Referee Wayne Barnes has withdrawn from Saturday’s Gallagher Premiership final between Exeter Chiefs and Wasps after testing positive for coronavirus.
Premiership Rugby is due to name his replacement on Friday morning, with Barnes missing out on overseeing his 10th league showpiece at Twickenham.
“Sadly I’ll be out of action this weekend as my weekly routine coronavirus test came back positive so I’m now isolating,” Barnes said on social media.
“Gutted to miss the @premrugby final but wish @ExeterChiefs, @WaspsRugby & all match officials involved the best of luck for a great day.”
Sadly I’ll be out of action this weekend as my weekly routine coronavirus test came back positive so I’m now isolating. Gutted to miss the @premrugby final but wish @ExeterChiefs, @WaspsRugby & all match officials involved the best of luck for a great day.
— Wayne Barnes (@WayneBarnesRef) October 22, 2020
Barnes famously red-carded Dylan Hartley in the 2013 Premiership final. This week, Hartley reflected on the events that day.
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