Read the complete write-up of Wayne Barnes net worth, age, wife, children, height, family, parents, barrister, house, salary, records as well as other information you need to know.
Introduction
Wayne Barnes is an English international rugby union referee and barrister. He is a regular referee in the English Premiership and has refereed games in the Heineken Cup and the European Challenge Cup. At the international level, Barnes has refereed matches at the Rugby World Cup, the Six Nations, the Rugby Championship, and the Pacific Nations Cup competitions.
Early life
| Name | Wayne Barnes |
| Net Worth | $4 million |
| Occupation | Rugby referee, Barrister |
| Height | 1.83m |
| Age | 42 years |
Wayne Barnes was born on April 20, 1979 (age 42 years) in Bream, in the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire, United Kingdom. He is the son of a British parent. He was educated at Whitecross School; and at the University of East Anglia.
Career
Wayne Barnes started playing rugby at the age of eight and took up refereeing aged 15 with Gloucester & District Referees. At university, he transferred to the Norfolk Referees Society, part of Eastern Counties (ECRURF) followed by a transfer to the London Society of RFU Referees.
Barnes became the youngest referee ever appointed to the Panel of National Referees in 2001 at the age of 21. He became a professional referee in April 2005.
He refereed at the 2003 U19 World Cup in Saint-Denis, 2005 Under 21 Rugby World Championship in Argentina, and was the English representative on the Sevens circuit from December 2003 to March 2005. However, in 2006, Barnes made his Test debut as a referee, taking charge of three matches in the inaugural Pacific Five Nations.
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Wayne Barnes was one of three English referees to officiate at the 2007 Rugby World Cup, the others being Chris White and Tony Spreadbury. After New Zealand was knocked out of the quarter-final, Bebo profiles were created by some New Zealand fans dedicated to criticism, and abuse, of Barnes.
Comments on Bebo and other internet sites, including death threats and personal abuse, were condemned by the International Rugby Board and New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark. He was, however, later chosen to referee France vs All Blacks in Paris during their end-of-year tour.
In the 2008 Six Nations Championship, Wayne Barnes became the first English official ever to take charge of a match at Croke Park, in which Wales beat Ireland 16–12.
In the 2009 Six Nations Championship, Barnes refereed the final-day decider between Wales and Ireland at the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff where Ireland was chasing their first Grand Slam for 61 years and Wales chasing the Championship.
Wayne Barnes was appointed in 2008 to take charge of his first Heineken Cup knockout match, between Stade Toulousain and Cardiff Blues at Le Stadium on 6 April 2008.
Barnes officiated his first Heineken Cup Final in 2010 between Toulouse and Biarritz at the Stade de France, Saint-Denis, on 22 May. After officiating at his second Rugby World Cup (in New Zealand) in 2011 and presiding over the third/fourth place playoff game between Wales and Australia, Barnes refereed the Heineken Cup semi-final match on Sunday 29 April 2012; Clermont Auvergne v Leinster.
He was one of the officials present at the Pacific Nations’ Cup in Japan in 2013. On 25 May 2013, Barnes refereed the English Premiership final between Leicester Tigers and Northampton Saints (his fifth English Premiership final), during which Barnes sent off Northampton captain Dylan Hartley for calling him “an f cheat”.
This was the first time a player had been sent off in an English Premiership final. Hartley’s subsequent 11-week ban at an RFU disciplinary hearing cost him his place on the British and Irish Lions tour of Australia (their first successful tour for sixteen years).
Wayne Barnes was one of 12 referees selected to officiate the 2015 Rugby World Cup. On 22 December 2017, Barnes broke the all-time Premiership appearances record (191) for a referee while officiating Worcester Warriors 23–8 victory over London Irish.
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Barnes is set to continue his refereeing career during the 2018/19 season and has been selected as part of the 2019 World Cup Referees Panel in Japan. When not on the pitch or working with the England team, Barnes is a practicing barrister.
In January 2022, Barnes refereed his 250th premiership rugby match. He stands with an appealing height and has a good bodyweight that suits his personality.
Wife
Wayne Barnes is married to his longtime girlfriend Polly Barnes, they had their wedding in the 2000’s in a private ceremony. His wife Polly grew up in a mining community in the forest of Dean. Polly was a singer with the City of Lonon choir and also played rugby at a young age for Gloucester. As of 2022, Barnes’s wife Polly is working in a relationship and shaping Greature client services. She is also an annual fundraiser for breast cancer using rugby tournaments. The couple is happily married and lives in a beautiful house in London with their children.
Wayne Barnes net worth
How much is Wayne Barnes worth? Wayne Barnes net worth is estimated at around $4 million. His main source of income is from his career as a rugby referee. Barnes successful career has earned him some luxurious lifestyles and some fancy cars trips. He is one of the richest and influential rugby union referees in the United Kingdom. His salary ranges from $100,000 to $250,000.