Retired rugby referee Wayne Barnes has spilled the beans on what he believes are three game-changing alterations that could elevate rugby union to unprecedented heights.
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The seasoned official, who recently became the second Englishman to oversee a Rugby World Cup final, shared his insights into potential improvements for the sport.
Barnes, following in the footsteps of Ed Morrison, who officiated the 1995 final, made his Test debut in 2006, refereeing the clash between Fiji and Samoa.
Over the course of his illustrious career, he took charge of a remarkable 111 Tests, including five World Cups.
Notably, Barnes presided over 17 Six Nations tournaments, three European Champions Cup finals, and 10 Premiership finals.
Discover the three significant changes Barnes advocates for rugby union in the current landscape, aiming to enhance the game’s appeal and competitiveness.
Read his full column for The Telegraph by clicking here.
Change one: Referee reviewers must encourage the game to flow
He wrote in his column: “With the game crying out for less stoppages and for more attacking rugby, a general philosophy around allowing the game to flow should be the focus of what the selectors are feeding back to match officials.”
RUCK Judgment: Spot on – it just makes sense that referees are recognised for promoting gameplay rather than enforcing rules to the extent that the game halts more frequently than in American Football.
