Welsh referee Nigel Owens will take charge of New Zealand’s blockbuster World Cup semi-final clash against England on Saturday night. One of the most experienced and accurate officials in the sport, the Guinness PRO14 referee has been rewarded for his skill levels throughout Rugby World Cup 2019, including last week’s quarter-final involving between the All Blacks and Ireland. But aside from his high levels of professionalism Owens is also one of the most loved characters in rugby, so we thought we’d take a look back at a few of his best bits. Getting involved – 2019 If we had to guess, we’d say Mr Owens is a man who enjoys a challenge and loves to get involved, he’s made it to the very top of his game after all, but he took getting involved to a whole new level earlier this year in a match between Ospreys and Dragons. The Guinness PRO14 Judgement Day clash back in March saw Owens caught by surprise when the ball came straight to him from Ospreys replacement Sam Davies – before several players gathered in to ‘tackle him’. Commentator Shane Williams joked: “That’s a free hit isn’t it, surely? If he’s ever done anything to annoy you, that was the time to get it back!”
