Pellaprat - the referee mad about rugby
Jean-Pierre Pellaprat of France, a mature referee, will be heading from Provence to Krasnodar in the south of Russia to referee the match between the Bears of Russia and the Leones of Spain, an important match for the Russians who have ambitions to win the European Nations Cup for the first time.
For Pellaprat rugby has been a big part of his life. He says: “I really am passionate about the oval ball. Rugby has always been a part of my life. I love rugby’s team spirit.
He is unusual in modern rugby – the man who had a full playing career before he started playing rugby. He played scrumhalf for Castres in France’s Championship until the age of 33 when he started refereeing ” to stay in the world of rugby”.
For the last ten years he has refereed Tests in the FIRA-AER competitions. “I am now one of the oldest in the top level of French refereeing.” He is still one of the Top 14 referees in France, a member of the same Midi-Pyrénées society as Joël Jutge but now he would like to move on. “I’d like now to move on to a new function in refereeing. If that does not work out, I have coaching certificates and would like to get into coaching.”
He loves rugby all right and, even late in a long career, is looking forward to his trip to Russia and the match there.
Jean-Pierre was born on 16 December 1960 in the fascinating city of Avignon on the River Rhône, where the popes once lived and where you can go onto what is left of the bridge famed in song. He is married and the father of two children.
