What’s your favourite Nigel Owens moment?

Best ref ever, he was a great communicator on the pitch, and had a great understanding of the passion , he is so respected in World Rugby, sadly missed, but he is just as good as a summeriser, a true gent to boot

The world of Rugby really misses having this man on the field for real big game matches. If ever there was a neutral ref on our planet, it's Nigel Owens.

Nigel Owens has served rugby so well as a ref, and now good luck to him with the punditry.

Wish this giy was still in the game. Utter gentleman!!!

I always got the feeling he was completely and utterly neutral - a pleasure to watch a master at his craft

I’d say OGara and Stringer are doing fist bumps, thinking nailed it, after that accolade.

He is a huge part of what makes rugby, rugby for me.

The large number of substitutions has slowed the game down and made it more brutal. Back in the day in the last 30 minutes when the big bruisers got tired it was the time for the speedy steppers to do their thing. Now there's no more space for them unless you're very, very good.

Excellent interview. Owens is a legend

Just makes you listen & smile. So much Respect, earned ! 🏉🏉🏉

Nice video. Thank you. Big love from Spain

His style of reefing let’s the teams play their best rugby and the game flow he had the best seat in the stadium 👍

Gift of the gab poetic and disarming humour

Wonderful person and analyst!

"what It can't be is a play on".... Agnus Gardner - hold my beer 😂😂

What a great ref, huge respect throughout his career. I think a clear meeting with captains before the game, maybe it does happen. Refs knows each player, on the field and on the bench. Having a clear conversation and warning towards a technique a player plays.

A Class act...sorely missed these days ..the standard of refereeing has gone down since Nigel hung up his boots

Those questions were very good!

I do agree about too many substitutions , 8 is far too many . Teams changing their whole front rows makes a mockery of the sport and as Nigel says players trained just to give everything for 50/60 mins . having 5 subs is more then enough .

I can see Nigel's perspective how the 16 substitutions can potentially add 16 longer breaks in play - slowing the game down... howabout if non-injury substitutions could only be made at the 20minute mark, at half time, at 60minutes (and at full time, and extra time half time, in the case of knockouts/finals)? Could get quite tactical and exciting at 60mins, and would keep the flow of the game.

He should still be in the game . He could be the TV ref ..

…well considered, extremely well explained, just a most amazing expert of the technicalities of the Game - but in N.O.’s case, he brings a dynamic of honesty, fairness and just cause which is so rare, that it is atually flabbergasting. World Rugby should grab this amazing character and talent, well meaning and passionately committed to the RF standing, mechanics improvement, and utilize him constructively and extensively at the highest levels - evaluating the impact and effect Professionally in fine detail. EVERYBODY will benefit in a big way, the Players especially. And, of course, the ‘spectacle’ thereof vis á vis all the spectators WW…in whatéver ‘shape or form’, and so on. Underlining the very rare and extraordinary insights the man has got, and eyes he so sharply looks through at complexities, split second observances and decisions, Rugby brain at work in a sharpest, brightest flash moment…Just BRILLIANT and irreplaceably rare. Thus, salút, compliments and TOUCHÉ N.O. !! A pure joie experience in your company at play in this magnificent Game of RF…👊🔥

(Great show Joe!)

50 yerars ago we had the then world's best ref doing our school game. He was fantastic.

Aye ! Its a perspective from someone who has been a top class referee just like getting an insight from a top class players perspective.

Good ref good communication on field

9:40 Nigel Owens talks about how Rugby should reduce allowed substitutions, and how substitutions are used. Why? - benefits the game from a spectacle point of view (front rows are well matched, less stopping and starting) - benefits the game from safety point of view because players coached to play full 80 mins means the player can't be too heavy. This in turn reduces away hard collisions

Your appreciation of the game will be sorely missed.All the best.

The very first ref I learned the name of.

Nigel Owens one of the very best neutral refs on the pitch. Sadly everyone has to retire, his honest brutal comments will be missed.

…wonderful insight he brings in authority with experience over time - and his passion for a fair and just Game, ‘the spectacle’ is just overwhelming and most gratifying. Truly a genuine, FIRST CLASS Ambassador of this great Game of Rugby Football - as he says ‘one for all shapes and sizes’… Man, is he a great joie to listen to in all sincerity. Perhaps his greatest asset (apart from such sharp and quick observation, judgement skills) is his knife edge sense of humour! What a difference it makes in defusing tight situations and anger which obviously flares up in the heat of the Battle(s)…! And getting players to ‘abide by’ and just get on with it in a fierce, competitive Spirit? Perhaps the Greatest of all time, NO?!? Most definately ‘right up there’ as one of the very finest ÉVER! Touché…N.O. !! 👊

Great video. Love Nigel Owens take and hugely missed. Disagree about the bench comment, Subs are allowing for a change in game style which brings a whole new dynamic. Once more teams make use of this his concerns wouldn't be relavent. It cuts back on the analysis of the opposition teams which makes the game of rugby played on the field and not a week before in a training camp

well said about the kid.

GOAT

Safa here great ref

agree with all said

I hope that cheeky kid has seen this video

Talk about a God among Men. He's the absolute Best.

The funniest moments was seeing Nigel Owen telling these huge front rowers to stop being jerks and play properly and them nodding saying yes sir.

🙌

Nigel you better come back and mentor these LIGHT WEIGHTS, WR needs your help. The refs are not up to standard.

Imagine this guy umpiring Trevor Chappell....(Welsh accent)."Yes, it's ok according to English law, but I suggest you don't do it"

Make the substitutions quicker. Run off and run on. Don’t stop the clock. Get in line and get on with it. And speed the bloody scrums up. In the top games, the tension is so high it sort of adds to the atmosphere. But for most games it’s just playing time wasted while lads stand around thinking about setting up. I record and fast forward through all the faffing about. Sick of it. It never used to take 2 minutes to have a scrum.

Retired too early , sorely missed.

Totally agree on the tactical replacement law. It is possible (with the right protocols) to enable medical replacements but 50 minute players are a blight. The game has arguably dumbed down because of it. And who wants to see lard on a Rugby player? The extra weight has also led to more artificial surfaces, meh? The 50:20 rule: In Rugby that is a bit kindergarten really. We have players who could manage a 10:20, or even a 20:20. The law was designed to thin out the defensive line which is probably necessary for more hole-punching general play but that used to the result of wearing the other team down with extended periods of phase play to use up their energy in defence. A skill-demanding tactic. Goal line dropout: This was introduced to replace the unfair result when a maul was 'held up/unplayable' after crossing the goal line (feed went to the attacking team). In the field of play they lost possession and a scrum was called. All they needed to do was reverse the old possession, however, it is new, different and Nigel's suggestion of one ruck before a drop goal attempt is sensible. Poor Ref decisions? In our game do they even exist? The Rugby Ref is balancing a host of considerations and accepting their decision is an integral part of the game. We use that to develop resilience and self-control in our entry level players. Personally I would start with the commentary teams, or send them off to Soccer. Rassie's recent outburst is the most dangerous thing our game has ever experienced, it is purely and simply an attempt to intimidate the Refs with some childish notion of legal perfection. That cannot be tolerated. Our top level Refs have years of development, are watched and debriefed almost to distraction, there are no duds, only styles. Rugby seeks excellence, sponsors the core attributes of a gentlemen, of sportsmanship, demands skill and fitness and a passion for fair play and the contest - for all. It is so dissimilar to any other sport that only poor management can challenge those fine goals. The only delicate adjustment it is making is in the process of eliminating the old-style 'culling', some notion that the game was invented to separate the men from the boys; when we know we can turn the most committed bookworm into a serial pest number 7, almost at will. Our ultimate goal should be to find the laws that will turn Soccer into a museum piece, to become the only Football. [When I suggested that to my father, a General, he replied "They will become ungovernable". A win for everyone I would think.]

Nigel had a chance to earn a RWC Gold Medal. Blew it and the opportunity to see international rugby from the other side...

Get rid of the 'truck and trailer'. That's not rugby.

Question for Nigel, how do refs remain impartial when players get mouthy and arrogant. Surely therer's the temptation to put them in their place at times.

Best ref there ever was. Completely agree about the point on the substitutes. Reduce the number to 6 with a 4 forward’s maximum and make it so only 4 tactical substitutions can be made maximum per team. Also make so tactical subs can only be made at halftime, at the first stoppage of play after 60 minutes and first stoppage after 70 minutes.

They're killing rugby with pedantic cards every game it's getting ridiculous most are accidental.

Seems all Welsh people hate the BOMB squad....🤭

1 point for a penalty

Stop scrum penalties. Make these a free- kick only. The packs would stop trying to get penalties and concentrate on getting the ball into open play.

A typical ABE. Anybody But England/English

What I read below is just evedence how badly fans watch rugby. Yes he comunicated well with players and there were some humerous incidents. However Nigel Owens year 2017 allowed NZ 48 side entries v Springboks. Then 2018 when SA won he still allowed NZ 42 side entries. W Cup 2019 NZ made 79 penalize able mistakes v Ireland and Owens turned the match into a fiasco. Wales in Simi Final lost to SA. Now Owens had the opportunity to get the final and had to impress Sir Beaumont and others. So in Semi Final he totally turned against NZ. England who played well had extra momentum cause Owens in 1st half allowed Eng 29 mistakes not penalized. Second half at least 17. Worst off all. At last ruck before Tuilagis try Curry and Itoje dived in from the side. Six reasons for penalty to NZ. Yet Owens awarded the try. Match again a total fiasco. Owens was the worst !!!

Don't mess with Rugby refereeing, it's the envy of every other sport in the world!

Simple substitution rule change: anyone subbed before 65 minutes has to start the next game on the bench. Ensures player rotation and tests a country’s depth. Requires players to exhibit greater stamina than current situation. Retains (possibly enhances) elements of tactical changes.

Too bad auto-translate have a real problem with the Welsh accent...

Yawn...

Like a broken record now,very tiresome