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Wayne Barnes replaces former England captain in RFU role

Referee Wayne Barnes checks a potential misdemeanour on the big screen during the Rugby World Cup France 2023 match between Ireland and Tonga at Stade de la Beaujoire on September 16, 2023 in Nantes, France. (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)

Former referee Wayne Barnes has joined the RFU Board as the Senior Men’s Professional Rugby Board Representative.

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The refereeing legend, 45, has replaced former England captain Phil de Glanville in the role, which will run for three years until July 31 2027.

Barnes brought his distinguished refereeing career to an end at the Rugby World Cup final last year in what was a record-extending 111th Test match.

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The appointment will see Barnes directly involved in the governance of the game, providing his expertise from both professional rugby and his legal background, where he continues to work as a barrister as he did throughout his refereeing career.

The Englishman will be the first match official on the Board.

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“I’m delighted to be able to put my knowledge and learnings from a long career in rugby – having refereed my first English Premiership match in 2003 – and my 20 year legal career to use on the RFU Board as its Senior Professional Game Board Representative,” Barnes said.

“I have always been proud to represent match officials and applaud the RFU for widening the perspective of the Board by appointing an ex-professional referee. In my new role, I will ensure I represent the whole game with the same passion and integrity as I have done throughout my refereeing career.”

RFU Chair Tom Ilube added: “We are really pleased to have someone with Wayne’s extensive knowledge of the professional game join us on the RFU Board and to have for the first time the voice of professional match officials involved directly in the governance of the game at the highest levels.

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“His knowledge of rugby union, plus his legal background, will be of huge value to the Board. We are equally pleased to be able to keep Wayne involved with the RFU following his retirement from match officiating after last year’s Rugby World Cup.

“I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Phil de Glanville for everything he has contributed over many years as a member of the Board.”

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Comments

6 Comments
D
DC000 77 days ago

Couldn't be any worse at it than he was as a ref, right.


Utterly 💩 ref - particularly in the last RWC. An utter embarrassment to the sport

W
Werner 74 days ago

Not sure we were watching the same RWC.


Feel like he's a scapegoat for actions the TMO took and dumb situations players put themselves in.


He missed very few big calls and always controlled the conversation with players. No ref gets everything 100% right. Would take him over Gardner or O'Keefe any day!!

R
Rooksie 77 days ago

Let's hope they let Barnes take his seeing eye dog to the meetings..he rally needs one

B
Bull Shark 77 days ago

Nigel’s going to lose his sh1t now.


🍿

D
DP 78 days ago

Nice! Well done Barnes, brilliant referee.

N
Ninjin 77 days ago

One of the best!

R
Rooksie 77 days ago

Brilliant..a joke yes

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NB 15 minutes ago
'Passionate reunion of France and New Zealand shows Fabien Galthie is wrong to rest his stars'

Nice bit if revisioniusm but that's all it is JW.


For your further education, I found the following breakdown of one prominent club's finances in the Top 14 [Clermont].


For Clermont (budget of €29.5 million for 2021-2022) :

- 20% from ticket sales

- 17% from the LNR (includes TV Rights, compensation from producing french internationals and other minor stuff)

- 5% from public collectivities (so you're looking at funds from the city of Clermont, the department of Puy-De-Dôme and the region Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes)

- 4% from merchandising and events

- 3% from miscellaneous

- 51 % from sponsorships and partnerships. They've got 550 different partners. The main ones are CGI, Groupama, Limagrain/Jacquet, Omerin, Paprec, Renault and of course Michelin (not surprising since they're actually the founders of the club).


As you can see nothing comes from the FFR at all. The LNR is a separate entitiy to FFR and their aims frequently do not accord.


It is also why the European breakaway plotted by LNR and PR back in 2013 had nothing to do with the governing bodies of either England or France - and it most certainly did not have their blessing https://www.espn.co.uk/rugby/story/_/id/15331030/jean-pierre-lux-anglo-french-cup-detrimental-european-rugby


And from the horse's mouth [ex AB skipper Sean Fitapatrick] about the comp between Top 14 and Super Rugby:


"The Top 14 in France is probably the best rugby competition in the world at the moment, purely for the week-in, week-out.”


“I think the quality of players. They are bigger, they are faster, they are stronger. Which then carries on into the international game.”

Take it from someone who knows JW😅

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