THERE’S not many tougher jobs in sports than being a rugby referee – but the amount they get paid makes it worth it.
A single decision can affect the result of a game depending on what has happened during the match.
GettyKasey Badger in action refereeing[/caption]
And it is safe to say that one team is always going to praise the ref while the other is unlikely to have good things to say.
But how much do they earn to call the shots?
How much do referees get paid?
Referees’ salaries are based on the category that they fall into – rookies, females and professionals.
Rookies often get paid around £400 per match which equivalates to approximately £16k per year.
While females will earn approximately £600 for a normal game and £1.6k for a main event fixture (99k yearly).
But professional rugby referees can receive anywhere around £1.2k for a lower-tier game and £2.2k for a main event match (160k a year).
However, the 2023 Rugby World Cup referees will reportedly receive around the 5k mark per game.
Who are the 2023 Rugby World Cup referees?
The Rugby World Cup being hosted in France gets underway on Friday, September 8 before concluding on Saturday, October 28 and some top referees have been chosen to officiate.
Nika Amashukeli – GeorgiaWayne Barnes – EnglandNic Berry – AustraliaAndrew Brace – IrelandMatthew Carley – EnglandKarl Dickson – EnglandAngus Gardner – AustraliaBen O’Keeffe – New ZealandLuke Pearce – EnglandJaco Peyper – South AfricaMathieu Raynal – FrancePaul Williams – New Zealand
Who are the highest-paid rugby referees?
The list of highest-paid rugby referees for 2023 is yet to be revealed but reports from totalsportal.com in 2022 suggest that these are the top-earning referees. who all receive a salary of roughly 160k.
Wayne Barnes is one of the highest paid rugby refereesRex
Wayne Barnes – Premiership RugbyKarl Dickson – Premiership RugbyJ.P. Doyle – Premiership RugbyChristophe Berdos – France Top 14Jerome Garces – France Top 14Alexandre Ruiz – France Top 14