Nigel Owens

Nigel Owens
MBE
Owens officiating a 2016 United Rugby Championship match
Birth nameNigel Owens
Date of birth (1971-06-18) 18 June 1971 (age 53)
Place of birthMynyddcerrig, Carmarthenshire, Wales
Occupation(s)Rugby union referee
Rugby union career
Refereeing career
Years Competition Apps
2001–2020 Challenge Cup 9
2002–2020 Heineken/Champions Cup 98
2002–2020 Pro14 149
2003–2020 Test matches 100
2007–2019 Rugby World Cup
2015 RWC finals 1
2019 RWC finals 3
Correct as of 19 October 2019

Nigel Owens, MBE (born 18 June 1971) is a Welsh former international rugby union referee, who retired in December 2020 after a 17-year career. He previously held the world record for the most test matches refereed[1] and is one of five international referees listed as professional within the Welsh Rugby Union, alongside Craig Evans, Adam Jones, Dan Jones and Ben Whitehouse.[2] He is widely considered to be one of the greatest rugby referees of all time.

Owens is also known as a television personality, as one of the presenters of the S4C Welsh language chat shows Jonathan and Bwrw'r Bar ('Hitting the Bar'). Owens also hosts his own quiz programme Munud i Fynd ('A Minute to Go'). At the 2011 Eisteddfod Genelaethol, he was made a member of the Gorsedd of Bards.

  1. ^ "Wales v New Zealand referee Wayne Barnes: His 100th match, the 'f***ing cheat' incident and a fine career". Wales Online. 5 November 2022. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
  2. ^ "International Referees". Welsh Rugby Union | Wales & Regions. Retrieved 19 January 2021.