Wayne Barnes is a rugby union referee who is going to be the officiated Rugby World Cup Final 2023 of South Africa vs New Zealand. In the English Premiership, he also officiated the European Challenge Cup and the Heineken Cup.
Wayne Barnes has officiated games around the world at events including the Pacific Nations Cup, Rugby Championship, Rugby World Cup, and Six Nations. In addition to being a partner in Squire Patton Boggs, he practices criminal law.
Wayne Barnes Bio, Age, Height, Wife, Parents, Net Worth & Wiki
Wayne Barnes was born in 20th Nov, Gloucestershire, England. Barnes began playing rugby when he was eight years old., He always had a passion for rugby from childhood. He did education from Whitecross School; and the University of East Anglia, graduating with a law degree in 2000. He went to Whitecross School and the University of East Anglia from which he earned a law degree in 2000.
Wayne Barnes Career
He started off as a referee with Gloucester & District Referees at age 15. After attending university, he moved to the London Society of RFU Referees and then to the Norfolk Referees Society, which is a division of Eastern Counties (ECRURF). Barnes was selected to the Panel of National Referees in 2001 at the age of 21, making him the youngest referee in history.
In April 2005, he turned pro as a referee. In addition to serving as the England representative on the Sevens circuit from December 2003 to March 2005, Barnes officiated at the 2003 U19 World Cup in Saint-Denis and the 2005 Under 21 Rugby World Championship in Argentina.
Tony Spreadbury, Chris White, and Barnes were the other two English referees who officiated in the Rugby World Cup 2007. When England and the Whales played at Croke Park in the 2008 Six Nations Championship, Barnes officiated the game for the first time as an Englishman.
Rise to Fame
In 2008, Wayne had the honor of refereeing his first Heineken Cup knockout match, which featured Stade Toulousain and Cardiff Blues at Le Stadium on April 6th. Two years later, in 2010, he officiated the Heineken Cup final, where Biarritz faced Toulouse. Fast forward to 2013, Barnes was part of the officiating team at the Pacific Nations’ Cup hosted in Japan.
Notably, on December 22, 2017, he made history by officiating Worcester Warriors’ 23–8 victory over London Irish, breaking the record for the most Premiership appearances (191) by any referee. Barnes’ refereeing skills earned him a spot at the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan, where he officiated several matches, further cementing his place in the world of rugby officiating.
Wayne Barnes Biography | |
|---|---|
| Real Name | Wayne Barnes |
| Birth Date | 20 April 1979 |
| Age | 45 Years |
| Birth Place | Bream, United Kingdom |
| Profession | Rugby Union Referee and Barrister |
| College | University of East Anglia |
| Qualification | Graduate |
Physical Statistics | |
| Height | in feet inches – 5’ 7” – in Centimeters – 170 cm |
| Weight | in Kilograms – 76 kg – in Pounds – 167 lbs |
| Hair Color | Brown |
| Eye Color | Blue |
Wayne Barnes Family | |
| Father | – |
| Mother | – |
| Sister | – |
| Brother | – |
Relationship Status | |
| Marital Status | Married |
| Who is Wayne Barnes’ wife? | Polly Barnes |
| Children | Two (Juno, Beau) |
Personal Life
Wayne married her wife Polly Barnes. The couple has kids and Polly recently said fans threatened them following. He disclosed that he thought about quitting officiating after receiving threats online against his wife and kids after South Africa’s loss to France. The couple has a strong bond and together for a long time.
Social Media
Wayne is on Instagram as well as Twitter. He has around 17.5k followers on Instagram where he posts about the games looks after. He has around 74k followers on Twitter, where he shares posts about matches.
Wayne Barnes Net Worth
Wayne Barnes’s net worth is around $4 million. Working as a rugby referee is his main source of income. Wayne is a famous referee and the richest in the UK. He earns between $100,000 and $250,000 a year.