Wayne Barnes to referee final

Just out, it will be Barnsie. Personally I think he's now a decent ref and he wouldn't have the job unless the ref panel thought so also.

HasBeen-ou will be apoplectic.

I also rate Barnes, off the top of my head the best referee. It seems that the players and fans can understand what he is doing and why. 

Ha ha Moz, yes Beeno better take his meds

The AB's blamed Barnes for their 2007 loss against France.  If they lose on S aturday he os likely to be blamed again.    

A leopard never ever changes its spots.

He is a weak and biased ref from day one and will never change.

Poor choice but then again the governing body of World Rugby is run and filled with Poms from the Head to its tail.

Beaumont at its head and Barnes at the tail.

Sorry Springboks but if you guys give him half a chance to penalise you with the goal range of the AB's he is going to without fail.

Bent Pommie. 

Funny how the most strident ref-bashers are the rugby noobs who never pla yed a game in their lives and wouldn't recognise a rugby law if it was flashing in big red neon lights.

Wayne Barnes is an absolute top class ref and has been for about a decade. He has every single attibute you're looking for in a world class refere . . . experience. superb knowledge of the laws, never afraid to ask advice, plays advantage as well as the best and has a friendly, sometimes almost playful manner with the players without ever conceding his authority.

We couldn't wish for better but here are the dull-witted chest-beaters already in tears about the ref a week before the game even kicks off . . . the same slope-headed rugby noobs who wouldn't know entry from the side from hands in the ruck . . . thinking they know the game better than a seasoned pro like Wayne Barnes!

LMAO!

I'd like to hear a suggestion for a better ref from anyone who has a problem with Barnes.

Wayne Barnes is just fine, as was Ben O’Keefe.

Wayne Barnes for me ............. thank god not a Frenchie, they tend to hold the ABs in awe.

At least the most important man in the Final will be English  

Yes, the English made the most of what they had. They almost pulled off a huge upset!

Thanks guys. 

It was sad we didn’t make it but I’ll be cheering on my second favourite team this Saturday  

Mathieu Raynal (France) has the experience as well.

Appears that many on this site have short memories about Barnes.

Rooiarse just because you played for the Soweto third team does not count as playing RUGBY.

Sorry.

My memory of Raynal is he's pedantic but the top rated refs must all be good. I'm happy with Barnes.

He's not bad, but he's got a history with NZ in RECs, so it might have an unintended reverse bias effect...still better than the rest...Nigel Owens will take some beating for best ref ever.

The Boks have been on the better side of the reffing decisions. If it's a game of 50/50 calls, I don't expect us to get all of them, but if we don't get the edge, we will certainly get the critical ones. That's been the formula for a while, especially in the scrums. 

So would I be if I was a New Zealander or an All Black supporter JW.

Rules should be enforced as laid out not the ref's version and application of them.

But just hope it is a good game and that the best team wins as they are both strong teams and without doubt the best two.

I'm not so sure of that. I'm not convinced by New Zealand just yet. The Boks are shambles. What does this say about the state of the game?