Nigel Owens has suggested that disciplinary measures might be necessary following an incident involving Welsh assistant coach Neil Jenkins during the Six Nations match against Italy.
Join the RUCK’s WhatsApp community here and get the latest news sent straight to your messages.
Jenkins was seen questioning referee Mathieu Raynal on the pitch, an action that has raised concerns about the respect for match officials.
In response to growing issues within the game, World Rugby has announced its intention to strictly enforce rules regarding the presence of water carriers on the field. This announcement comes after an incident involving French assistant coach William Servat, who was noticed moving in front of Italy’s Paolo Garbisi as he was preparing for a crucial kick in the third round of the tournament. Garbisi’s subsequent miss has brought the issue of sideline interference into the spotlight.
“I was in Cardiff on Saturday and I thought Mathieu dealt with Neil very well on the field,” said Owens.
“Neil needs to be reminded about going on the field. If coaches came on and spoke to me, I was only conscious of what was said and in what context.
“If coaches are coming on to referee, that’s not what they are there for. People coming on the field and having a go at referees, that needs to be dealt with.
“For Neil, if it’s a quiet word, an official warning, a letter or a sanction. It all depends on what is appropriate given what was said.
“We need to keep on top of that and we deal with that in the URC.
“We need to maintain the values of ethos and respect. There will be some communication with the referee, but it is how it is said. Maybe the WRU will have a word with Neil and there will be an apology and move on.”
The current 36-man 2025 Lions squad, according to the bookies
Andy Farrell faces numerous challenging decisions leading up to finalising his Lions squad, yet bookmakers appear confident in predicting the players destined for Australia next summer.
BACK-THREE (6)
- Duhan van der Merwe (Scotland) – 1/16
- James Lowe (Ireland) – 1/8
- Hugo Keenan (Ireland) – 1/5
- Tommy Freeman (England) – 4/9
- Immanuel Feyi-Waboso (England) – 8/11
- Mack Hansen (Ireland) – 2/1
CENTRE (4)
- Bundee Aki (Ireland) – 1/5
- Ollie Lawrence (England) – 1/4
- Sione Tuipulotu (Scotland) – 2/7
- Robbie Henshaw (Ireland) – 8/11
FLY-HALVES (3)
- George Ford (England) – 1/10
- Marcus Smith (England) – 8/15
- Finn Russell (Scotland) – 8/11