Aurélie Groizeleau

Aurélie Groizeleau
Women dressed in all black in centre, with multiple people around the edge.
Groizeleau officiating in 2018
Date of birth (1989-02-27) 27 February 1989 (age 35)[1]
Place of birthLa Rochelle, France
Height1.68 m (5 ft 6 in)[2]
Weight68 kg (150 lb)[2]
Rugby union career
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
–2007 Blagnac [fr] ()
Correct as of 20 April 2021
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
France 5
Correct as of 20 April 2021
National sevens team(s)
Years Team Comps
France
Correct as of 18:04, 28 April 2021 (UTC)
Refereeing career
Years Competition Apps

2015–2017[2]
2018–
2019–
2021–		 Women's Premier
Fédérale 2
Internationals
Women's Six Nations
Rugby Pro D2
Correct as of 20 April 2021

Aurélie Groizeleau (born 27 February 1989)[1] is a French rugby union referee and former player, who has officiated at international level since 2018. As a player, she made five appearances for the France women's national rugby union team and five appearances for the France women's national rugby sevens team.

Playing career

At club level, Groizeleau played for Blagnac [fr].[3] She made five appearances for the France women's national rugby union team, and five appearances for the France women's national rugby sevens team.[3] In 2007, Groizeleau suffered a serious injury that later forced her to retire from playing rugby,[2] at the age of 19.[4] Before her injury, Groizeleau had been hoping to represent France at the 2008 Women's Six Nations Championship.[2]

Officiating career

Groizeleau started officiating at the age of 21.[2] She was initially an assistant referee, before becoming a main referee.[5] She started her career in the men's Fédérale 2 league,[4] and now officiates in the men's Fédérale 1 and Top 14 leagues, as well as the French women's Premier Division.[6] She also officiates Rugby Europe Women's Sevens rugby sevens matches.[7] When she started officiating rugby union matches, she was one of four fully qualified French female referees.[8] Groizeleau is coached by French male referee Jérôme Garcès.[2][9]

In 2016, Groizeleau officiated an under-20s match between France and England.[6] In November 2017, Groizeleau was the assistant referee for two matches between France and New Zealand.[7] In November 2018, Groizeleau officiated her first international rugby match, between Italy and South Africa.[3] Groizeleau was chosen to officiate at the 2019 Women's Six Nations Championship;[10] her first match in the competition was the March 2019 match between England and Italy.[4][10] At the time of her appointment, she was one of six female international referees.[4] She was selected as an official for the 2020 Women's Six Nations Championship, initially for two matches as main referee, and two matches as assistant referee.[11][12] Later in the year, she was chosen to referee a match between France and England, after Irish official Joy Neville was injured.[6] Groizeleau was selected as an official for the 2021 Women's Six Nations Championship, for two matches as main referee, and one match as an assistant referee.[13]

On 1 September 2021, Groizeleau signed a semi-professional contract with the French Rugby Federation (FFR). That month, she officiated two matches in the 2021 Rugby World Cup qualifying European tournament in Italy. In October 2021, Groizeleau started officiating in the men's Rugby Pro D2.[14]

In May 2022, Groizeleau was selected as a referee for the delayed 2021 Rugby World Cup.[15] She was selected as an assistant referee for the 2021 Rugby World Cup Final.[16]

Personal life

Groizeleau is from La Rochelle, Charente-Maritime,[6] and now lives in Marans, Charente-Maritime.[4] Aside from rugby, Groizeleau works as a farmer;[4] she breeds almost 7,000 pairs of pigeons at her parents' house.[6] Groizeleau spends three hours a week studying English.[4] Her partner is a rugby union assistant referee in the men's Rugby Pro D2 and Fédérale 1 leagues.[7] Groizeleau has one daughter.[4]

References

  1. ^ a b "Liste des arbitre et juges sportifs de haut niveau pour la periode du 1/07/2019 au 30/06/2020" (PDF) (pdf) (in French). Government of France. 2019. p. 9. Archived (PDF) from the original on 19 September 2020. Retrieved 20 April 2021.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g "Rugby : Aurélie Groizeleau, l'arbitre est dans le pré". La Chaîne Info (in French). 7 March 2021. Archived from the original on 20 April 2021. Retrieved 20 April 2021.
  3. ^ a b c "Aurélie Groizeleau : "j'ai toujours eu un fort caractère"". French Rugby Federation (in French). 25 January 2019. Archived from the original on 19 April 2021. Retrieved 19 April 2021.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h "Rugby : la Charentaise Maritime Aurélie Groizeleau, agricultrice, maman et arbitre internationale". France Bleu (in French). 9 March 2019. Archived from the original on 19 April 2021. Retrieved 19 April 2021.
  5. ^ "Aurélie Groizeleau, arbitre international de rugby, agricultrice et maman : "Je n'ai pas le temps de m'ennuyer !"". France Info (in French). 9 March 2019. Archived from the original on 19 April 2021. Retrieved 19 April 2021.
  6. ^ a b c d e "Groizeleau : la seizième Bleue". Rugbyrama (in French). 14 November 2020. Archived from the original on 17 November 2020. Retrieved 19 April 2021.
  7. ^ a b c "Qui est Aurélie Groizeleau, arbitre internationale féminine ? (Interview)" (in French). Le Rugby Nistere. 8 December 2018. Archived from the original on 19 April 2021. Retrieved 19 April 2021.
  8. ^ "L'arbitre était une femme". La Nouvelle République du Centre-Ouest (in French). 28 October 2014. Archived from the original on 26 April 2021. Retrieved 19 April 2021.
  9. ^ "Aurélie Groizeleau rêve d'une carrière à la Stéphanie Frappart". Le Quotidien du Sport (in French). 29 March 2021. Archived from the original on 20 April 2021. Retrieved 20 April 2021.
  10. ^ a b "Six Nations féminin : la Française Aurélie Groizeleau au sifflet". L'Équipe (in French). 18 December 2018. Archived from the original on 19 April 2021. Retrieved 19 April 2021.
  11. ^ "Six Nations féminin : la Française Aurélie Groizeleau encore au sifflet en 2020". L'Équipe (in French). 10 December 2019. Archived from the original on 19 April 2021. Retrieved 19 April 2021.
  12. ^ "Referees at the reeady for 2020 Women's Six Nations". Six Nations Rugby. 10 December 2019. Archived from the original on 19 April 2021. Retrieved 19 April 2021.
  13. ^ "Deux arbitres françaises, Aurélie Groizeleau et Doriane Domenjo, à l'honneur pendant le Tournoi des Six Nations". L'Équipe (in French). 30 March 2021. Archived from the original on 19 April 2021. Retrieved 19 April 2021.
  14. ^ "AURÉLIE GROIZELEAU PUTS PLAYING DISAPPOINTMENT BEHIND HER TO FOCUS ON RUGBY WORLD CUP DREAM AS REFEREE". Rugby World Cup. 26 September 2021. Retrieved 1 October 2021.
  15. ^ "ALL-FEMALE TEAM OF REFEREES TO TAKE CHARGE OF RUGBY WORLD CUP 2021". Rugby World Cup. 26 May 2022. Retrieved 26 May 2022.
  16. ^ "Hollie Davidson Appointed Referee for Rugby World Cup 2021 Final".
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