Premiership final: Craig Maxwell-Keys takes over as referee after Wayne Barnes withdrawal
- Published
Wayne Barnes' withdrawal from Saturday's Premiership final comes after Wasps said they would have 11 players unavailable
Craig Maxwell-Keys will referee the Premiership final between Exeter and Wasps on Saturday after Wayne Barnes tested positive for coronavirus.
Barnes, 41, tweeted on Thursday, external to say he had tested positive following a routine weekly test and will miss out on his 10th Premiership final.
Maxwell-Keys, 30, will now take charge of his first top-tier final.
Barnes' withdrawal comes after Wasps coach Lee Blackett said 11 players are unavailable because of the virus.
The players concerned have either tested positive for coronavirus or have been in close contact with someone who has tested positive.
Maxwell-Keys' assistant referees are still to be confirmed however Rowan Kitt is the television match official while Danae Zamboulis will be the first woman to cite in a Premiership final.
Bristol Bears, beaten by Wasps in the semi-final, were on standby to replace Wasps if they were unable to fulfil the fixture.
On Wednesday, however, it was confirmed that Wasps would be able to participate.
Both teams are due to announce their squads later on Friday for Saturday's final at Twickenham, which kicks off at 18:00 BST.