RFU confirms longer bans for players and coaches abusing referees in rugby

Wayne Barnes (right) retired soon after taking charge of South Africa's win over New Zealand in the World Cup final in Paris in October

Players and coaches abusing referees in England will face longer suspensions as the Rugby Football Union tries to stop more match officials leaving the game.

The RFU has acted after a survey showed 49% of referees had been "abused or disrespected" last season.

It said that number was "unacceptable" and "undoubtedly impacting" on recruitment and retention of officials.

World Cup final referee Wayne Barnes cited "vile" social media abuse as a catalyst for his retirement last year.

His fellow Englishman Tom Foley announced he was taking a break from the game a month later, following a "torrent of abuse".

The RFU said the new punishments were "aggravated sanctions".

Fines, letters of apology and refereeing courses will still be available to disciplinary panels as they consider judgements.

Last season, former Exeter wing Jack Nowell was fined £10,000 and ordered to attend a refereeing course for criticising a referee on X - formerly known as Twitter.

David Barnes, head of discipline at the Rugby Football Union, said: "We've noticed in recent years, since coming out of Covid, that levels of abuse were at a level where we needed to take action.

"Whilst most people are very good and follow the RFU core values, there are unfortunately a few that feel like calling out the referees or making inappropriate comments is acceptable. But it's clearly not, so we felt it was time to increase our sanctions to remind people of what's expected.

"In terms of the referees themselves, 60% of them wanted the sanctions increased to help them and that's something we've responded too."

Anyone found guilty at any level of the game in England will have a minimum addition of two, three or four weeks added to their punishment depending on the entry level of their offence - low-end, mid-range or top-end.

Match official abuse (MOA) is split into five categories: dissent, verbal abuse, using threatening words or actions, making physical contact with a match official, and physical abuse of a match official.

Gloucester and England A coach George Skivington told BBC Radio Gloucestershire: "We work very closely with the officials, certainly in the Premiership, and we've got good relationships with them.

"It is very easy to get frustrated with officials and human nature says you want to blame things on people when it goes wrong. But I think they're good guys, who like all of us, occasionally make a mistake.

"It would be disappointing if people started abusing people just because they make a mistake."

The new punishments came into effect on 1 January.