Romain Poite

{{Short description|Rugby referee}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}}

{{Infobox rugby biography

| name =

| image = USO-AB - 20131221 - Romain Poite.jpg

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| caption = Poite during a Top 14 match, December 2013.

| birth_name =

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| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=y|14 September 1975}}

| birth_place = Rochefort, Charente-Maritime, France

| death_date =

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| height = 181 cm

| weight = 82 kg

| school =

| university = Toulouse Business School

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| occupation = {{hlist|Police detective|rugby referee}}

| weight_update =

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| refereeyears1 = 2006–2021

| refereecomps1 = Rugby World Cup

| refereeapps1 =

| refereeyears2 = 2010-2021

| refereecomps2 = Six Nations Championship

| refereeapps2 =

| refereeyears3 = 2013

| refereecomps3 = The Rugby Championship

}}

Romain Poite (born 14 September 1975){{cite web|url=http://www.irb.com/jwc/teams/team=-1/player=23943/index.html|title=International Rugby Board biography|access-date=3 May 2009|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080609125829/http://www.irb.com/jwc/teams/team=-1/player=23943/index.html|archive-date=9 June 2008}} is a French former rugby union international referee. Poite retired in November 2021 after refereeing 72 tests, refereeing the third-most international tests in international rugby behind Nigel Owens (Wales) and Wayne Barnes (England).{{cite web |url=https://www.rugbyworldcup.com/2019/news/669321/romain-poite-set-for-final-international-match-refereeing-appearance |title=ROMAIN POITE SET FOR FINAL INTERNATIONAL MATCH REFEREEING APPEARANCE |last= |first= |date=5 November 2021 |website=rugbyworldcup.com |publisher=World Rugby |access-date= |quote=}} He made his debut in 2006, and has been a referee at three World Cups (2011, 2015, 2019), including the 2019 Final.

He made his World Cup debut as an assistant referee in 2007 during the match between Ireland and Namibia. He also officiated (as touch judge or television match official) during three games in the 2009 Six Nations Championship.{{cite web |url=http://labibledurugby.com/arbitre/Poite%20Romain.htm|title=La Bible du rugby|access-date=3 May 2009 |language=fr}} He refereed his first Six Nations match in 2010.{{cite web |url=http://www.planetrugby.com/story/0,25883,3820_5765196,00.html |title=Planet Rugby | Rugby Union Tournaments | Six Nations | Six Nations referees appointed |website=www.planetrugby.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100102084412/http://planetrugby.com/story/0,25883,3820_5765196,00.html |archive-date=2010-01-02}} Poite was appointed to the 10-man elite referees panel for the 2011 Rugby World Cup,{{cite news| url = http://www.espnscrum.com/france/rugby/story/139559.html | title = Poite to ref Heineken Cup Final | date = 9 May 2011 | access-date = 21 September 2013 | publisher = espnscrum.com}} where he refereed four matches. He was also appointed to referee the third and deciding Test of the 2013 British & Irish Lions tour against Australia.{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2013/jul/05/lions-2013-australia-breakdown-third-test|title=Lions 2013: Romain Poite will be most important man on the pitch | Paul Rees|website=TheGuardian.com|date=5 July 2013}} He was later excluded for a few months from the IRB panel for giving an incorrect yellow card during the 2013 Rugby Championship.{{cite web|url=http://espritdelaregle.com/2013/12/10/designations-six-nations-2014-de-la-fraicheur-et-des-adieux/ |title=Six Nations 2014 : de la Fraîcheur et des Adieux |date=10 December 2013 |publisher=Esprit de la Règle}} Poite famously told the England rugby team "I'm a referee, not a coach", during the 2017 Six Nations Championship match versus Italy.{{cite web|url=http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-news/explained-brilliant-italian-ruck-tactics-12659937|title=XPLAINED: The brilliant Italian ruck tactics that baffled Eddie Jones' England and were entirely legal|date=26 February 2017}} Poite was appointed referee for the third and deciding British & Irish Lions tour of New Zealand.