LIST: The 5 best rugby referees in the world right now - 2022

Love them or loathe them, without referees, there would be no game of rugby union.

As a result, RUCK asked fans to debate who are the best rugby referees in the world.

Of course, criticism of officials often comes with the territory, but every so often, a referee has a game that makes the sport’s fraternity stand up and take notice.

Here are, according to fans, the five best rugby union referees at present.

As a teenager, he was a keen rugby player until he was diagnosed with Scheuermann's Disease [a hereditary disc condition].

Gardner refereed his first international match in 2011, taking charge of Papua New Guinea vs Vanuatu. A year later he refereed his first Super Rugby fixture, Queensland Reds vs Melbourne Rebels.

In 2018, he refereed the Super Rugby final, and the same year he went on to win World Rugby's Referee of the Year award.

Generally a safe pair of hands, the South African is an experienced referee who seems to have a good rapport with players. He also likes to keep the game flowing, something that fans do appreciate.

He was chosen to officiate in both the 2015 and the 2019 Rugby World Cups.

Outside of rugby, he is a trained lawyer and he and his wife Zenobia have two children together.

Arguably the best scrummaging referee out there, O'Keeffe can count himself as one of the game’s most underrated referees. He was the youngest referee at the Rugby World Cup 2019 in Japan, taking his bow at Australia v Fiji at the Sapporo Dome.

O’Keeffe also has a career away from rugby, explaining in 2019: “Certainly, no one can question my eyesight. I’m an Ophthalmologist. I’ve been lucky enough to balance both careers over the last couple of years as being a professional referee has become a full-time commitment.” Dr O’Keeffe co-founded oDocs Eye Care.

DID YOU KNOW? O'Keeffe's brother, Michael O'Keeffe, represented New Zealand at the 2012 London Olympics in football.

Possessing a strong character, Barnes had the courage to send off Dylan Hartley during the 2013 Premiership final, and is not willing to accept negativity from players posturing for penalties. 

Barnes will edge closer to a century of international referee appointments when he takes the whistle for Scotland’s trip to Dublin in Round 5 of the 2022 Six Nations – which will be his 98th Test match and his 16th in the Championship.

The whistleblower also works part time as a barrister. He said of his weekly schedule: “On Monday and Tuesday we’ll do reviews and training as a referees group. On Wednesday I try to be in the chambers in town most of the time. Then it depends what the weekend is looking like.

"If it’s a Premiership game, I’ll likely be in chambers on Thursday too; if it’s a European week I’ll probably be travelling. It’s important to get away from rugby at times and this (being a barrister) is a good way to switch off.”

Pearce was just 21 when he refereed in the RFU Championship in 2009, and has continuously progressed since. Rising through the ranks of the English, European, and world system of rugby refereeing. So far, the Welsh-born but very English official has overseen 29 international fixtures from the centre of the pitch.

One fan said: "Luke is most consistent I reckon. Takes his time sometimes but I don’t mind as I get extra trips to the beer fridge and tactical pee brakes."

Another said: "Pearce has been the best referee for the last year or two. Every international he has got has been big and he has refereed them all well. I'm interested to see what others think as well, so comment below with your suggestion!

DID YOU KNOW? The Premiership official even captained the Welsh Exiles Under-16s and counts Neil Jenkins as his favourite player of all time.