Nigel Owens facts for kids
Owens officiating a 2016 United Rugby Championship match
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| Birth name | Nigel Owens |
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| Date of birth | 18 June 1971 |
| Place of birth | Mynyddcerrig, Carmarthenshire, Wales |
| Occupation(s) | Rugby union referee |
Nigel Owens, MBE (born 18 June 1971) is a Welsh former international rugby union referee. He retired in December 2020 after a 17-year career.
Nigel Owens once held the world record for refereeing the most test matches. He is considered one of the greatest rugby referees of all time. He is also a television personality. He presents Welsh language chat shows and a quiz program. In 2011, he became a member of the Gorsedd of Bards.
Contents
Early Life and Background
Nigel Owens was born and grew up in Mynyddcerrig, a village near Cross Hands in Carmarthenshire, Wales. He speaks Welsh fluently.
Before becoming a referee, he worked as a school technician. He also worked as a youth worker. For over a year, he worked on a farm as a farmhand.
Refereeing Career Highlights
Nigel Owens began refereeing rugby in 1987. His sports teacher suggested he try it after a school game. His first match was an under-15s game when he was 16 years old.
Early Professional Matches
Owens made his European debut in 2001. He refereed a match between London Irish and Piacenza. In October 2001, he became one of the first three professional referees for the Welsh Rugby Union.
He debuted in the Heineken Cup in 2002. He also refereed his first Celtic League game in August 2002. From 2002 to 2005, Owens regularly refereed on the International Rugby Board World Sevens Series.
International and Major Competitions
In 2003, Owens refereed his first 15-a-side international match. This was between Portugal and Georgia. In 2005, he refereed his first International Rugby Board match in Japan.
During the 2005/06 season, he became a regular referee in the Celtic League and Heineken Cup. He refereed his first play-off match in April 2006. This was a European Challenge Cup semi-final.
In 2007, he refereed a semi-final and the final of the European Challenge Cup. He also refereed his first Six Nations Championship game. Later that year, he made his Rugby World Cup debut. He was the only Welsh referee at the 2007 Rugby World Cup.
Milestones and Records
Owens refereed his first Heineken Cup final in 2008. He became the third Welsh referee to do so. The next year, he refereed another Heineken Cup final. This made him the second referee to officiate two consecutive finals.
In 2011, he refereed a quarter-final at the 2011 Rugby World Cup. He was also an assistant referee for the final. In 2012, he refereed his third Heineken Cup final.
In 2013, Owens refereed his 100th Pro12 game. He became the most-appointed Welsh referee at international level. In 2014, he became the most-appointed referee in European Rugby Champions Cup/Heineken Cup history. He officiated his third Pro12 final in 2015.
Rugby World Cup Final and Retirement
Owens was part of the referee panel for the 2015 Rugby World Cup. He refereed the final match between New Zealand and Australia. He was the second Welsh referee to officiate a World Cup final. He won the World Rugby Referee Award in 2015.
In 2016, Owens became the most-capped rugby referee. He took charge of a match between Fiji and Tonga. This broke the previous record of 70 tests.
On April 15, 2017, Owens made his 150th Pro12 appearance. On November 28, 2020, he refereed his 100th international match. He was the first referee to reach this milestone. Two weeks later, he announced his retirement from international duty. He continued to referee club matches in Wales.
Outside Rugby Activities
Nigel Owens is a well-known television personality in Wales. He presents two S4C Welsh language chat shows, Jonathan and Bwrw'r Bar (which means "Hitting the Bar"). He also hosts his own quiz program called Munud i Fynd ("A Minute to Go").
Owens owns a cattle farm in his home village of Mynyddcerrig. In January 2021, he was featured on the BBC agricultural show Countryfile.
His autobiography, Hanner Amser ("Half Time"), was published in Welsh in 2008. An English version followed in 2009.
In March 2021, Owens was a panelist on BBC's Question Time. In February 2022, he became a commentator for S4C during the 2022 Six Nations Championship. He also appears on the BBC Radio 5 Live program by Scott Mills and Chris Stark. On the show, he acts as a "Real Life TMO" to settle everyday arguments.
Awards and Recognition
In 2011, Nigel Owens was made a member of the Gorsedd of Bards. This is a special honor for people who have contributed to Welsh culture.
In 2016, he was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE). This award was given for his services to sport. In July of the same year, he received an honorary fellowship from Cardiff University.
Owens has also served as secretary, chairman, and president of the Wales Federation of Young Farmers Clubs. He is a fan of Wrexham Football Club.
Images for kids
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Owens officiating a 2016 United Rugby Championship match
See also
In Spanish: Nigel Owens para niños
- Rugby union match officials
