There is no one else quite like Nigel, he is unique. If it helps there is a quick way to remember the difference between football (soccer) and rugby - football is 22 guys running around pretending they’re hurt, rugby is 30 guys running around pretending they’re not hurt.
The reason why he was on his phone, his comms wasn't working so he could speak to the Telly March Official (TMO) so he had to use his phone to speak to him
The translation issue is ovecome by calling in another player to translate if needed. though most international players will have a rudimentary understanding of english as it is the common refereeing language and language of the game. there is the integrity and trust that is involved so that the translations are trusted and the players are trusted to understand or raise it if they don't understand
Hi JJ this weekend is the start of the Rugby 6 Nations Championship the teams all from the northern hemisphere are My Nation Scotland 🏴 England 🏴 Wales 🏴 Ireland 🇮🇪 France 🇫🇷 and Italy 🇮🇹 So this weekend the games are on Saturday Wales vs Ireland France vs Italy And on Sunday England vs Scotland 🏴 😎 I don't know if you can maybe catch the games on TV or the Internet bbc cover some games and ITV cover all the games england play hope you can find the games somewhere you have got to watch the entire game to fully appreciate rugby 🏉 Union as a spectator sport
Rugby referees are usually not allowed to referee games involving their own countries. Nigel Owens was allowed to referee a Wales game the other year (though it was only a friendly). A testament to how highly regarded he is not only by fans but by the rugby authorities and players too! The game will never be the same again now he's retired
Rugby is a game of Respect and only the Captain may directly address the referee during a game. All refs will explain their decisions throughout the game. Nigel Owens is a Legend thou!!!!
Nigel is the paragon of a fair but firm Referee with plenty of wit to keep things respectful between players. One thing to note though, take care when it comes to referring to all of the UK and England. Nigel's a proud Welshman from West Wales like myself, calling us English is at the same level as confusing an American from a Canadian (or gods forbid, calling a person from New Jersey a New Yorker...). ;) Regarding the phone call, Nigel's microphone to the TMO referee wasn't working. (TMO, or "Television Match Official" is basically a fourth official/referee who watches back footage away from the stadium if a result is not clear or needs further analysis to ensure the ruling on the pitch/field is fair. For example is a Try is scored amongst a pile of bodies on the Try Line or an off-the-ball incident between players that requires censure) So instead, he spoke to him on a mobile phone to get the ruling. A great thing about this guy as well is that he is so grounded and down to earth, alongside being a huge supporter for LGBTQ+ rights and for mental health awareness. Never turns down lower job of refereeing too, after he did the World Cup final in 2015, his next match as a referee a week or so later was an Under-11s match in his local county of Carmarthenshire!
Most international referees speak English and French. That covers most teams, or at least a few players in most teams. Italy, Japan and Argentina are the main exceptions (unless any of the Scottish players are from Glasgow, no one from any country has a clue what they say 😁).
Language barrier Being an 'English game" all technical terms are English so what ever language you speak you should know what an English speaking ref is talking about. The bit starting at 7:55 addresses that issue. The team in black is Georgia (the country) and they are not English speakers. The prop he is talking to pointed to his ear to express his misunderstanding and Nigel promised to yell louder to help him out. That being said, one of the first games I saw Nigel ref was England/France. Nigel is fluent in French. Hearing him switch back and forth between the two languages as he ran up and down the pitch giving instructions to one team then the other was amazing to watch/hear. 9:10 "come back in two weeks." The Scotsman being addressed was being mouthy. There was a soccer playoff scheduled to be played in that stadium in two weeks. Nigel was telling him that if he wanted to be mouthy to come back then.
Nigel owens and wayne barnes are the two best rugby refs, both very experienced both seem to be interested in keeping play going as opposed to being whistle happy!
I had the pleasure to have a game reffed by Nigel and it was amazing, i made one mistake during the game and i felt like i was walking into a head- teachers office to get told off but he was an absolute gentleman and understand what happened for my reaction
There's even been instances where players have pointed out his mistakes he listened to them and corrected his call and that speaks volumes in his role.
Speaking of gay acceptance , the first professional team athlete to come out while still playing was Australian Rugby League front rower and legendary hard hitting tackler Ian Roberts in 1994. Everyone shrugged their shoulders, after all he was playing the toughest position in the toughest sport in the world at the highest level so any doubts about his masculinity were moot. after all as my old man said 'whose gonna give him grief from the sideline, you seen the size of him?' (Travis Kelce size)
Lewis Barrett i used to see him jog around Coogee beach during pre season and he was one of those jacked dudes with no body fat. A friend of mine played against him and got folded like an accordian by Ian ,( and my bud was weighing in around 105kgs, 235 pounds) he said it was the hardest he's ever been hit and the only time he ever questioned what he was doing with his life.
A few years back the professional footballers association (I think...i hope) had an empty bus in Brighton pride parade for the "invisible" gay footballers. (I thought it was really clever.) But it's really no surprise they don't feel safe being open. Imagine the abuse, discrimination and homophobia a footballer would face. Rugby is light years ahead. Thank God!
Dan A its still a pity that at the top top level its still not out in the open. At club level, well my old club in Australia started the first official gay team in the world back in 2002 after a few guys splintered off to start their own team. Crazy squad I played in , I had 1/2 the team studying to be priests at the local seminary, 1/4 were stoners, 1/4 were gay, good times, gonna write a screenplay one day about it.
Not just respect from England.... (considering he's Welsh) The whole world of rugby 100% Respect him - nominated Ref of the year many times and justly Won 👌🏻💪🏻 CYMRU AM BYTH 🏴👍🏻 (He was using the phone because of technical difficulties and was speaking to TMO for their decision)
With the blood thing, if the player had gone to get it cleaned he would have had to have a concussion test ect. and missed some of the game, that allowed him to play on, quicker for everyone
During this Six Nations, one of the English referees - Luke Pearce - in charge of two of the French matches makes effort to explain things in French and English. He has no where near as much sass as Nigel Owens, but he's a quality referee too. Always keeps the game clear and flowing, but allows the players time to pause. Wayne Barnes is also top-notch... He is a barrister, so his legal mindset really benefits the fairness of any game he's involved in. All three of them always have a cool-head, are confident but humble enough to admit when they've made mistakes (which is not very often).
He was was refereeing a Munster game when the scrum half angrily came up and said “Nigel, I am not happy”, to which he replied “then which one of the seven(dwarves) are you”. Peter Stringer was the scrum half and played for Ireland too.
He’s really good at keeping it fair and explaining him self. I’ve only been watching and learning rugby in the last 4 yrs and was hoping to see him ref one day but, unfortunately I think he’s just decided to retire.
@@eddiel7635 I saw him ref my local villages game, it was quality. One week refereeing the rugby World Cup final the next down a rugby club in Swansea telling a beer belly to sort out the scrum 🤩🤩🤩
@@eddiel7635 I would love to go to Wales one day but unfortunately COVID has stop a lot of travel. Im from New Zealand and will have to just stick with the NZ/Aussie games and refs for now.
I believe the phone thing was when the TMO/comms weren't working, so had to get someone call the guy in the booth then hand him the phone on the pitch to talk through what they saw!
@@timfitzmaurice537 did Tony Spreadbury do it, too? If not, that's a shame. It would have been some game for Spreaders to have whistled a match between early 2000s England against a Barbarians team!
This guy is a legend for wold rugby! Best referee of all time! A mix of seriousness and Monty python humor...love it as a french...the Best of england culture!!!
What I love about Nigel is how all these massive men who are all towering over him all have complete respect for him bordering on fear and they all call him Sir.
so that bit where he was on the phone, The referees had a mike failure that game and none of the officials could hear each other. Nigel was trying to get decision reviewed by his TMO (television match official) and ended up borrowing a phone from someone on the touchline and calling his TMO directly
Nigel Owens has the respect of all people that are involved in rugby union. Not just England, as England is just one of the four countries that makes the United Kingdom.
Wayne Barnes is another high profile referee in the world of rugby. Different style of reffing to Nigel Owens - but equally respected. Wayne Barnes is more well known for his strict enforcement of the rules and not taking shit from anyone. He famously red carded (sent off) the captain of one of the teams in the final of the English Premiership for swearing at him. Has some equally entertaining moments and is worth checking out!
One of the best things about prof. rugby refs in the uk is, as you can see many times here, the sponsorship. Here we have the saying "Should've gone to specsavers" from their famous advertising campaigns. We shout this at the ref when we feel they've made a bad decision or missed a play. So they get specsavers to sponsor the refs....just brilliant. So you're aware, specsavers are an opticians company.
A little explanation on the West Wales thing: Wales is historically a working class coal mining country, the Welsh weren't people who you called 'sir' or 'ma'am'
Yeah. Barnes keeps games flowingss does O'keefe. That's really the fans want. That and consistency. But I did love the way Barnes publicly shamed the French team doctor when he was gaming the head injury assessment in to bring on a better scrummager for the last minutes.
You mentioned the language barrier but many of the countries will make sure their captains speak English or French. They do occasionally have a translator on or use another one of their players to translate.
One thing you have to remember, you never command respect you earn it, and Nigel earned it long before we knew he was gay. The other thing is those that play Rugby are brought up and in training taught to understand that if the man in the middle does not turn up you do not play! earning respect is far more effective in life than commanding it, that is what Rugby teaches you.
His link to the TMO wasn't working, so they had to use the phone. It was interesting watching him penalise players he would have been supporting in the 6 nations. Always knew his job came first before his desire to see Wales win the championship.
Him being gay didn't matter because he didn't carry on about it. He wasn't trying to use it as any kind of agenda to gain something for nothing. He was a great ref, he was no BS and wouldn't tolerate crap out on the field, but at the same time he was fair and transparent in his approach to his job. He explained everything clearly. He gave and commanded respect. Even when the players were arguing with him most remained polite and respectful
In international games captains from each team are expected to know some English as to understand the Referee's Instructions, because in rugby captains are really the only players who should be speaking with the referee about any issues. Similar to international matches in football/soccer.
Nigel Owens now referees real life disputes on BBC Radio 5 Live now on Scott Mills Saturday late morning show. It called real life TMO, maybe you should listen to that 1000hrs UK time, it’s quite entertaining.
It was a BaaBaas match vs Wales that Nigel Owens officiated and Nigel Owen’s predecessor, the best in his own time, Derek Bevan was actually accorded the same honour. They are the only ones I am aware of in the modern era, but go back far enough and refs were appointed by the home team.
Its not true that when he had the mobile phone he was ordering a meal or talking to his mum!. His wireless link to the TV referee had stopped working so someone ran out with a mobile so he could talk to the guy.
Charming. However, we’ll miss him now retirement is here... as it should for that numbing light gray ‘scaffolder’ hoodie: think C O L O U R and let your hair down, old chap. But still, Subbed
If you can get through the thick Castleford accent - this radio commentator is an absolute legend in rugby league - ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-U2cmMUrwRKs.html
The ref's job is to not just make sure they follow the rules but to make sure a game happens. In rugby if they give no guidance there would be a penalty every minute but the refs are always shouting warning and directions to keep the game flowing smoothly, and explaining what's happening. Nigel is the best official from any sport I've seen, and just as friendly and softly spoken in person. If I could, I would nominate him for sports personality of year award because he deserves it.
there is so much soccer can but wont learn and take from rugby, rules and Disiplinary procedures that would improve the game and take the childish antics out of soccer instead of all the regressive rules that are slowing soccer down and making it all about var suits and rule enforcers in soccer and not about the fans the players and the clubs
Do yourself a favour and learn to balance the audio, we have to turn it way up to hear what the ref is saying and then you come in like a fog horn and nearly blow the speakers out.
APF JJ ,,, WHERE the mobile was used,, he lost commucantcation with the video ref,,,,, tgats why he was on the phone,,,,, watch A video on world rubgy : INTERVIEW WITH NIGHL OWENS ABSOLUTE LENGEND hes welsh like my self an absolute legend of a ref CYMRU UM BYTH
The respect rugby players and football players have for refs in the UK is totally different. From a young age in rugby u learn to respect the ref and his authority. If you chat shit he can give you a yellow card (10 min sin bin). I also think it's a practical thing because 99% of rugby players are physically dominant over the ref so you have to create a system of authority for refs from a young age. Without a ref there is no game. Should be the same for footy but young kids see & hear perm footballers swearing at and disrespecting refs every weekend.
If you want to get a feel for what makes Nigel Owens such a respected figure in Rugby, how he got to where he is, watch this talk he gave ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-HYYM9QnNrbM.html&ab_channel=CardiffMetropolitanUniversity He is honest with himself, to those around him and that is what comes through on the pitch and why the players give him the respect he gets and deserves. You don't even need to be a big rugby fan to respect him.
Nigel Owens was probably the best referee ever...at least to me. He was always happy to explain the rules to players, point things out like tackling/scrumming/line out techniques and recognise mistakes from deliberate actions. Rugby Union has lost a great ref and personality!