France-Pays de Wales: Who is Paul Williams, the referee of the opening match of the Six Nations tournament?

A compatriot of Ben O’Keeffe for the Blues. The New Zealander Paul Williams was appointed central referee for the opening match of the Six Nations Tournament between the XV of France and the Wales, this Friday evening (9:15 p.m.) at the Stade de France. For his 40th career test, he will be assisted by the Italian Andrea Piardi and the Australian Jordan Way. Brett Cronan will officiate on video while Damon Murphy will take care of the bunker.

The 39-year-old man had officiated at the touch during the very controversial France South Africa of the 2023 World Cup, after which O’Keeffe, who will direct him Ireland-Angleterre this Saturday, February 1 in Dublin, had been criticized. The Blues were then pushed towards the exit from the quarterfinals of their World Cup at home (28-29).

He had expelled Haouas in 2020

You have to go back to March 8, 2020 to see Paul Williams officer as a central arbitrator in a Blues match. The XV of France then lost 28-17 against Scotland in the Six Nations Tournament and had abandoned its Grand Slam dream. Mohamed Haouas had notably been expelled in the 37th minute after a punching punch with the face of Jamie Ritchie and the Blues had failed for the first time under the Fabien Galkié era.

“The rules of the game should have been respected,” said the Irish coach at the post-match press conference. But hey, she was not a French referee. I will come back to the courts because I have no right to speak but I have to protect my team, not to mention the high tackles. I want to watch the match with the video referee. Toulon put a lot of energy in his game, and had a lot of arbitral decisions in his favor (…). The counting of penalties is heavy: we are three times more penalized than our opponent. »»