Match referee Wayne Barnes shows a red card to Sam Cane (captain) of New Zealand. Rugby World Cup France 2023, New Zealand All Blacks v South Africa FInal match at Stade de France, Saint-Denis, France on Saturday 29 October 2023. Photo credit: Andrew Cornaga / www.photosport.nz Photo: Andrew Cornaga/www.photosport.nz
English World Cup referee Wayne Barnes was allegedly targeted with death threats while officiating in the weekend's World Cup final between the All Blacks and Springboks at Stade de France in Paris.
Barnes' wife Polly, who is the CEO of the Women's Rugby Association, was at the final and said on social media her husband was abused by fans at Stade de France.
"What a vile atmosphere at the Stade de France. It's just a game k***heads," she said on social media, according to The Telegraph.
"See ya later Rugby World Cup. Won't miss you, or the death threats," she added.
The impact of the match officials on the final was undeniable, with four yellow cards issued.
One went to All Blacks skipper Sam Cane and was upgraded to red by the television match official, making him the first player sent off in a world cup final.
South Africa's captain Siya Kolisi, like Cane, received his card for a high tackle but the TMO ruled unlike Cane that there were mitigating circumstances and his card wasn't upgraded.
Barnes was officiating in his first World Cup final but is well known to New Zealand rugby followers having controlled the All Blacks controversial 2007 World Cup quarter final loss to France in Wales.
Barnes missed a forward pass from France from which they scored a try going on to win 20 -18.
In an interview four years ago on Radio Sport Barnes reflected on that match saying he knew straight away that he had made a mistake when he saw the pass on the big screen at Millennium Stadium in Cardiff.
Today that forward pass would likely have been picked up by the TMO, but it's that very technology that has ironically fuelled plenty of the debate in the wake of the All Blacks loss to South Africa.