Popular rugby referees Nigel Owens and Wayne Barnes have revealed the most challenging players they’ve encountered during their careers.
While recognising that a rugby match is an emotionally heated event, they’ve revealed that several players would regularly step over the line.
#1. Wayne Barnes – Martin Johnson
The lock will always be remembered as the man presented with the 2003 World Cup, which England won in Sydney. As well as being an inspirational leader, the Leicester lock was also a formidable player in his own right. A rock like presence in the tight, whose rugby motto was if in doubt, go forward.
BARNES SAID: “I was always petrified of Martin Johnson because he was coming to the end of his career when I started in the Premiership.” said Barnes.
“2003 was my first [season] and obviously that was towards the end of his career and I remember I had to sin-bin him once and I actually apologised as I did it.
“I said ‘I’m very sorry I have to do this’ because he’s such a big personality. I guess he was always someone who scared me witless!”
DID YOU KNOW? he comes from a sporting family. His great-grandfather was a wrestler