Leicester Tigers fans criticised for 'appalling' abuse of referee Mathieu Raynal

A section of the Leicester Tigers support base has been slammed after referee Mathieu Raynal was subjected to verbal abuse as he exited the pitch at halftime during Leicester’s crunch Champions Cup match with Munster at Welford Road last night.

It had been a half of rugby in which the home side had conceded significantly more penalties then their Irish counterparts – by a count of eleven penalties to two.

A number of Leicester Tigers fans didn’t see it so much as failure of their Tiger’s discipline as a failure by Raynal to referee competently, and the French referee was let know all about it as he made his way off  the pitch.

In fact, he had to be escorted off the pitch and footage captured the moment some fans took things a little too far.

Appalling abuse from Leicester supporters to the ref.

“Dog sh*t”
“Bugger off”

Disgraceful from a traditional club. pic.twitter.com/RPzhBk3kee

— RugbyInsideLine (@RugbyInsideLine) December 17, 2017

Just finished watching #LEIvMUN. @swaz88 @fergalkeane47 Congratulations to @Munsterrugby. My disappointment for @LeicesterTigers is eclipsed by my disgust at so called ‘supporters’ intimidating the ref at HT. Ugly. No place for it in rugby or at #Welford125. Identify and exclude!

— Fr.James Mather FRSA 🇺🇦 (@tigerrector) December 17, 2017

Didn't like the @LeicesterTigers fans bahaviour towards the referee at half time #LeicestervsMunster. It's not soccer. #SUAF @Munsterrugby

— Toby Bourke (@TobyBourke) December 17, 2017

@LeicesterTigers you should be ashamed of your “fans”. Please address this for the sake of game.

— Ian (@Ian_26point2) December 17, 2017

#LEIvMUN Shame to see @LeicesterTigers fans booing ref at halftime. Suggest they divert their frustration to some of the Tigers forwards or try football. #poordiscipline @btsportrugby

— David Faries (@DavidFaries1) December 17, 2017

It was also pointed out by many that the apparent abuse of the referee was at the hands of a small section of the crowd. While this behaviour is standard in Association Football, rugby has long prided itself on being free of this type of incident – largely due to self policing.

Tigers fans are among the Premierships most passionate fans, but results in recent season have seen the former European Champions slipping down both the English and European pecking order.

Raynal was born in Perpignan, France, and played for USA Perpignan and was part of the successful 1998 Junior Perpignan team that won the Junior Championships in France. He joined a local referees society in 2001, while representing the first XV from the University of Perpignan in 2001.