Referee Wayne Barnes is getting ready to pack his bags before flying out to Japan on Tuesday 10th September for this year’s Rugby World Cup.

The top official is certain to be centre stage in some of the biggest games in the six-week tournament – his first match is the group clash between Scotland and Ireland two weeks on Sunday (8.45am BST) – and he admits he can’t wait for the action to get started.

But far from taking it easy in the final days leading up to his departure for one of the biggest events in world sport, the 40-year-old is taking on a challenge in the Forest of Dean, the place where he was born and retains close links, just two days before he flies out to East Asia.

“I’m running the Forest of Dean 10K on Sunday 8th September,” explained Barnes, who was born in Bream, which is just a long Owen Farrell touch-finder from Lydney.

“It’s part of the Forestry Commission’s 100th anniversary celebrations. My wife Polly and I saw it advertised and thought it would be fun!”

So how good a runner is Barnes, who is preparing to officiate in his fourth Rugby World Cup?

“I wouldn’t describe myself as a regular runner,” he admitted. “I’ve run the Forest of Dean Half Marathon in the Spring a couple of times when Polly has run the London Marathon. She used the half marathon as a warm up so I ran the race as well.”

Polly will be running on Sunday although Barnes added with a laugh: “I haven’t been told if we’re running together.”

Barnes will have a couple of mates to run with, however, because fellow World Cup referees Luke Pearce and Ben O’Keeffe, who is refereeing England against Italy at St James’ Park on Friday evening, are also taking part.

And the three of them should be relatively easy to spot because Barnes said that they will all run together and are likely to be wearing referees’ shirts.

Barnes, Pearce and O’Keefe are three of 23 officials who will be on duty in Japan and although Barnes is something of a World Cup veteran – he’s also refereed Pacific Nations Cup games in Japan – he is just as excited now as he was ahead of his first major tournament 12 years ago.

“They’re all unique and I’ve got fond memories of all of them,” said Barnes, who these days lives in London. “In ’07 there was the haka down in Cardiff, in New Zealand in 2011 there was the wet and the wind of Wellington and in 2015 it was special to referee the semi-final at Twickenham between Australia and Argentina, I was able to walk to the ground from my home.

“They’re all different. There’s a different group of 23 officials each time and although it’s a cliché you build memories and you’ve got mates for life.”

Barnes is spot on that every World Cup is special but what makes this World Cup so exciting – and different – is that any number of teams have genuine hopes of going on to win it.

“It’s a very tight World Cup,” said Barnes, “there are five or six teams who could win it. I don’t think we’ve ever had that before, it’s very exciting.”

And for Barnes it’s just as exciting to be part of it.

“Yes, it is,” he continued. “People forget that we’re fans of the game as well. Just like the players we want to be at the pinnacle of the game and the World Cup is the pinnacle.”

Barnes, who works as a barrister when he is not refereeing, will return to this country on Monday 4th November, two days after the World Cup final.

He has yet to officiate in the tournament’s showpiece game and obviously won’t get the chance this time around if Eddie Jones’ men – as all England hopes! – make it through to the last two.

That’s all a long way off of course and there’s a lot of rugby to be played between now and then.

The dad of two is focussed only on the game between Scotland and Ireland – “That will be full on,” he said – and is certainly not ready to talk about retirement.

“When I get back I will sit down with the family and decide what we want to do,” he said. “No decisions have been made.”

The Rugby World Cup gets under way on Friday 20th September when Japan take on Russia in Tokyo (11.45am BST).