Darrière for Top 14 Final
Tue, 24 Jun 2008 22:27
Eric Darrière of the Basque country has been appointed to referee the Final of France's Top 14 at Stade de France on Saturday, one of the biggest club matches in the world.
Stade de France is likely to have something in the region of 80 000 spectators to watch teams teeming with international players as the team that topped the league table in Top 14 plays the team that came second.
Darrière, gray-haired at 42, has experience of refereeing around the world, since refereeing his first Test in 2002 when Russia played Portugal.
He was one of the first full-time, fully professional referees in France and has experience of Heineken Cup, European Challenge Cup and France's Top 14. He speaks fluent English and has been to many parts of the world, as a touch judge and as a television match official.
He is the latest in a long line of famous French referees who have refereed the Final of the Championship, dating back to 1892 when the first was Baron Pierre de Coubertin, an international referee perhaps more famous as the founder of the modern Olympics.
Darrière's immediate predecessor was Frank Maciello who refereed last year's final and last week's semifinal between Toulouse and Stade Français.
Darrière will have two top referees on the line with him - Christophe Berdos and Pascal Gauzere.
