New compilation of rare Nigel Owens footage is comedy gold

A new 10-minute montage has been put together of hilarious moments from referee Nigel Owens which will have fans in stitches.

The 50-year-old is widely regarded as one of the best officials to have refereed the game and his hilarious outbursts on the field and authoritarian approach with players is legendary.

The brilliant video starts with Owens giving a lecture to the Barbarians about feeding straight at a scrum and goes on to show some classic interactions between the Welshman and some of the game’s greats including Dan Carter.

Owens took charge of the 2015 World Cup final at Twickenham and in November 2020 he became the first referee to officiate 100 Test matches before retiring from international rugby two weeks later.

“I had done four World Cups and there just comes a point when you want to be home with family, friends and loved ones who you have missed out on over the years,” said Owens after turning 50 earlier this year.

“I was also getting a bit frustrated with the lack of PRO14 games I was getting. I was pulling my hair out with it.

“So the plan was to call it a day at the end of that season. But then, all of a sudden, after the Six Nations, I was on 98 Test matches.

“I was speaking to people and they were saying you’ve got to referee your 100th game, you can’t finish now, you will regret it if you do.

“So, because I was still reffing at the top of my game, I decided to go on and I finished on the 100th game in Paris, when I did France-Italy last November.

“I went on a year more than I thought I would have. But the end came naturally really.”