{{Short description|Irish rugby union player}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2020}} {{BLP sources|date=October 2011}} {{Infobox rugby biography | name = Alain Rolland | image = Alain Rolland - 2012-12-08 cropped.jpg | birth_name = Alain Colm Pierre Rolland | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1966|8|22|df=yes}} | birth_place = Dublin, Ireland | occupation = Mortgage broker | height = 1.72 m | weight = {{convert|76|kg|stlb lb|abbr=on}} | ru_position = Scrum half | years1 = | years2 = 1996–1997 | clubs1 = Blackrock | clubs2 = Moseley | apps1 = | apps2 = 11 | points1 = | province1 = Leinster | provinceyears1 = 1989–1996 | provinceapps1 = 40 | provincepoints1 = | repyears1 = 1990–1995 | repteam1 = Ireland | repcaps1 = 3 | reppoints1 = 0 | coachyears1 = 1993 | coachteams1 = Ireland Women<ref name="offsideline140218">{{cite web|url=https://theoffsideline.com/pioneers-celebrate-25th-anniversary-first-scotland-womens-international/|title=Pioneers celebrate 25th anniversary of first Scotland women's international|publisher=theoffsideline.com|access-date=3 March 2018|date=14 February 2018}}</ref> | refereeyears1 = 2003–2011 | refereeyears2 = 2001–2014 | refereecomps1 = Rugby World Cup | refereecomps2 = Test Matches | refereeapps1 = }}
'''Alain Colm Pierre Rolland''' (born 22 August 1966) is a former Ireland rugby union international and rugby union referee. He also played for Leinster.<ref name="Retirement">{{cite news| last = Byrne | first = Cormac | url = http://www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/irish-referee-alain-rolland-to-retire-at-the-end-of-the-season-29609722.html | title = Irish referee Alain Rolland to retire at the end of the season | publisher = independent.ie | date = 25 September 2013| access-date = 29 September 2013}}</ref> He refereed the final of the 2007 Rugby World Cup, and was an assistant referee in the final of the 2011 Rugby World Cup. In September 2013 he announced his intention to retire from refereeing at the end of the 2013/14 season.<ref name="Retirement"/>
==Playing career== During his playing days as a scrum-half, Rolland earned three caps for {{nrut|Ireland}}. He started the match on 27 October 1990 against {{nrut|Argentina}}, and gained further caps as a replacement against {{nrut|Italy}} in 1994 and the USA in 1995. He won 40 caps for Leinster, and played club rugby for Blackrock College. He also played 11 times for English club Moseley during the 1996/97 season.
==Refereeing career==
Rolland retired as a player at the start of the professional era and began refereeing, with his first Test appointment coming on 19 September 2001 when {{nrut|Wales}} beat {{nrut|Romania}} 81–9 at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium.
He made his Six Nations refereeing debut six months later, when France beat Scotland 22–10 at Murrayfield, with his first Tri-Nations match following in July 2003, with {{nrut|New Zealand}}'s record 52–16 defeat of {{nrut|South Africa}}.
Rolland refereed in the 2003 and 2007 Rugby World Cups and was appointed to referee the final of the 2007 Rugby World Cup.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.irishrugby.ie/news/8440.php |title=Rolland Selected To Referee World Cup Final |date=7 October 2007 |access-date=16 October 2011 |publisher=Irish Rugby |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120612114903/http://www.irishrugby.ie/news/8440.php |archive-date=12 June 2012 }}</ref> Rolland, along with fellow Irishman George Clancy, was selected to a ten-man referee panel for the 2011 Rugby World Cup. He was an assistant referee in the final.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/15331518 | work=BBC News | title=Joubert named World Cup final ref | date=17 October 2011}}</ref>
After the 2011 Rugby World Cup semi-final between Wales and France, for which Rolland was selected due to his fluency in French, owing to having a French father, Rolland received much criticism for awarding a red card to Welsh captain Sam Warburton in the 19th minute for a tackle which lifted France winger Vincent Clerc off the ground. Wales ultimately lost the semi-final to France, 9–8.<ref>{{cite web|url = https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/international/wales/8828775/Rugby-World-Cup-2011-referee-Alain-Rolland-ruined-semi-final-with-Sam-Warburton-red-says-Warren-Gatland.html|title= Rugby World Cup 2011: referee Alain Rolland ruined semi-final with Sam Warburton red, says Warren Gatland|date=15 October 2011}}</ref> The International Rugby Board however fully backed Rolland's decision with IRB referees manager, Paddy O'Brien stating the decision was "absolutely correct".<ref>{{cite web|url = https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2011/oct/16/rugby-world-cup-alain-rolland|title= Rugby World Cup 2011: IRB chief backs Alain Rolland on Wales red card|date=16 October 2011}}</ref>
On 22 February 2014, Rolland refereed his last International match as Wales defeated France 27–6 in the 2014 Six Nations Championship at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff.<ref>{{cite web|url = https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2014/feb/21/wales-france-six-nations-match-report|title= Dominant Wales show resurgent form against shapeless France|date=22 February 2014|work=The Guardian|access-date=24 February 2014}}</ref>
He refereed his last major European contest on 24 May 2014 in the Heineken Cup final at the Millennium Stadium in which Toulon beat Saracens 23–6.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sport24.co.za/Rugby/Rolland-to-ref-European-final-20140502|title=Rolland to ref European final|author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date=2 May 2014|website=sport24.co.za|publisher=Sport 24|access-date=5 May 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2014/may/24/saracens-toulon-heineken-cup-final-live|title=Heineken Cup final: Toulon v Saracens – as it happened|date=24 May 2014|last=Taylor|first=Dom|work=The Guardian|access-date=12 February 2025}}</ref>
Rolland is a member of the Leinster Branch of Referees. In March 2016 Alain was appointed as World Rugby's 'High Performance 15s Match Officials' Manager', having previously worked as a mortgage broker in Dublin.<ref name="NZHerald">{{cite news | url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=10659329 | title=All Blacks: Rolland is lucky charm | work=New Zealand Herald | date=17 July 2010 | access-date=17 October 2011}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *{{ESPNscrum|10913}} *{{Cite web |url=http://www.irishrugby.ie/227_7678.php?player=11842&includeref=dynamic |title=Player Profile (as archived on Webarchive) |access-date=16 January 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071120030424/http://www.irishrugby.ie/227_7678.php?player=11842&includeref=dynamic |archive-date=20 November 2007 |url-status=dead }} *{{Cite web |url=http://www.rwc2003.irb.com/EN/Tournament/Match%2BOfficials/Officials/Alain%2BRolland.htm |title=2003 Match Official profile (as archived on Webarchive) |access-date=4 May 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090209012818/http://www.rwc2003.irb.com/EN/Tournament/Match%2BOfficials/Officials/Alain%2BRolland.htm |archive-date=9 February 2009 |url-status=dead }} * http://www.rte.ie/sport/rugby/2016/0311/774207-alain-rolland-named-world-rugby-referees-chief/
{{Ireland Sevens Squad for the 1993 Rugby World Cup Sevens}} {{2003 Rugby World Cup referees}} {{2007 Rugby World Cup referees}} {{2011 Rugby World Cup referees}} {{Rugby World Cup Final referees}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rolland, Alain}} Category:1966 births Category:Living people Category:Irish people of French descent Category:Rugby union players from Dublin (city) Category:Irish rugby union players Category:Ireland international rugby union players Category:Leinster Rugby players Category:Birmingham Moseley Rugby players Category:Blackrock College RFC players Category:Rugby union scrum-halves Category:Irish rugby union referees Category:People educated at Blackrock College Category:Rugby World Cup referees Category:Six Nations Championship referees Category:European Rugby Champions Cup referees Category:IRFU referees Category:The Rugby Championship referees Category:Irish rugby union coaches Category:Ireland women's national rugby union team coaches Category:Ireland international rugby sevens players Category:Irish expatriate rugby union players in England