Alain Rolland to retire at end of season

[IanD]

http://www.rte.ie/sport/rugby/2013/0925 ... of-season/

We are losing a top ref.

One of my best memories of Alain was him giving out to the French and English front rows switching from English to French and back again. Both front rows looked like school boys shuffling their feet.

Best of luck to him. Maybe RTE could use him in a pundit role giving the refs view/better interpretation of laws.

[Jackie Brown]

Does the PRL have a hand in this? Will he be Reffing the Franglais cup remotely, all games simultaneously?

[domhnallj]

Does the PRL have a hand in this? Will he be Reffing the Franglais cup remotely, all games simultaneously?

Well he did say he had a new job

[JB1973]

Not the most popular man in Wales!

I never had much of an issue with him if i'm honest. The Warburton red card was a 50/50 call and if Jones had kicked the conversion or halfpenny the penalty it would have been forgotten.

Just a personal point of view but I feel all international refs should have at least a basic knowledge of French or Italian , it must help during matches?

[simonokeeffe]

He was always given French matches/matches involving French teams as he spoke French but as he was half french it was rarely mentioned

Like Steve Walsh getting matches involving NZ teams but a different plane of sanity

[Donny B.]

Best referee of his generation by a long way. Hopefully a trail-blazer took in terms of getting former players into refereeing as we're seeing now with John Lacey and Glen Jackson.

[Donny B.]

http://www.rte.ie/sport/rugby/2013/0925 ... of-season/

We are losing a top ref.

One of my best memories of Alain was him giving out to the French and English front rows switching from English to French and back again. Both front rows looked like school boys shuffling their feet.

Best of luck to him. Maybe RTE could use him in a pundit role giving the refs view/better interpretation of laws.

Not sure if it would be his bag, but that's an excellent idea. As of course, as a former provincial and international player as well, he's got that perspective too.

[Dave Cahill]

RTE used Alan Lewis as a pundit during one of the early world cups

[simonokeeffe]

Best referee of his generation by a long way. Hopefully a trail-blazer took in terms of getting former players into refereeing as we're seeing now with John Lacey and Glen Jackson.

almost atoned for the Changlangs

[johng]

almost atoned for the Changlangs

No atoning for these Scottish people

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ytii7-bUxuk

[simonokeeffe]

almost atoned for the Changlangs

No atoning for these Scottish people

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ytii7-bUxuk

meh they broke up before I was born

[johng]

almost atoned for the Changlangs

No atoning for these Scottish people

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ytii7-bUxuk

meh they broke up before I was born

No reason you should be spared the horror that was the original Chang a Lang. (This was possibly their best song. Be nice or I will inflict further horrors upon you)

[Dave Cahill]

Rolland has been appointed to succeed Joel Jutge as el grande supremo bastardo

[Ruckedtobits]

Now that is a surprise and a major acheivement. Well done Allain!

[simonokeeffe]

Now that is a surprise and a major acheivement. Well done Allain!

therell be some angry reactions from the Welsh as soon as they walk the 5 miles to the nearest phonebox