why cant more refs be like nigel owen?

[billymclaren]

he man is an awesome ref

he actualy cares passionately about the game, the players, the crowd, the spectacle
he actually has empathy for the game and the players....he encourages and rewards positive play

he communicates fairly and clearly
he has awicked sense of humour in the way he talks to players...anydiving he says , get up its not football....and cheating get up and play some rugby...any killing the ball....hands off the ball is won....

hes composed hes smart hes cool under pressure..hes uses the tv ref smartly...he doesn't fall for diving players claiming theyre spear tackled...he doesn't fall for crowd hysterics such as demanding a man get sent off...take the mccaw punch he received...it wasn't a punch it was a shove in the face....he called it dead right yet again

he will make mistakes but he not often and even his mistakes are made with the best intentions...he knows the rules inside out but he applies them with common sense and empathy and love for the game

hope he gets the final, bravo

[Iain]

While I agree he's a very good referee, I don't care much for his self sought celebrity referee status. He isn't half aware that he's got a microphone on him for the whole world to hear.

[jonlin]

BBC sports personality of the year.No doubt he brings his own personality to the game,or are some of you just looking for a clone.

[Maidman]

I was at the SA/USA game at the Olympic Stadium where Nige was linesman. When Nige came down to our corner of the pitch a small section of the crowd started calling his name. After a while he turned and smiled at them, for which he got a few rounds of 'we love you Nigel, we do . . . . . ' etc.

I like his banter with the players, I think he gets it right more than most, and he clearly has a small but vocal fan base!

[drc_007]

I can see why he is popular with some, but I prefer the refs who you never notice.

[Soggypitch]

I used to dislike Nigel (as I do most refs!) but over the past season or so he really has improved and now I agree he does referee more sympathetically. So yes I hope he gets the final as well.

[Cidercam1]

I also think he has been excellent in the RWC2015 but has in the past been so aloof & pompous it can drive you mad. More rugby & less listening to the ref better for all.

[Downsouth]

Yes his style of refereeing is good and he has empathy for the game but he does seem to have his own interpretation of the laws and Irish and Scottish teams always seem to have a better chance of winning when he is involved....

[DickyP]

He is a good ref - sometimes. He is, however, definitely far more interested in promoting Nigel Owens than he ever is in applying the laws of the game.

He is at his best in big games which need firm control which he can do in spades: however, all to often he is idiosyncratic and just plain wrong in far too many decisions.

He shows a marked tendency to favour Celtic teams in European competition not because of any bias but because he plays to the lax Pro 12 law interpretations rather than the laws, as written.

Lastly, of course, he's done Tigers no favours in the past: allowing continuous interference at the line-out against Leinster springs to mind as does his complete indifference to Ulster players being 20-30 metres offside at the kick when we lost to them and their try came from the efforts of the offside players.

[rocktop51]

he man is an awesome ref

he actualy cares passionately about the game, the players, the crowd, the spectacle
he actually has empathy for the game and the players....he encourages and rewards positive play

he communicates fairly and clearly
he has awicked sense of humour in the way he talks to players...anydiving he says , get up its not football....and cheating get up and play some rugby...any killing the ball....hands off the ball is won....

hes composed hes smart hes cool under pressure..hes uses the tv ref smartly...he doesn't fall for diving players claiming theyre spear tackled...he doesn't fall for crowd hysterics such as demanding a man get sent off...take the mccaw punch he received...it wasn't a punch it was a shove in the face....he called it dead right yet again

he will make mistakes but he not often and even his mistakes are made with the best intentions...he knows the rules inside out but he applies them with common sense and empathy and love for the game

hope he gets the final, bravo

Just hope you think the same when he's at WR wher he usually has a shocker

[Jeremy Anderson]

In answer to the question posted - my answer is no thanks I want no refs to be like Nigel Owens who refs his own subset of the laws and who appears to go against any team who upsets him. I agree he communicates clearly but IMO he thinks he is too much the centre of attention.

[Bill W (2)]

In answer to the question posted - my answer is no thanks I want no refs to be like Nigel Owens who refs his own subset of the laws and who appears to go against any team who upsets him. I agree he communicates clearly but IMO he thinks he is too much the centre of attention.

I too have not forgiven him for having a table next to us in that restaurabt in France. Very self opinionated guy!

[The Boy Dave]

In answer to the question posted - my answer is no thanks I want no refs to be like Nigel Owens who refs his own subset of the laws and who appears to go against any team who upsets him. I agree he communicates clearly but IMO he thinks he is too much the centre of attention.

+1

[tigercaspian]

Whatever interpretation of the laws Owens has is surely a result of what he is told to do by the refs governing body, both in the league and in the RWC. If his interpretations were that wacky, he wouldn't be officiating to the level that he is.
The microphones were put on refs ( and umpires in the summer game) so that spectators & media can have a better understanding of what is going on and why. Agreed that Owens does tend to be a bit more vocal than most but that's just his style.
Self- promotion ? Well possibly, but it's really only a step away from self-confidence . Personally, I like an umpire who is self-confident enough to know when he has to dash from the field for a pee.........

[TigerTanks]

I like him and think he's one of the better Refs on the international stage.