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Former rugby referee Nigel Owens and ex-referee Wayne Barnes have spoken out against the online abuse they received following the Rugby World Cup final. Owens called for changes in social media rules to hold people accountable for their actions. Meanwhile, New Zealand captain Sam Cane has been suspended for three matches, reduced to two matches if he completes a coaching intervention program, after his red card in the World Cup final. Cane plans to undertake a tackling course to shorten the suspension. Barnes and his family were subject to 'vile abuse' and 'threats' on social media, leading him to call for action against trolls and possible prosecution for their actions. Barnes also revealed that he almost quit refereeing in November 2022 due to the pressure. The toxic culture on social media and the impact of online criticism on referees have been highlighted by former Ireland international flanker and various news outlets.
“I felt extremely sorry for him…I can only imagine what’s going through his mind.” Ex rugby referee Wayne Barnes tells me of his pity for New Zealand captain Sam Cane after having to show him the 1st red card in a World Cup final for a high tackle ⬇️ https://t.co/IVlHV6s8pw https://t.co/eiiVZ32QQT
🗣️ “Without doubt, it was a moment where you think ‘why do we do this?'” 🏴 Wayne Barnes almost quit refereeing in November 2022. 👇 https://t.co/dI5iagmBZT
Top ex-rugby referee Wayne Barnes tells me social media trolls must face possible prosecution after he & his family were subject to “vile abuse” & “threats” following World Cup final. @bbcnews @BBCBreakfast report ⬇️ https://t.co/IVlHV6sGf4 https://t.co/xPQ3Z5j3z2
Wayne Barnes has spoken out against the abhorrent online abuse he and his family received following the Rugby World Cup final. Barnes has also called for social media sites and governing bodies to take action against trolls online. https://t.co/IigKa1AGGq
Wayne Barnes has called for social media trolls to face the threat of prosecution after the former referee and his family were subject to “vile abuse” following the World Cup final. ✍️ @danscho1 #TelegraphRugby
RWC final referee Wayne Barnes calls for action against trolls for ‘vile’ abuse https://t.co/1RJeGmB4Ie
"When people make threats of violence against you, your wife & kids…that crosses a line.” In his 1st interview since retiring, ex-rugby ref Wayne Barnes tells me about the online abuse he’s had since recent World Cup final More coming up @BBCBreakfast https://t.co/IVlHV6s8pw https://t.co/PA2xgZSdf2
"When people make threats of violence against you, your wife & kids…that crosses a line.” In his 1st interview since announcing his retirement, ex-rugby referee Wayne Barnes tells me about the online abuse he’s suffered since recent World Cup final ⬇️ https://t.co/IVlHV6s8pw https://t.co/YOSIXYVYgY
🗣️ "It's shocking, really. There's a toxic culture, particularly on social media." ☘️ Former Ireland international flanker reacts to online criticism of referees. https://t.co/RtbmN2FTEq
Sam Cane handed suspension after red card in World Cup final https://t.co/bHdEY3XdVS
Sam Cane, the New Zealand captain, faces a three-game ban following his red card in the World Cup final. To reduce this, he plans to undertake a tackling course, which will shorten the suspension to two games. Consequently, Cane will be absent for two matches with his new team,… https://t.co/6jkBdTZHTZ https://t.co/kY4Yy4D2YY
🗣️ “When applying World Rugby’s Head Contact Process there was no mitigation available to bring the degree of danger below the red card threshold." 🇳🇿 Sam Cane banned after his #RWCFinal red card. #RWC2023 https://t.co/vIbnzCVAgU
New Zealand captain Sam Cane has been suspended for three matches (reduced to two matches subject to completion of the Coaching Intervention Programme) after his red card in the @AllBlacks World Cup final loss to @Springboks
🗣️ “It’s not going to change unless we change the rules on social media and make people accountable for their words and actions." 🤬 Nigel Owens believes more needs to be done to stop referee abuse. https://t.co/njsz7uV177
EXCLUSIVE: Ex-referee Nigel Owens hits out at 'disgraceful' online abuse following Wayne Barnes's decision to RETIRE just days after receiving death threats for his performance in the Rugby World Cup final https://t.co/BKnaHrA8vB https://t.co/jzhqQ3F6tZ