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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Sport
Michael Aylwin

Red mist: Rugby’s leaders would do well to heed wise words of Wayne Barnes

Referee Wayne Barnes holds up a red card to show that the video judge has upgraded a yellow to red for New Zealand's Sam Cane during the Rugby World Cup final.
Wayne Barnes holds up a red card to show that the video judge has upgraded a yellow to red for New Zealand's Sam Cane during the Rugby World Cup final. Photograph: Christophe Ena/AP

Opinion will always be divided, but a general consensus seems to have it that Wayne Barnes has been the best referee of our times. Now that he has retired, it seems he is feeling freer to speak his mind. The game would do well to pay attention.

He appeared on TNT’s highlights programme for round one of the Champions Cup this month and offered his thoughts on the cards that he and his colleagues have been obliged to bandy about for so many years now.

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