| class="wikitable"
!Year
!Winner
!Refs |
| 2001
|{{flagicon|ENG}} Ed Morrison
| |
| 2002
|{{flagicon|NZ}} Colin Hawke
|[{{Cite web|title=Referee Hawke Honoured|url=https://rugby365.com/laws-referees/70560-referee-hawke-honoured/|access-date=21 December 2021|website=rugby365.com}}] |
| 2003
|{{flagicon|WAL}} Derek Bevan
| |
| 2004
|{{flagicon|SCO}} Jim Fleming
| |
| 2005
|{{flagicon|NZ}} Paddy O'Brien
| |
| 2006
|{{flagicon|AUS}} Peter Marshall
| |
| 2007
|{{flagicon|AUS}} Dick Byres
| |
| 2008
|{{flagicon|RSA}} Andre Watson
|[{{Cite web|date=24 November 2008|title=IRB Awards - Andre Watson among winners -|url=https://rugbyreferee.net/2008/11/24/irb-awards-andre-watson-among-winners/|access-date=20 December 2021}}] |
| 2009
|{{flagicon|FRA}} Francis Palmade
|[{{Cite web|title=Francis Palmade Receives IRB Referee Award For Distinguished Service 2009|url=http://www.voxy.co.nz/sport/francis-palmade-receives-irb-referee-award-distinguished-service-2009/5/29845|access-date=21 December 2021|website=voxy.co.nz}}] |
| 2010
|{{flagicon|ENG}} Colin High
|[{{Cite web|title=Former international referee and Vickers player Colin High dies|url=https://www.nwemail.co.uk/sport/other-sport/rugby-union/16458030.former-international-referee-and-vickers-player-colin-high-dies/|access-date=21 December 2021|website=The Mail}}] |
| 2011
|{{flagicon|NZL}} Keith Lawrence
| |
| 2012
|{{flagicon|RSA}} Paul Dobson
|[{{Cite web|date=17 June 2012|title=Paul Dobson receives IRB Referee Award 2012 -|url=https://rugbyreferee.net/2012/06/17/paul-dobson-receives-irb-referee-award-2012/|access-date=20 December 2021}}] |
| 2013
|{{flagicon|FRA}} Michel Lamoulie
|[{{Cite web|date=21 June 2013|title=Lamoulie receives IRB Referee Award for Distinguished Service -|url=https://rugbyreferee.net/2013/06/21/lamoulie-receives-irb-referee-award-for-distinguished-service/|access-date=20 December 2021}}] |
| 2014
|{{flagicon|NZ}} Bob Francis
|[{{Cite web|date=30 June 2014|title=Distinguished Service Award for Ref Bob Francis - News, Rugby, Sport|url=https://www.nzedge.com/news/distinguished-service-award-ref-bob-francis/|access-date=21 December 2021|website=NZEDGE}}][{{Cite web|title=Francis whistles up an IRB award|url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/francis-whistles-up-an-irb-award/7TVUAXHZ2KXQIG4DPISTFWUYWI/|access-date=21 December 2021|website=The New Zealand Herald }}][{{Cite web|date=19 June 2014|title=Francis receives top IRB ref award|url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/wairarapa/10180992/Francis-receives-top-IRB-ref-award|access-date=21 December 2021|website=Stuff }}] |
| 2015
|{{flagicon|WAL}} Nigel Owens
|[{{Cite web|last=Rogers|first=Gareth|date=2 November 2015|title=Nigel Owens wins World Rugby Referee Award at post-World Cup ceremony|url=http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-news/nigel-owens-handed-referee-award-10369070|access-date=21 December 2021|website=WalesOnline}}][{{Cite web|title=Historic moment awaits Nigel Owens|url=https://rugby365.com/laws-referees/historic-moment-awaits-nigel-owens/|access-date=21 December 2021|website=rugby365.com}}] |
| 2016
|{{flagicon|ESP}} Alhambra Nievas
{{flagicon|RSA}} Rasta Rasivhenge
|[{{Cite web|date=14 November 2016|title=Nievas and Rasivhenge win Referee Award at World Rugby Awards 2016 -|url=https://rugbyreferee.net/2016/11/14/nievas-and-rasivhenge-win-referee-award/|access-date=20 December 2021}}] |
| 2017
|{{flagicon|IRE}} Joy Neville
|[{{Cite web|date=26 November 2017|title=Neville wins World Rugby Referee Award 2017 -|url=https://rugbyreferee.net/2017/11/26/neville-wins-world-rugby-referee-award-2017/|access-date=20 December 2021}}] |
| 2018
|{{flagicon|AUS}} Angus Gardner
|[{{Cite web|date=25 November 2018|title=Angus Gardner is World Rugby Referee of the Year 2018|url=https://rugbyreferee.net/2018/11/25/angus-gardner-is-world-rugby-referee-of-the-year-2018/|access-date=20 December 2021}}] |
| 2019
|{{flagicon|ENG}} Wayne Barnes
|[{{Cite web|date=3 November 2019|title=Wayne Barnes named 2019 World Rugby Referee of the Year -|url=https://rugbyreferee.net/2019/11/03/wayne-barnes-named-2019-world-rugby-referee-of-the-year/|access-date=20 December 2021}}] |
| 2021
|{{flagicon|AUS}} Andrew Cole
|[{{Cite web|last=|date=6 December 2021|title=Australia's Andrew Cole receives 2021 World Rugby Referee Award at World Rugby Awards -|url=https://rugbyreferee.net/2021/12/06/australias-andrew-cole-receives-2021-world-rugby-referee-award-at-world-rugby-awards/|access-date=20 December 2021}}][{{Cite web|last=Williamson|first=Nathan|date=6 December 2021|title=Andrew Cole honoured with World Rugby Referee Award|url=https://www.rugby.com.au/news/andrew-cole-honored-with-world-rugby-referee-award-2021126|access-date=20 December 2021|website=rugby.com.au}}] |
| 2022
|{{flagicon|RSA}} Tappe Henning
|[{{Cite web |date=20 November 2022 |title=Josh van der Flier and Ruahei Demant named World Rugby Players of the Year 2022 |url=https://www.world.rugby/news/777767?lang=en |access-date=21 November 2022 |website=world.rugby}}] |
| 2023
|{{flagicon|IRE}} David McHugh
|[{{Cite web |date=29 October 2023 |title=Ardie Savea named World Rugby Men's Player of the Year 2023 |url=https://www.world.rugby/news/884118?lang=en |access-date=1 November 2023 |website=world.rugby}}] |