Record-breaking rugby referee Wayne Barnes OBE is awarded Honorary Doctorate

Record-breaking referee Wayne Barnes OBE paid tribute to his family and rugby union's unsung heroes after being awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Philosophy at the University of Gloucestershire's 2024 Graduation Ceremony.

Wayne, who was born and educated in the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire, holds the record for the refereeing the highest number of international rugby union matches - 111 - including the 2023 Rugby World Cup final between South Africa and New Zealand.

In addition to the Rugby World Cup, Six Nations, the Rugby Championship and the Pacific Nations Cup international competitions, he refereed matches between leading club sides in the English Premiership, Heineken Cup, and the European Challenge Cup.

Wayne, who first started refereeing aged 15 with the Gloucester and District Referees' Society, has received an Honorary Doctorate in Philosophy from the University in recognition of his significant international career and in celebration of his links to Gloucestershire.

Wayne, who retired from refereeing in November last year, said: "It feels a bit surreal, being someone from the Forest of Dean from a working-class background, to receive an honorary doctorate from a respected institution like the University of Gloucestershire.

"But, as I said to my wife Polly and our two children when we drove down to Windsor Castle to receive my OBE a few weeks ago, this isn't just about celebrating me and my career. It's about the sacrifices that we've made as a family, with me being away most weekends and for large parts of the year on rugby duties.

"That's what I'm really chuffed about and why I'm so pleased we could all celebrate together as a family at the graduation ceremony.

"People forget that match officiating is a team effort as well - it wasn't just me in the 2023 World Cup final, it was Matthew Carley and Karl Dickson as assistant referees, and Tom Foley as Television Match Official, all working together. That's why it's so nice to be able to share these moments with other people."

Matthew Carley was the first person to complete the sports scholarship programme on the officiating pathway headed up by former World Cup referee Chris White at the University, which recently announced a partnership with the RFU to discover, support and develop talented referees.

Paying tribute to the rugby union community, Wayne added: "The unique thing about rugby, I think, is that the game appreciates all the different stakeholders. The players obviously take centre stage, but the sport is brought together by many different people, such as the club officials and administrators, working diligently behind the scenes.

"Take your local rugby club, it's not just about the players who turn out on a Saturday at 3pm - it's about the men and the women who put the shirts out, who open the changing rooms, who make sure the pitch is in a decent condition, along with everything else so the game can go ahead. Rugby is a real community sport that has been, and continues to be, such an important part of my life."

Wayne said he would encourage anyone who was thinking of becoming a rugby referee, including University students and graduates, to pick up a whistle and give it try, just as a number of former players, such as Karl Dixon, Glen Jackson and Nic Berry, have done.

He said: "Most people start their rugby journey as a player, but there are many reasons why they might have to stop playing, perhaps because of other commitments or an injury.

"The refereeing route offers them a great opportunity to stay involved in the game, and I'm pleased that many ex-players are now coming through the ranks and giving it a go.

"My advice to anyone thinking about becoming a referee is to try it for yourself, see if you enjoy it and find out whether you add value to the game. Refereeing has taken me all over the world and some of my closest friends are people I've met through refereeing - it's been fabulous to me."

With thousands of University graduates ready to embark on successful careers of their own, Wayne underlined the importance of patiently gaining the necessary experience to tackle potentially difficult situations in whichever career they move into.

Wayne, who is also a lawyer, said: "Using rugby as an example, I've refereed several high-profile matches that have gone down to the final minutes and you know that your next decision could go a long way to deciding the result, so there is pressure that comes with that.

"People ask, 'Aren't you petrified of making the wrong decision?', but if you've been in those situations before, you're able to draw on your experiences and learnings, and reflect on how you dealt with it, successfully or not, in the past.

"As individuals, we're always at our most vulnerable when we haven't seen or done something before. When I refereed the quarter-final of the 2007 World Cup between France and New Zealand, I'd only refereed six internationals going into that World Cup, so when it got tight, I had very limited experience to fall back on.

"Moving forward to the 2023 World Cup final, when it went down the last few moments of that game, I had 110 internationals to reflect on. We all want ambition and I love ambitious people, but it's about evolving to get better, learning from experiences and remembering that you don't need everything to happen tomorrow."

Picture: left to right, Wayne Barnes OBE, who has received an Honorary Doctorate of Philosophy, and Chris White at the 2024 Graduation Ceremonies

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