Wayne Barnes on the Battle to Reform English Rugby
4/16/202623 min
Wayne Barnes returns to GBR to discuss his transition from World Cup Final referee to the RFU Board - and the tension brewing over the future of English rugby. As a member of the RFU Board, he’s at the center of a massive vote on April 24th that could change the governance of English rugby for the first time in 20 years.
01:08 ⚖️ Online Abuse and Accountability 03:02 🌱 Life After the Whistle 04:17 🏛️ Inside the RFU Boardroom 10:10 🏉 Community Game Priorities 12:14 📅 April 24 SGM Explained 15:19 🎯 What Success Looks Like 20:54 🎤 Final Pitch and Sign Off
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Transcript preview
First 90 secondsAlex Payne· Host0:00
Hello, Dream Team. Welcome along to a little extra special number from us on GBR Extra. I hope you're all well. We have got an interesting story to dive into over the next twenty minutes or so. Tinz is here.
Wayne Barnes· Guest0:11
Hello.
Alex Payne· Host0:12
As is a man who, interestingly, we've done-- I think we've done 300 and something plus shows. The last time we had you on is our eighth most popular show of all time, sandwiched between Dan Carter and Jason Leonard. Wayne Barnes, how are you?
Wayne Barnes· Guest0:28
That's an interesting sandwich, isn't it?
Alex Payne· Host0:30
Hell of a front row that as well.
Wayne Barnes· Guest0:31
And actually, you hope Jason is a bottom slice, don't you?
Alex Payne· Host0:34
Yes, you do.
Wayne Barnes· Guest0:34
You don't want- You can't be lifting Jason on the top slice. No, you don't want Jason to be the top slice with Dan Carter underneath you, though- No ... Mrs. Barnes wouldn't probably mind that, if I'm honest.
Alex Payne· Host0:42
[laughing] If you say so. Family show. Welcome along, everybody. Um, how-- 'cause actually the last time we did have you on, you, you said it as you walked in, actually. You were like, "Ooh, kind of, it brings back a bit of a..." 'Cause actually life wasn't as-- Often we get people in, and we celebrate the great times, the good times. We have a little laugh. That wasn't the show we did with you, was it?
Wayne Barnes· Guest0:58
Yeah, you didn't bring me in at the end of my career to celebrate, you know, kind of my, my World Cup final and my, like, last Premiership game. You brought me in, um- I think you were on a global tour at that point- Yeah ...
Alex Payne· Host1:07
and we didn't fit your agenda.
Wayne Barnes· Guest1:08
[laughing] No, I c- I came in after the, the Marseille game, if you remember. Um, France versus South Africa, you know. It was one versus two in the world at the time. Um, and you know, I s- Oh, it was one of those games where lots happened. You know, you get Sendoff, Anton du Pont. Uh, so that happens. Peter Stef de Toy, who, who were the, the best players in the world for that year and the year before. And so there's always