Wayne Barnes: Retiring referee warns online abuse is ‘far too regular’

Wayne Barnes has announced his retirement from refereeing, having taken charge of a record 111 international matches over the past 17 years. In a retirement statement, the 44-year-old — who officiated the World Cup final last weekend — said that online abuse and threats to referees have become “far too regular”.

His wife, Polly, revealed after the World Cup final that her husband, who is from Gloucestershire and also works as a barrister, had been the subject of death threats, not for the first time in his career.

“What a vile atmosphere at the Stade de France. It’s just a game k***heads,” she wrote on social media. “See ya later Rugby World Cup. Won’t miss you, or the death threats.”

Barnes and his family had