World Rugby has confirmed changes to the match official appointments for England vs New Zealand and Romania vs Samoa on November 19 and France vs Japan on November 29.
“Mathieu Raynal (France) will now referee the England vs New Zealand match at Twickenham in the Autumn Nations Series on November 19.
” Raynal replaces Nic Berry (Australia), who has returned home for personal reasons.
“Two further amendments come as a result of this change. Christophe Ridley (England) will replace Raynal as referee for the Romania vs Samoa match in Bucharest on November 19, while Chris Busby (Ireland) replaces Ridley as assistant referee for the France vs Japan match in Toulouse in the Autumn Nations Series on November 20.
“There has also been a change of referee for the Bristol Bears vs South Africa A match in Bristol on November 17. Gianluca Gnecchi (Italy) will now take charge of the match instead of Adam Jones (Wales).”
Mathieu Raynal facts:
- Raynal was born in 1981 in Perpignan, Southern France. Part of a successful Junior Perpignan team, they went on to win the French Junior Championships in 1998
- That was the extent of Raynal’s playing career before choosing to take up the whistle.
- The referee’s first Test match came during the 2008-10 European Nations Cup Second Division fixture between Malta and Netherlands
- During a Top 14 match between Montpellier and Racing, Mathieu fractured both his tibia and fibula as he was caught between two players
Rugby’s richest players, including Mike Tindall’s eye-watering net worth:
Rugby has never been the highest paying sport, but a number of players have still gone on to make millions!
Net worths of the richest Rugby Players have been calculated and taken from https://www.celebritynetworth.com/
THE FIVE RICHEST RUGBY PLAYERS
5. Sonny Bill Williams (New Zealand) – £11.6m
Despite his early exit from Toronto, the two-time Rugby World Cup winner still finds himself on the list. Starring in multiple sports; rugby league, rugby union and boxing, Williams has been in demand and has made good money down the years from numerous huge contracts.
Sonny Bill Facts:
- His actual full name is Sonny William Williams
- Williams’s younger sister, Niall, is a New Zealand former international touch football captain and current New Zealand rugby sevens player
- He was only the second person to represent New Zealand in rugby union after first playing for the country in rugby league
- Williams is one of only 21 players to have won the Rugby World Cup twice
- He onverted to Islam in 2009, while in France playing for Toulon