Wayne Barnes To Ref At Camborne
Jan 15th 2010

By Phil Westren

An 'Archive Antics' column in a Cornish Pirates match programme earlier in the season had the headline 'Wayne awaits his Duchy return' – Well, he's got it!

When the Cornish Pirates play Birmingham & Solihull at Camborne on Sunday (ko 2pm), referee Wayne is the man appointed to take charge, which will rekindle memories of his first official visit made to Cornwall just over nine years ago.

The date was Saturday 16th September, 2000 to be precise, and the occasion was a Pirates versus Redruth match in National Division Three South.

Wayne's recollections of the time are as follows:-

“As a fresh-faced 21 year old who was new to the National Panel of Referees (the youngest ever appointed), I had received something of a surprise to see on the appointments list that a Penzance & Newlyn RFC match versus Redruth was to be refereed by one W. Barnes.

Not only was I concerned that this game would be a test for the most experienced of referees (which I clearly wasn't), but more alarmingly it was in Cornwall, miles and miles away from the University of Norwich, where I was studying at the time, and I didn't own a car!

Nonetheless, starting my trek to Penzance early on the Friday morning, I arrived late that evening following four train changes, numerous delays and even the rarity of a seat on British Rail.

Even at such a late hour, what quickly became apparent on my first appointment to the county was that hospitality was something that the Cornish pride themselves on, and perhaps Friday night before the game wasn't the best of times to show a University student how much enthusiasm they had for showing that pride off!

The game itself was played on a scorching hot day with a crowd full of passion and enthusiasm, and a home team win meant celebrations went on late into the night, when the players took the opportunity to continue where they had began on the pitch – by telling me exactly the way I should behave whilst in Cornwall.

It was one of those matches, not just because of the game, but because of the whole occasion, which remains with a referee throughout his career, and every time an appointment sheet is sent out, I look hopefully to see if W. Barnes is posted to Cornwall – perhaps when the first Premiership club is established there, the trips will become more frequent!”

In the 'Archive Antics' column it further mentioned that we would be delighted to welcome Wayne back into Cornwall, and that it would surely happen at some stage in the future – which it will on Sunday.

Looking back again to his first visit, he made quite an impression on us all, for it was clear to those watching the game that the young man in the middle was someone who was clearly going to make his mark, and it no surprise in the slightest that he has reached very top in what is nowadays a profession.