Former English international rugby union referee and barrister Wayne Barnes (born 20 April 1979). He regularly officiated English Premiership, Heineken Cup, and European Challenge Cup games. Barnes refereed the Rugby World Cup, Six Nations, Rugby Championship, and Pacific Nations Cup. He is a Squire Patton Boggs partner and criminal barrister. Know details relating Wayne Barnes wife and retirement below.
Wayne Barnes Wife
Wayne Barnes recently tied the knot with his longtime love Polly Barnes in a small, intimate ceremony. His wife Polly is from a mining town in the Dean forest, where she spent her childhood. Polly sang with the City of London choir and played rugby for the Gloucester Gators when she was a youngster. Barnes’s wife Polly is influencing the direction of client services at Greature. She also organizes annual rugby competitions to generate money for breast cancer research. They have a wonderful family life together in their gorgeous London home.
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What Were the Online Threats Directed at Wayne Barnes and His Family?
Barnes said he pondered quitting refereeing after his wife and children were threatened online after South Africa’s loss to France in November 2022. Barnes led France to a win over the Springboks in Marseille in his 100th Test match, but Rassie Erasmus’s post-game actions overshadowed the result. Erasmus tweeted videos showing Barnes’ anti-South African decisions.
He was suspended by World Rugby. Barnes and his family were abused online, and the referee reported two attackers to the police. Barnes first said on The Good, The Bad, and The Rugby podcast that his wife, Polly, was threatened with “s*xual violence”. Barnes: “Criticism on social media quickly becomes abuse.” “We live in that world. That’s social media. But I choose to referee and use social media. Refereeing isn’t decided by Polly, my wife.
Saturday night saw direct abuse of Polly. The next two or three days saw direct abuse to Polly, s*xual violence threats, and threats on the kids. I don’t mind people criticizing my performance, and if they want to abuse me, fine. That was more than a line crossed. The line was so far gone you couldn’t see it. It impacts you and your family.”
Barnes replied, “I don’t know the answer,” when asked if Erasmus’ actions led to his family’s maltreatment. He expressed concern about leaving refereeing due to family abuse.
Wayne Barnes Retirement
In October 2023, Barnes officiated his 111th test match and 27th Rugby World Cup match as he presided over the 2023 final between New Zealand and South Africa at the Stade de France. Three other countrymen, Karl Dickson as an assistant referee, Matthew Carley as a fourth official, and Tom Foley as the television match official, joined Barnes on the field.
Barnes’ autobiography, Throwing the Book, authored with Ben Dirs, with an audiobook edition read by Rich Keeble, is to be released by Hachette on 9 November 2023. Barnes announced his retirement from refereeing on November 2, 2023, after having worked 111 Test matches, five Rugby World Cups, and 26 Six Nations matches.
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How Did Wayne Barnes Begin His Career as a Referee at the Age of 8?
Barnes joined Gloucester & District Referees at the age of 15 after beginning his career as a referee at the age of 8. While at college, he joined the London Society of RFU Referees before moving on to the Norfolk Referees Society, an affiliate of the Eastern Counties (ECRURF). Barnes, at age 21, made history when he was named to the Panel of National Referees in 2001. In April 2005, he began his career as a professional referee.
Barnes was the English representative on the Sevens circuit from December 2003 to March 2005, and he officiated at the 2003 U19 World Cup in Saint-Denis and the 2005 Under 21 Rugby World Championship in Argentina. Barnes officiated his first Test matches in 2006, during the first Pacific Five Nations tournament.
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