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'Immense': New Zealand Rugby pay tribute to newly retired referee Wayne Barnes
By Josh Raisey
New Zealand Rugby have paid tribute to Wayne Barnes after the referee announced his retirement this week just days after officiating the Rugby World Cup final.
The 44-year-old oversaw his first ever World Cup final on Saturday as South Africa overcame the All Blacks 12-11 at the Stade de France, and had to brandish a yellow card on four occasions during the match, with All Blacks captain Sam Cane's card being upgraded to a red by the bunker in the first-half.
In the wake of final, Barnes has been subjected to online abuse including death threats, which became an all too common theme during the World Cup with England's Tom Curry and South Africa's Cobus Reinach also experiencing the same treatment during the tournament. In his statement announcing his retirement, he said that he will strive to prevent this happening to other referees in the future.
He said: "I will work closely with the International Rugby Match Officials' association to ensure match officials across the globe not only have a collective voice but also the appropriate support network for them and their families, particularly as online abuse and threats have become far too regular for all of those involved in the game."
Despite losing in the final, it was all class from New Zealand on social media, as they paid tribute to the 111-Test referee, saying his contribution to the game has been "immense".
"Congratulations to Wayne Barnes," NZR wrote on X. "Who has called time on his refereeing career. With a record-breaking 111 Test matches in the middle, Wayne’s contribution to the world game has been immense. We wish him and his family all the best for the future."
This post from New Zealand was followed by the hashtag #RespectTheRef, which is important given everything that has expired this past week.
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Latest Comments
Don't think you've watched enough. I'll take him over anything I's seen so far. But let's see how the future pans out. I'm quietly confident we have a row of 10's lined uo who would each start in many really good teams.
Go to commentsHopefully Joe stays where he is. That would mean Les, McKellar, larkham and Cron should as well. It’s the stability we need in the state programs. But, if Joe goes, RA with its current financial situation will be forced into promoting from within. And this will likely destabilise other areas.
To better understand some of the entrenched bitterness of those outside of NZ and NSW (as an example 😂), Nic, there is probably a comparison to the old hard heads of welsh rugby who are still stuck in the 1970s. Before the days where clubs merged, professionalism started, and the many sharp knives were put into the backs of those who loved the game more than everyone else. I’m sure you know a few... But given your comparison of rugby in both wales and Australia, there are a few north of the tweed that will never trust a kiwi or NSWelshman because of historical events and issues over the history of the game. It is what it is. For some, time does not heal all wounds. And it is still festering away in some people. Happy holidays to you. All the best in 2025.
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