LEADING IRISH REFEREE Chris Busby is set to confirm his shock decision to retire from professional rugby.

The Ulster man is viewed as one of the top prospects in international refereeing but The 42 understands that he will step away from the professional game in the near future.

Busby is listed to be an assistant referee for two upcoming Six Nations matches but it seems highly unlikely he will take up those appointments.

His decision will cause major surprise but it’s believed many of his fellow match officials are not shocked at a high-level referee retiring amid a feeling that they are not shown enough support and respect.

Busby’s decision comes in the wake of the case involving Mack Hansen’s stinging criticism of Busby and his fellow officials following Connacht’s URC defeat to Leinster on 21 December.

Hansen criticised the refereeing of that inter-pro, suggesting it was the latest example of what he perceived as a bias against his province.

Hansen’s independent disciplinary hearing took place yesterday and he was given a three-match ban that means he will be available for the start of Ireland’s Six Nations campaign.

While Busby’s decision to retire is said to be multi-factored, with personal reasons to the fore, it’s thought that this episode involving Hansen has been the tipping point. 

The lengthy delay in holding a hearing for Hansen is thought to have been frustrating for match officials – the Connacht wing played for his province against Ulster in the meantime – with the feeling being that referees needed to be shown clearer support by rugby authorities through swift and strong action.

The URC has pointed to the timing of the game just before Christmas, this being an off-field issue, and the challenge of an independent disciplinary panel being appointed as the reasons for the hearing taking place yesterday.

However, there is a sense within the refereeing community that there is a growing lack of respect for match officials from coaches, players, and supporters.

Busby’s decision is also thought to have been influenced by the levels of toxic online abuse that referees and their families have to deal with these days. Social media means fans can directly contact officials and their loved ones, with some of them even facing death threats.

Former Ballyclare player Busby turned professional with the IRFU’s high performance refereeing panel in 2021 after a swift rise from the club game. He was an assistant referee at the 2023 Rugby World Cup and refereed his first all-Tier 1 Test match when he took charge of South Africa’s clash with Wales last year.

He will be a major loss to Irish refereeing given that he has been in charge of high-profile Tests in recent times, including Scotland’s clash with Australia in November, and was seen as a strong contender to go to the 2027 World Cup as one of the main referees.

Busby is due to referee the Champions Cup clash between Bath and Clermont this Sunday but it’s unclear how much longer he will be active at professional level.

The only other Irish match officials set to be involved in the Six Nations are Andrew Brace and Eoghan Cross, underlining how big a blow it is for the IRFU to lose Busby. The URC will also lose one of its top referees.