France vs Wales Six Nations referee confirms shock retirement
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Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) referee Chris Busby has announced he will step away from officiating “over the next few weeks,” drawing the curtain on a career that saw him rise to the highest level of the game.
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The 38-year-old has been a familiar face in the United Rugby Championship and international rugby, but his most recent high-profile moment came in Leinster's fiery win over Connacht in December. Ireland winger Mack Hansen publicly criticised Busby's officiating, claiming it felt like Connacht were playing against “16 men.” Hansen's outburst saw him slapped with a three-game ban and forced to apologise to the referee.
A Rapid Rise in Officiating
Busby took up refereeing professionally in 2020 and quickly climbed the ranks. By 2021, he was officiating international fixtures, before earning a place as an assistant referee at the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France. His career highlights included refereeing his first all-Tier 1 Test when world champions South Africa defeated Wales at Twickenham last year, as well as Scotland's Autumn Nations Series victory over Australia at Murrayfield.
Despite being appointed as an assistant referee for France v Wales and Italy v France in this year's Six Nations, Busby has now decided to step away.
“It’s been a truly amazing journey, allowing me to share the pitch with some of the best players in the world, and taking me to stadiums and places I could barely have dreamed of when I started reffing,” he said in a statement.
Hansen Incident Not the Sole Factor
While the fallout from Hansen's criticism made headlines, Busby's decision to retire is believed to be unrelated.
“I know the transition away from professional sport will have its challenges over the next few months, but I can’t wait to get started on the next chapter,” he added.
“Thanks to all the players, coaches, fans, and especially the refereeing community who have made it all possible—through all the highs and lows, I’ve absolutely loved every second of it.”
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