Bernard Lapasset died in the night from Tuesday to Wednesday following a long illness. He was president of the French Rugby Federation from 1991 to 2008 and then of the International Rugby Board (IRB) until 2016.
He also co-chaired the bid committee for the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The National Rugby League invites the oval ball world to observe "a minute of applause (..) on all terrains" this weekend on the occasion of the 24th day of Top 14 and the 30thday of Pro D2.