Wayne Barnes

Wayne Barnes, an award winning rugby referee, has been an icon of the game for over two decades. Seen to be enforcing the rules of one of the world's best loved sports at every major event, he has garnered the respect of worldwide fans and players alike. Integrity, leadership and a fair-minded approach have ensured Wayne Barnes was highly respected in his position as a referee, and as an after dinner speaker, he shares his stories from his time in the thick of the action of world famous matches.

From the World Cup, to the Six Nations, Pacific Nations Cup to the English Premiership, Wayne Barnes has been the man in charge of enforcing the rules at the top levels of world class rugby. Garnering a reputation as a fair but firm referee, the respect he has earned is evident in every match he has overseen. In 2013 he sent off a player in the English Premiership final, being the first ref to ever make a call of it’s kind and he acted as common ground for legendary face-offs between Wales and Ireland. An iconic man of the sport, Wayne Barnes has presided over matches in a professional capacity for fifteen years.

Having always had a passion for rugby, and playing since aged eight, Wayne Barnes took up referring at only fifteen years old with the Gloucester & District Referees. After transferring to the London Society of RFU Referees whilst at university, Wayne became the youngest ever referee to be appointed to the Panel of National Referees and made his professional debut in 2005. In the early days of his career he was often found as the authority at Under 21 matches whilst he still honed his craft, and from the outset, Wayne has balanced his role as a referee with his career as a barrister.

Building upon his remarkable refereeing career, Wayne Barnes’ has gained the opportunity to appear at a wide range of important events over recent years, including the 2019 Rugby World Cup, where he was awarded the World Rugby Referee of the Year Award, in recognition for his commitment to the rules of the game. Alongside this, Wayne was also selected to referee the 2022 Autumn Nations Series, and the 2023 Rugby World Cup final between New Zealand and South Africa. A highly respected member of the sporting community, Wayne released his autobiography, Throwing the Book, in 2023 which documents what it means to be a Rugby referee. A respected member of the sporting community, Wayne announced his retirement in 2023 but continues to advocate for referees and work closely with the International Rugby Match Officials' Association to increase support for referees and their families.

A man that lived, breathed and influenced the action at some of rugby’s most famous matches, Wayne Barnes has a wealth of anecdotes to tell as an after dinner speaker from his time involved in the game.