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It's not just Nigel: The other world class referee that's decided not to retire

By Online Editors
Nigel Owens (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)

Paul Dobson for Rugby 365: Two of rugby’s top referees, Nigel Owens of Wales, and Jaco Peyper of South Africa are not yet ready to hang up their whistles. There had been some talk that they were set to retire. Owens is 48 and was the oldest referee at the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan.

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While Owens is nearing 50, Peyper is nearing 40 but, a lawyer by profession, has business involvement and a wife and two small daughters at home. And besides that the 2019 World Cup had been a disappointment. But both have confirmed that they will carry on refereeing, and top rugby will be pleased with the decisions.

Owens, who refereed the final of the 2015 World Cup and the astonishing semifinal between England and New Zealand in 2019, has a weekly column on WalesOnline. In it he spoke of his thoughts of retiring and then his firm decision to stay a referee. The lockdown caused by the coronavirus had given him time for thought.

He writes: “It’s been a horrible time for everybody in the country. Unable to go out for our day to day routines, let’s just say there has been plenty of opportunity to ponder quite a few things.

“I spoke in last week’s column about keeping busy on the farm, helping to deliver a baby calf – which was more stressful than even refereeing the World Cup final at Twickenham a few years back!

“But, like everyone else, I’ve also had time on my hands to think about the future.

“In my case, whether I would actually carry on refereeing.

“Deep down, I never really wanted to give it up just yet, but obviously there was the possibility [Six Nations match] France v England at the start of the Six Nations could have proven to be my last game as a referee.”

Then came the decision: “Well, having had phone conversations with the Welsh Rugby Union, they would like me to continue refereeing… and I’ve told them I would like to carry on as well.

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“So I will be continuing to do just that next season – that’s for sure.

Owens on Farrell's tackling
(Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)

“When next season actually starts, nobody knows. But I’ve made a decision that I won’t be finishing at the end of this season, whenever that ends too. I will be refereeing for at least one more year, maybe another after that as well.

“Whether that’s at international level, we just don’t know. That will be up to World Rugby, if they still want me. Hopefully they will. But I will carry on at domestic and European level at least – which ends the uncertainty in my own mind – and if I referee well in those games, hopefully, the Tests will follow.”

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Peyper is even more definite. He is going to be refereeing till 2023, which is the year of the next Rugby World Cup to take place in France.

Both Owens and Peyper are well aware that the level at which they referee is dependent on others – their national bodies in the first place and then World Rugby.

For Peyper 2019 was a disappointment.

Vahaamahina red-carded
France’s Sebastien Vahaamahina receives a red card from referee Jaco Peyper in Oita (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)

He was in line for one of the World Cup semifinals but a bit of fun with exuberant Welsh supporters after he had refereed the quarterfinal match in which Wales had beaten France, ended in a photo on social media and a removal from a semifinal appointment – a decision by the organisers which most charitably can be described as controversial.

He admitted that being away from home for up to 180 days a year was hard. “There comes a time when packing your bags becomes too much. But if rugby’s your passion, you pack your bags and go.” But then the support had to be there, and he is grateful for the support he gets from his wife, Zenobia, and the continuing support of SA Rugby.

In his business life, he is a consultant to the family firm Peyper Attorneys, manages a coffee shop in Bloemfontein and is involved in a catering business.

Owens owns a farm and is well known as a TV host and general personality. Both Owens and Peyper are highly experienced referees, both considered masters of their art.

Owens has refereed more Tests than anybody else in the history of the game – 76 in all. He has refereed more PRO14 matches than anybody else – 180 in all. He has refereed more European Cup matches than anybody else – 113.

Peyper, whose career is considerably shorter, has refereed well over 40 Tests, including the opening Test between the All Blacks and the B&I Lions in 2017, more Super Rugby matches than anybody else – 111 – and four finals amongst his many Currie Cup matches.

Age is not necessarily a barrier and should not be a bigger consideration than ability.

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Jon 1 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

This is the problem with conservative mindsets and phycology, and homogenous sports, everybody wants to be the same, use the i-win template. Athlete wise everyone has to have muscles and work at the gym to make themselves more likely to hold on that one tackle. Do those players even wonder if they are now more likely to be tackled by that player as a result of there “work”? Really though, too many questions, Jake. Is it better Jake? Yes, because you still have that rugby of ole that you talk about. Is it at the highest International level anymore? No, but you go to your club or checkout your representative side and still engage with that ‘beautiful game’. Could you also have a bit of that at the top if coaches encouraged there team to play and incentivized players like Damian McKenzie and Ange Capuozzo? Of course we could. Sadly Rugby doesn’t, or didn’t, really know what direction to go when professionalism came. Things like the state of northern pitches didn’t help. Over the last two or three decades I feel like I’ve been fortunate to have all that Jake wants. There was International quality Super Rugby to adore, then the next level below I could watch club mates, pulling 9 to 5s, take on the countries best in representative rugby. Rugby played with flair and not too much riding on the consequences. It was beautiful. That largely still exists today, but with the world of rugby not quite getting things right, the picture is now being painted in NZ that that level of rugby is not required in the “pathway” to Super Rugby or All Black rugby. You might wonder if NZR is right and the pathway shouldn’t include the ‘amateur’, but let me tell you, even though the NPC might be made up of people still having to pull 9-5s, we know these people still have dreams to get out of that, and aren’t likely to give them. They will be lost. That will put a real strain on the concept of whether “visceral thrill, derring-do and joyful abandon” type rugby will remain under the professional level here in NZ. I think at some point that can be eroded as well. If only wanting the best athlete’s at the top level wasn’t enough to lose that, shutting off the next group, or level, or rugby players from easy access to express and showcase themselves certainly will. That all comes back around to the same question of professionalism in rugby and whether it got things right, and rugby is better now. Maybe the answer is turning into a “no”?

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j
john 4 hours ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

But here in Australia we were told Penney was another gun kiwi coach, for the Tahs…….and yet again it turned out the kiwi coach was completely useless. Another con job on Australian rugby. As was Robbie Deans, as was Dave Rennie. Both coaches dumped from NZ and promoted to Australia as our saviour. And the Tahs lap them up knowing they are second rate and knowing that under pressure when their short comings are exposed in Australia as well, that they will fall in below the largest most powerful province and choose second rate Tah players to save their jobs. As they do and exactly as Joe Schmidt will do. Gauranteed. Schmidt was dumped by NZ too. That’s why he went overseas. That why kiwi coaches take jobs in Australia, to try and prove they are not as bad as NZ thought they were. Then when they get found out they try and ingratiate themselves to NZ again by dragging Australian teams down with ridiculous selections and game plans. NZ rugby’s biggest problem is that it can’t yet transition from MCaw Cheatism. They just don’t know how to try and win on your merits. It is still always a contest to see how much cheating you can get away with. Without a cheating genius like McCaw, they are struggling. This I think is why my wise old mate in NZ thinks Robertson will struggle. The Crusaders are the nursery of McCaw Cheatism. Sean Fitzpatrick was probably the father of it. Robertson doesn’t know anything else but other countries have worked it out.

15 Go to comments
A
Adrian 6 hours ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

Thanks Nick The loss of players to OS, injury and retirement is certainly not helping the Crusaders. Ditto the coach. IMO Penny is there to hold the fort and cop the flak until new players and a new coach come through,…and that's understood and accepted by Penny and the Crusaders hierarchy. I think though that what is happening with the Crusaders is an indicator of what is happening with the other NZ SRP teams…..and the other SRP teams for that matter. Not enough money. The money has come via the SR competition and it’s not there anymore. It's in France, Japan and England. Unless or until something is done to make SR more SELLABLE to the NZ/Australia Rugby market AND the world rugby market the $s to keep both the very best players and the next rung down won't be there. They will play away from NZ more and more. I think though that NZ will continue to produce the players and the coaches of sufficient strength for NZ to have the capacity to stay at the top. Whether they do stay at the top as an international team will depend upon whether the money flowing to SRP is somehow restored, or NZ teams play in the Japan comp, or NZ opts to pick from anywhere. As a follower of many sports I’d have to say that the organisation and promotion of Super Rugby has been for the last 20 years closest to the worst I’ve ever seen. This hasn't necessarily been caused by NZ, but it’s happened. Perhaps it can be fixed, perhaps not. The Crusaders are I think a symptom of this, not the cause

15 Go to comments
T
Trevor 9 hours ago
Will forgotten Wallabies fit the Joe Schmidt model?

Thanks Brett.. At last a positive article on the potential of Wallaby candidates, great to read. Schmidt’s record as an international rugby coach speaks for itself, I’m somewhat confident he will turn the Wallaby’s fortunes around …. on the field. It will be up to others to steady the ship off the paddock. But is there a flaw in my optimism? We have known all along that Australia has the players to be very competitive with their international rivals. We know that because everyone keeps telling us. So why the poor results? A question that requires a definitive answer before the turn around can occur. Joe Schmidt signed on for 2 years, time to encompass the Lions tour of 2025. By all accounts he puts family first and that’s fair enough, but I would wager that his 2 year contract will be extended if the next 18 months or so shows the statement “Australia has the players” proves to be correct. The new coach does not have a lot of time to meld together an outfit that will be competitive in the Rugby Championship - it will be interesting to see what happens. It will be interesting to see what happens with Giteau law, the new Wallaby coach has already verbalised that he would to prefer to select from those who play their rugby in Australia. His first test in charge is in July just over 3 months away .. not a long time. I for one wish him well .. heaven knows Australia needs some positive vibes.

21 Go to comments
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