Record-breaking rugby referee awarded honorary doctorate at UoG
Retired record-breaking rugby union referee Wayne Barnes OBE has been awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Philosophy at the University of Gloucestershire.
Barnes, a lawyer, who hails from the Forest of Dean, first started refereeing at 15 with the Gloucester and District Referees’ Society and received the honorary doctorate in recognition of his significant international career and his links to Gloucestershire.
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"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," he said.
"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."
He holds the the record for 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, Barnes, who retired from refereeing last year, also officiated matches between leading club sides in the English Premiership, Heineken Cup, and the European Challenge Cup.
Barnes added that people often forget that match officiating is a team effort.
"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," he said.
Indeed, 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 of Gloucestershire which recently announced a partnership with the RFU to discover, support and develop talented referees.
Barnes said he would encourage anyone 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.
"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," he said.
"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."
He added: "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."
