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Nigel Owens explains the biggest decision he ever made in a game
Centurion Test level referee Nigel Owens has reflected on the biggest decision he ever had to make in a game of rugby. The long-serving Welsh official, who reached his 100th Test match milestone last November before retiring from the international scene, cast his mind back to the 2019 World Cup when asked on the latest edition of Whistle Watch about his biggest refereeing decision.
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“The biggest decisions you make in a game is if you have to give someone a red card, particularly when it is in a big World Cup match for example like in 2019,” explained veteran referee Owens in his World Rugby-backed video series.
“I had to give a red card to (Tomas) Lavanini from Argentina for a head-high tackle on Owen Farrell and you know if you give a red card they are game-changing decisions. You know that red card was probably going to have an outcome on the game because you knew then with 14 men… you can still win with 14 men, we have seen it happen, but it is a bit more difficult.
“They are the big decisions and that is what you have to ensure when you give those decisions you are 100 per cent correct, as you should do (with any decision) in the game anyway. A good question that.”
With Lavanini sent off from the field of play in the first half in Tokyo 22 months ago, Argentina went on to get beaten 39-10 to confirm their elimination from their finals at the pool stage and their indiscipline was a topic touched on by Owens a second time in his latest Whistle Watch as he went on to describe the Pumas’ inability to legally defend the maul as a prime reason why they were defeated 29-10 last Saturday by the Springboks in the Rugby Championship.
? ?? ?@Nigelrefowens is switching the farm for the field in this week's episode of #WhistleWatch presented by @emirates
? 24.08.21, 6pm BST pic.twitter.com/M22f9tv6HI
— World Rugby (@WorldRugby) August 24, 2021
“Argentina have got penalised quite a bit in the Rugby Championship because of their indiscipline when they are defending, particularly when defending mauls late on in the game,” he reasoned. “Now what happens when you defend a maul, it’s very, very difficult to stop the driving maul so teams tend to then commit quite a few offences in that maul.
“If you can come through the maul and you have players from both sides on either side of you and you can get on the maul then you are perfectly legal, but what you see happening is people creeping around the side.
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“When you are bound in a maul you must keep at least one arm bound on to another player in the maul. If you detach that, if you take your bind away, you are no longer part of that maul and that means if you want to rejoin that maul you have to go back behind the last player in the maul of your own team and bind onto him.
“So mauls are very, very difficult to defend and that is why you tend to see a lot of penalties given away and that is what Argentina were doing in the maul, breaking their bind and coming in from the side, swimming round rather than trying to defend going up through the middle.”
Rassie Erasmus is being egged on by a former Springboks coachhttps://t.co/l5sSQ0E5AK
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) August 24, 2021
Comments on RugbyPass
“But with an exceptional pass accuracy rating “ Which apart from Roigard is not a feature of any of the other 9s in NZ. Kind of basic for a Black 9 dont.you. think? Yet we keep seeing FC and TJ being rated ahead of him? Weird if it’s seen as vital to get our backline beating in your face defences.
1 Go to commentsThanks BeeMc! Looks like many teams need extra time to settle from the quadrennial northern migration. I think generally the quality of the Rugby has held up. Fiji has been fantastic and fun to watch
13 Go to commentsLets compare apples with apples. Lyon sent weak team the week before, but nobody raised an eyebrow. Give the South African teams a few years to build their depth, then you will be moaning that the teams are too strong.
41 Go to commentsDid footballs agents also perform the scout role at some time? I’m surprised more high profile players haven’t taken up the occupation, great way to remain in the game and use all that experience without really requiring a lot of specific expertise?
1 Go to commentsSuper rugby is struggling but that has little to do with sabbaticals. 1. Too many teams from Aust and NZ - should be 3 and 4 respectively, add in 2 from Japan, 1 possibly 2 from Argentina. 2. Inconsistent and poor refereeing, admittedly not restricted to Super rugby. Only one team was reffed at the breakdown in Reds v H’Landers match. Scrum penalty awarded in Canes v Drua when No 8 had the ball in the open with little defence nearby - ideal opportunity to play advantage. Coming back to Reds match - same scrum situation but ref played advantage - Landers made 10 yards and were penalised at the breakdown when the ref should have returned to scrum penalty. 3. Marketing is weak and losing ground to AFL and NRL. Playing 2 days compared with 4. 4. Scheduling is unattractive to family attendance. Have any franchises heard of Sundays 2pm?
11 Go to commentsAbsolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
9 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
11 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
4 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
22 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
4 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
9 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
35 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
35 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
17 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
4 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to commentsWhat a player! Not long until he’s in the England side, surely?
5 Go to comments