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The Good, The Bad & The Rugby

Wayne Barnes on the Battle to Reform English Rugby

The Good, The Bad & The Rugby

Platform Media

Sports, Rugby

4.4 β€’ 2.6K Ratings

πŸ—“οΈ 16 April 2026

⏱️ 22 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

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 βš–οΈ Online Abuse and Accountability 03:02 🌱 Life After the Whistle 04:17 πŸ›οΈ Inside the RFU Boardroom 10:10 πŸ‰ Community Game Priorities 12:14 πŸ“… April 24 SGM Explained 15:19 🎯 What Success Looks Like 20:54 🎀 Final Pitch and Sign Off Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0

Hello, Dream Team, welcome along to a little extra special number from us on GBR Extra.

0:05.3

I hope you're all well.

0:06.3

We have got an interesting story to dive into over the next 20 minutes or so.

0:11.0

Tins is here.

0:12.0

Hello.

0:12.7

As is a man who, interestingly, we've done, I think we've done 300-something-plus shows.

0:18.3

The last time we had you on is our eighth most popular show of all time.

0:23.3

Sandwich between Dan Carter and Jason Leonard. Wayne Barnes, how are you?

0:28.9

That's an interesting sandwich. Hell of a front row that as well. Actually, you hope Jason is a

0:33.2

bottom slice, don't you? Yes, you do. You can't be lifting Jason on the top slice. No, you don't want Jason to be the top slice with damn carton underneath you. Though Mrs. Barnes wouldn't probably mind that, if I'm honest. If you say so, family show. Welcome along, everybody. 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 job. Because actually, life wasn't 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? Yeah, you didn't bring me in at the end of my career to celebrate, you know, kind of my World Cup final and my last premiership game. You brought me in. I think you were on a global tour at that point. We didn't fit your agenda. I came in after the Marseille game, if you remember.

1:11.7

France versus South Africa, you know, it was one versus... global tour at that point. We didn't fit your agenda. I came in after the Marseille game,

1:16.0

if you remember. France versus South Africa, you know, it was one versus two in the world at the time.

1:23.5

And, you know, one of those games where lots happened. You know, it's Sendeuf, Anton de Pont. So that happens. Peter Steff de Toy, who were the best players in the world for that year and the

1:28.2

year before. And so there's always going to be a bit of chaos and criticism around that, but

1:32.9

that it was that kind of point where, you know, social media reared its ugly head again and

1:37.6

decided that, you know, me and the family were fair game. So we came in and had a chat about that.

1:44.7

And it's actually been quite interesting since then

1:48.0

and since, you know, kind of retiring for the sport

1:50.1

and only be able to speak and, you know,

1:52.3

make sure that referees had a voice,

1:54.1

but also be able to do a little bit of the law firm

1:56.1

to make sure that people who decide to, you know,

...

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