Nigel Owens to referee the RWC Final

[barthelemy]

I do not understand the hype around Owens, I think he is not a better referee tan any other and most of french fans will tell you the same.

His last 20 minutes of reffing the France-NZ match was an utter joke, patting the ABs all along in the back and doing some little jokes with Carter (this is not why we have lost, do not get me wrong, it is just his arrogant attitude towards the frenchies, he always had it). That was just insulting.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

I think Owens is the right choice.
I prefer JP Doyle, but he's not as experienced.
I also think Barnes is a better referee, but the stink that NZ would kick up over his appointment wouldn't be worth it.

 

[smartcooky]

I do not understand the hype around Owens, I think he is not a better referee tan any other and most of french fans will tell you the same.

His last 20 minutes of reffing the France-NZ match was an utter joke, patting the ABs all along in the back and doing some little jokes with Carter (this is not why we have lost, do not get me wrong, it is just his arrogant attitude towards the frenchies, he always had it). That was just insulting.

Nigel Owens is the best referee in the world by quite some distance

Garces' stocks have risen this RWC, and I would rate him second

Then Joubert, Peyper, Barnes, Jackson, Pollock

Clancy and Poite have been the worst.

 

[JJFlash]

I do not understand the hype around Owens, I think he is not a better referee tan any other and most of french fans will tell you the same.

His last 20 minutes of reffing the France-NZ match was an utter joke, patting the ABs all along in the back and doing some little jokes with Carter (this is not why we have lost, do not get me wrong, it is just his arrogant attitude towards the frenchies, he always had it). That was just insulting.

Arrogant? No. His approach from one team to the next is much the same, in my opinion. As with most top refs, he communicates well with the players and is not afraid to be firm when necessary - eg Stuart Hogg's over-reaction against the Boks.
He's the right choice for the final, as he's perceived as being the best ref at the moment.
As for the last 20 minutes of NZ v France, the only joke was France's rugby, sadly.

 

[gamine]

I think Owens is the right choice.
I prefer JP Doyle, but he's not as experienced.
I also think Barnes is a better referee, but the stink that NZ would kick up over his appointment wouldn't be worth it.

Barnes is the only referee I have noticed penalizing falling on the wrong side at the break - down, could this be why NZ don't like him?!

BTW I posted on the 5Good/5Bad thread but it didn't appear. Do posts get censored on TRF?

 

[TRF_Olyy]

BTW I posted on the 5Good/5Bad thread but it didn't appear. Do posts get censored on TRF?

Swearing turns into ***s but other than that: No.
The forum has been running quite slowly recently, due to mass increased traffic, so it could just be that it got lost in the midst of time.

 

[OverGore]

Owens is a blind mole, idk how peeps can like him so much.
Guy was blind when harlequins took fake blood pills to obtain red cards for opponent team, more recently blind when Obrien punched Papé. But since he managed to see the semihalf pussypunch of Picamole on Maccaw, hes the best?
Mamamia, some will have surprises next week.
Owens is a fkinnn mole guys, seriously. He cant ref scrums, he cant ref offsides, he cant ref mauls or rucks, guy has his own rules. And more for him, he is unable to act the same from one match to another. One of the very worst.
Havin him for the final speaks a lot about the desolation of rugby in that matter.

 

[Kiwi_]

Brilliant, hands down the best ref in world rugby, no one comes close to be fair.

 

[psychic duck]

Owens is a blind mole, idk how peeps can like him so much.
Guy was blind when harlequins took fake blood pills to obtain red cards for opponent team, more recently blind when Obrien punched Papé. But since he managed to see the semihalf pussypunch of Picamole on Maccaw, hes the best?
Mamamia, some will have surprises next week.
Owens is a fkinnn mole guys, seriously. He cant ref scrums, he cant ref offsides, he cant ref mauls or rucks, guy has his own rules. And more for him, he is unable to act the same from one match to another. One of the very worst.
Havin him for the final speaks a lot about the desolation of rugby in that matter.

This. A complete guesser at scrum. Notable how most teams without English first language don't like him. Argentina complained about him for his performance vs Australian in 2013, nor have the French always been too complimentary about him. Not surprising to see Kiwis kissing his arse though. He and Joubert are their two favoured refs.

 

[iINDOMINUSxx]

we'll lets be honest, it was always going to be Nigel cause who is better that him ?

 

[chopsaw89]

Best of a bad bunch.

 

[dragos03]

He is a pretty poor ref who's quite biased in favour of some nations. Honestly, he is better known for his comments that tend to go viral (he does thoes on purpose, for the publicity) than for his abilities as a referee. He's more of a stand up comedian.

His appointment to the final will give NZ a significant advantage.

 

[The Jones Boy]

He is a pretty poor ref who's quite biased in favour of some nations. Honestly, he is better known for his comments that tend to go viral (he does thoes on purpose, for the publicity) than for his abilities as a referee. He's more of a stand up comedian.

Strewth ! Did he run away with your Dad?

His appointment to the final will give NZ a significant advantage.

DRONGO ALERT.!!!

Mr Owens never favours anyone, but he does like smooth rucks and clean outs, rear entry (Ooh err missus) not from the side... he will favour both teams because he promotes quality rucking situations and thats where Aussie hold the upper hand, not the AB's.
Where Aussie might suffer is from Stephen Moore who gets a bit stressed sometimes and likes to get in the face of the referee and challenge them.
Some referees don't like that and if Mr Moore does it to Mr Owens it may work against the Aussies. A ten yard march here, a defensive punt that becomes a 3 pointer opportunity there, little things that don't break a game but come up with a contribution toward a final total.
If Mr Owens represents anything to Kiwi's it is this, we are over the moon we don't have to put up with Mr Pedantic, Wayne Barnes. The King of stop start rugby.
Nigel owens brings a level of experience and common sense that is second to none.
If any AB has a brain fart they will still get binned. He doesn't tolerate nonsense and if Mr Pocock is at top form he will win some breakdown penalties for the Wallabies from Mr Owens.

 

[psychic duck]

He is a pretty poor ref who's quite biased in favour of some nations. Honestly, he is better known for his comments that tend to go viral (he does thoes on purpose, for the publicity) than for his abilities as a referee. He's more of a stand up comedian.

His appointment to the final will give NZ a significant advantage.

Spot on. 100% correct.

 

[Kiwi_]

He is a pretty poor ref who's quite biased in favour of some nations. Honestly, he is better known for his comments that tend to go viral (he does thoes on purpose, for the publicity) than for his abilities as a referee. He's more of a stand up comedian.

His appointment to the final will give NZ a significant advantage.

Who's a good referee in your mind?

 

[Fard]

Wayne Barnes

 

[WaterboySA]

Nigel Owens is the best referee in the world by quite some distance

Garces' stocks have risen this RWC, and I would rate him second

Then Joubert, Peyper, Barnes, Jackson, Pollock

Clancy and Poite have been the worst.

Hard for me to admit, but he really looked good.I think he is a close second at that.

 

[YoungScud]

we'll lets be honest, it was always going to be Nigel cause who is better that him ?

Oh I don't know. How about someone who believes the Laws of the game have some value perhaps? Watch the following link, especially O'Wens' description of a 'credible feed'. He smiles lsightly as he says it,and it's little wonder. As he starts to describe this 'credible feed', we see the Irish scrum half feed the ball straight to the second rows, apparently OK with guees who? standing on the other side of the scrum. He talks of 'the least part of the ball touching the middle of the scrum'. Laughable.

Law 20.6 (a) The scrum half must stand one metre from the mark on the middle line so that player's head does not touch the scrum or go beyond the nearest front row player.

The Irish SH is standing with his right foot behind that of the loosehead's left foot. Middle line my arse.

Law 20.6 (d)The scrum half must throw in the ball straight along the middle line, so that it first touches the ground immediately beyond the width of the nearer prop's shoulders.
Make your own judgement on that one.

Now, this is just one on the things which make Owens a very poor stand-up comic and a far worse referee. It seems to me that we've created Superstar refs and they're buying into it, playing to the gallery a la Owens, Steve Walsh and others. When I was younger, people used to say the best refs were the ones you didn't notice. To that end, the best two I've seen at this tournament are Jerome Garces and JP Doyle. Owens, no doubt, will get the final, but I doubt that will actually improve the spectacle. The game will flow and the Laws will be largely ignored.

 

[Bada-Bing!]

Oh I don't know. How about someone who believes the Laws of the game have some value perhaps? Watch the following link, especially O'Wens' description of a 'credible feed'. He smiles lsightly as he says it,and it's little wonder. As he starts to describe this 'credible feed', we see the Irish scrum half feed the ball straight to the second rows, apparently OK with guees who? standing on the other side of the scrum. He talks of 'the least part of the ball touching the middle of the scrum'. Laughable.

Law 20.6 (a) The scrum half must stand one metre from the mark on the middle line so that player's head does not touch the scrum or go beyond the nearest front row player.

The Irish SH is standing with his right foot behind that of the loosehead's left foot. Middle line my arse.

Law 20.6 (d)The scrum half must throw in the ball straight along the middle line, so that it first touches the ground immediately beyond the width of the nearer prop's shoulders.
Make your own judgement on that one.

Now, this is just one on the things which make Owens a very poor stand-up comic and a far worse referee. It seems to me that we've created Superstar refs and they're buying into it, playing to the gallery a la Owens, Steve Walsh and others. When I was younger, people used to say the best refs were the ones you didn't notice. To that end, the best two I've seen at this tournament are Jerome Garces and JP Doyle. Owens, no doubt, will get the final, but I doubt that will actually improve the spectacle. The game will flow and the Laws will be largely ignored.

It's John Jeffrey, of World Rugby (WR) and head of referees, who has given direction to refs at this RWC to allow scrum halves to have their left shoulder in line with the mark when they feed the ball into the scrum, to enable the hooker to hook the ball. That is why we are seeing crooked feeds into the scrum again. I read this in an interview with him in the Sunday Times. It is a joke really that hookers are afraid to lift their right foot to hook the ball more easily, because they should be skilful enough to be able to do this before the shove from the opposition pack. Shame really, the crooked feed has returned and WR has sanctioned it and basically telling refs to ignore the laws you state above.

 

[smartcooky]

If any AB has a brain fart they will still get binned. He doesn't tolerate nonsense and if Mr Pocock is at top form he will win some breakdown penalties for the Wallabies from Mr Owens.

By the same token, Owens will not let Pocock, Hooper, McCaw or any jacklers get away with leaning on the ground while jackling for the ball. This is a technique that all three, Pocock especially, get away with a lot, especially with Wayne Barnes as referee. In the Sydney test this year, refereed by Barnes, Pocock was allowed to do this with impunity, but he was stopped in his tracks by Owens when he came on on the 27th minute of the return match a week later.