Wayne Barnes, the recently retired referee, has been no stranger to the tumultuous world of rugby controversies throughout his career.
Despite his involvement in numerous contentious moments, he is widely recognised as one of the finest officials in the sport.
Although Barnes wasn't in the mix during the previous season's Champions Cup final, a clash that witnessed Johnny Sexton exchanging heated words with referee Jaco Peyper and his team post-match, he has not shied away from expressing his robust views on the incident.
In his tell-all autobiography, 'Throwing the Book,' Barnes delves into the details and shares his candid perspective on the dramatic confrontation.
Barnes said: "Further evidence that the authorities don't have referees' backs, and seem to be making stuff up as they go along, was the incident between Johnny Sexton and Jaco Peyper after the 2023 Champions Cup final, which La Rochelle won against Leinster.
"Leinster's Sexton, who didn't play because he was injured, walked on to the pitch and abused Jaco and his touch judges, Karl Dickson and Christophe Ridley.
"You could clearly see him letting rip as Jaco was on the podium receiving his medal, and you didn't need to be a lip reader to know that was he was saying wasn't very pleasant, to put it mildly."
Barnes continues: "So when asked, Jaco and his team said they didn't hear anything,
"European Rugby didn't believe them, but Jaco and his team weren't prepared to put their names to any statements because they weren't confident that European Rugby would protect them.
"European Rugby promised them their names wouldn't be mentioned and said it would write a statement on their behalf (you'd be ripped apart in the criminal justice system for doing that), but when the time came to prosecute Sexton, their names and quotes were all over the transcripts of the judgement.
"As you can imagine, Jaco and his team felt let down, and I don't blame them."
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Worst players to referee
#5. Joe Marler (England)
BARNES SAID: " “He was always a funny one on the field in nice way. You’d be trying to tell him something serious and he’d just want to have a laugh and a joke.
"But he does bring a smile to your face. That is what is unique about our sport, the interaction between players and refs and refs and coaches. It does show our sport off in a good light.”
Joe Marler facts:
- Marler started his career at Haywards Heath RFC in Sussex where he played in the same side as fellow England international Billy Twelvetrees
- After joining the Quins academy in 2008, the prop spent some time on loan to Esher and Worthing
- He’s been nicknamed Croissant. In his own words, it’s because: “The boys think I have a nose that looks like a French pastry.”
- Marler was captain for England at U18s level and represented the U20 squad throughout the Junior World Championship in summer 2009
- He is also one of the hosts of The Joe Marler Show podcast with Tom Fordyce
#4. Matt Dawson (England)
During his international career he toured with the British & Irish Lions three times and was part of England's 2003 Rugby World Cup winning side. He won 77 caps for his country in total.
BARNES SAID: "Scrum-halves are always the worst, especially Matt."
#3. Martin Johnson (England)
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!”
Martin Johnson facts:
- Johnson comes from a sporting family. His great-grandfather was a wrestler. His younger brother Will is also a former back row forward for Leicester.
- He briefly played American football for the Leicester Panthers as a tight end or defensive end.
- Johnson was selected for the New Zealand under-21 side which went on a tour of Australia playing a side that included another of the all-time great lock forwards, John Eales.
- His first job wa working in a nuts and bolts factory as a schoolboy
#2. Andy Goode (England)
BARNES SAID: "He always made me smile as he made me look athletic when we were on the same pitch. However, the humorous players always keep you on your toes and if they get opportunity to pick you up on a slight faux pas, they will.
"I once mentioned to Andy Goode that him and his team mates were all appealing for far too many decisions and told him that it sounded like there were 15 referees on the pitch. “And you’re not even in the top 10” was his reply."
DID YOU KNOW? Goode had an 18-year professional career playing over 400 games and scoring over 4,000 points
#1. Richie McCaw (New Zealand)
Lifting the 2011 World Cup in his backyard was a fitting tribute to one of the greatest ever All Blacks, but he went on to secure true legendary status as he continued for four more years, breaking record after record and uniquely hoisting the Webb Ellis trophy for a second time.
BARNES SAID: "I’ve been on the field with some of the great captains, John Smit, Sam Warburton and Richie McCaw," said Barnes.
"Richie always had the knack of asking the right question at the right time, sometimes it felt like I was losing a little bit of control.
"Contrary to popular belief, he didn’t talk a lot on the field. He knew the law book inside out and so when he asked a question, he often had a point."
Richie McCaw facts:
- McCaw’s great-great-grandfather immigrated to New Zealand from the Scottish Borders in 1893. As tribute to his roots, the legendary All Black has learned how to play the bagpipes
- He has won the World Rugby player of the year award a joint record three times and was the most capped test rugby player of all time from August 2015 to October 2020
- McCaw was awarded World Rugby player of the decade (2011–2020) in 2021
- It was revealed at his retirement announcement in 2015 that McCaw would work at Christchurch Helicopters, where he is a Director and Shareholder, and was obtaining a commercial helicopter licence
- In December 2011, then Prime Minister John Key revealed that he had asked McCaw about the possibility of a knighthood in the 2012 New Year Honours, but that McCaw had turned it down
