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Joel Jutge
Topic Started: Saturday, 20. June 2009, 11:44 (598 Views)
Hendo
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Sad news; one of the best refs to come out of France for along time. Hope he is able to use his ability and experience to help up and coming refs in the future. A certainty to have refereed at least one of the SA v Lions Tests if he ahd been fit, if not 2 or 3. Ironic that he should announce his retirement on the eve of the series.

"France's top referee Joël Jutge has decided to call it a day and retire from refereeing after a long struggle with a knee injury.
43-year-old Jutge, who has not blown his whistle since November 2007, will continue his rugby career in the administration of French refereeing.
Two operations on the troublesome cartridge in his knee have not resolved the issue, forcing the experienced ref to call it quits.
The former Colomiers scrum-half was a strong candidate to referee on the Lions' tour to South Africa.
Jutge was recently honoured by the French government when Roselyne Bachelot, the Minister of Health, Youth Affairs, Sport and Associations, presented him with the medal of a Chevalier of the Order of Merit (Médaille de Chevalier de l'Ordre du Mérite)."
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reflector
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Yes, always sad when injury forces retirement. Monsieur Jutge seems to have been around for quite some time as France's top official it will seem strange without him. In fact, I'm blowed if I can even recall the names of any other RU referees from France, such has been his domination. All the best to him.
reflector
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Hendo
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Agreed. Apart from the odd "reasonable" ref in the last 20 years such as Joel Dume, Rene Hourquet and Guy Maurette, none of whom set the world on fire, France has had a dearth of decent refs and you have to look back to the 70s and early 80s for world class French refs.

Georges Domercq was an outstanding ref in this period. He had the Barbarians v New Zealand game in 1973, the one with the famous Gareth Edwards try and a game voted by many as the best of all time, in no small part due to his unfussy and sympathetic handling. He was mayor of his village at the time and is still today (Google him)

Jean- Pierre Bonnet was also a top ref at the time - little more than 5 ft, about 8 stone and with a large moustache but always on top of things and players knew he was in charge.

And my own favourite, Francis Palmade, a big stocky ref with large bushy eyebrows and a sunburnt Gallic appearance. I recall a 4 test Lions v SA series in 1980 when Palmade did the first 2 and Bonnet the latter 2. A brilliant series, in whcih the Lions lost 3-1 but all games had a margin of no more than 7 points.

In the opener Graham Price and a SA forward squared up to each other just off the pitch by the half-way line and Palmade, using all his physical presence, got between them and literally grabbed each by the collar as he diffused the situation. Not recommended today I know but was not outlawed then and, in fairness to Palmade, he had the authority and the presence to carry this out successfully; if I recall, nobody stepped out of line after this!
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reflector
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Hendo - you put me to shame but I do now recall a couple of the names you mention.
reflector
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Hendo
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Perhaps I am older than you my friend - wont see 49 again, put it that way!
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reflector
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I wouldn't mind seeing 59 again!
reflector
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