That moment made sure he "refereed every game afterwards as if it was a World Cup final," whatever the level. As I blew my whistle I think the two sets of forwards were a little bit embarrassed, including Ward and Robshaw. No-one really wanted to say anything; even I was hesitating about asking Castres whether they wanted a scrum or lineout.

So, being away for six months is something else to consider as well, although there would also be time to be home and do some virtual work within those six months, as South Africa have been very understanding and supportive on this front too. We detail here just a small section of some of the ones Owens writes about in his new book: This is not soccer Coupled, of course, with those epic on-pitch lectures to players which ended up becoming social media sensations. 'This Is Not Soccer', a dressing down given to 22-times capped Italian player Tobias Botes who was showing dissent, is the most famous of the lot. The slogan actually appears on the front cover of the book. During a European Champions Cup game at the Stoop, a line-out goes wrong for Dave Ward. The ball is so far off-course even his team can’t reach it. Owens turns to Ward and says “ I’m straighter than that one“.

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I’ve held similar roles before. I haven’t been in to see the Wales squad this year, but it’s the sort of thing I’ve done with Alun Wyn Jones, Sam Warburton, Dan Biggar and Ryan Jones over the years, while I’ve unofficially helped out a few players outside Wales as well, improving their communication and overall relationship with referees. Please can you extend our thanks to Nigel for today, everyone really enjoyed the session." - Fiona, Merlin Homes I’m told there were a few mutterings that I might be retiring after the World Cup. Indeed, the producer of the S4C rugby show, Clwb Rygbi, approached me after I’d done the PRO12 final in Belfast between Munster and Glasgow and asked if I’d like to come to work for them as I was due to hang up my boots, or whistle, so to speak.

That particular catchline even forms part of the title of Owens’ autobiography, ‘ The Final Whistle: This Is Not Soccer ’, which is published on Tuesday and which we are producing extracts from. Most importantly, it was to take place under the Welsh Rugby Union banner, not England’s. I was really grateful to the RFU and Tony Spreadbury for listening to me, but deep down, as a proud Welshman who loved working for the WRU, I always wanted to remain in Wales for the next part of my journey.” Former international rugby referee, Nigel Owens is one of the most highly regarded adjudicators in the sport thanks to his career longevity and global experience. From World Cups to Heineken Cups and every other competition available, Nigel has been at the forefront of ensuring safe and fair play for the sport’s biggest games. Equally prominent for his LGBT+ rights advocacy, Nigel is openly gay and challenging the taboo surrounding homosexuality in male-dominated industries like rugby. As a speaker, Nigel offers a fresh perspective from the pitch and expands on the importance of diversity and inclusion in supporting mental health. Nigel’s autobiography was released in November 2008, in Welsh called “ Hanner Amser”, which translates to “Half Time”. The English version was released the following year in 2009. Nigel was named ‘Gay Sports Personality of the Year’ by Stonewall at its annual 2007 awards ceremony in London and the ‘Gay Sports Personality of the Decade in 2016’.

England’s Chris Robshaw queries Nigel about a French player. Nigel tells Robshaw there was nothing wrong with the play. Robshaw starts to say “He was…” to which Owens stops him dead with “ Uhh… Christopher!”. “Sorry, sir”, replies Robshaw. So, what am I thinking? Well, it’s not a case of do I want to do it, but, more, is it practically possible for me to do it? Record-holding international referee, Nigel Owens is a key figure of Rugby Union and has been presiding over matches since 1987. The calm amongst the chaos of the game, Nigel’s ability to make effective decisions and perform under pressure has seen him lead an impressive career, and as a speaker, he now translates these skills to the boardroom. Nigel’s influence doesn’t stop on the pitch as he is also recognised for his contributions to LGBT+ and mental health advocacy, having been one of the first in the male-dominated sport’s history to come out as openly gay. With such an extensive career and public reach, Nigel is perfectly placed as a captivating after-dinner speaker or insightful diversity keynote speaker.

Born into a farming family, Nigel and his partner Barrie, own a 100-acre farm in the Gwendraeth Valley, Carmarthenshire. Munster are playing Treviso in a PRO12 fixture at Thomond Park in 2012 when 22-times capped Italian scrum-half incurs Owens’ wrath. Since retiring from refereeing, Nigel has fulfilled a burning ambition to run his own farm full-time. With the help of Barrie, Nigel is caring for a large herd of Hereford cows. Nigel Owens MBE Guest Speaker It’s Six Nations Super Saturday, England versus France, and Chris Robshaw’s team England are falling just short in their bid to win by 26 points and wrest the title from Ireland.He is also a member of the Gorsedd of Bards a t the National Eisteddfod in Wrexham. Nigel Owens Farmer – Swapping Rugby Boots for Wellie Boots The law is quite clear, the maul is formed, held up, unplayable, turnover ball, no issues whatsoever,’ I explained to the skipper. Apparently, Gats had gone straight in the following day after the dinner to say he wasn’t sure what was going on, ‘But you need to give Nige a new contract and give it to him right now. You need to hold on to your best referee, not just for the next World Cup but also so that he can work with and coach future referees after he’s finished.’