Nigel Owens, the esteemed rugby referee, has revealed that he’s embarking on a new chapter in his life by starting a family.
This decision played a pivotal role in his inability to accept the coaching position offered by Rassie Erasmus for the South African team ahead of the 2023 Rugby World Cup.
Despite the allure of joining the coaching staff, Owens, who officiated in 100 tests before retiring in 2020, cited timing as the determining factor in his decision.
“I’ve got to think about the farm and all the work that goes with that, as well as my current roles with the WRU, URC and World Rugby,” wrote Owens prior to the 2023 Rugby World Cup..
“Between overseeing the refereeing academy, coaching officials and doing whistle watch, I’ve got more than enough going on to keep me busy.
“But the main reason why I had to turn down the job is because myself and my partner Barrie have some exciting news to share – we are currently in the final stages of the adoption process and will hopefully be starting our family in the coming months.
“There’s not too much I can say at the moment about the process itself, but we are both incredibly excited. It’s something that we’ve spoken about for a few years now and it’s taken a while to get here, but now that it’s happening we can’t wait, although I must admit it’s also a little nerve-wracking.
“As any parent will tell you, there’s no bigger commitment than raising a child, so that was obviously the main reason why I decided against the South Africa job in the end. I couldn’t, nor would I want to, go away for the next six months with this happening.
“So it’s a case of timing, really. If the Springboks had asked me probably maybe two years ago, then it is something I would have likely said yes to without any real thought.
“I did sit down with a few people and discuss whether I could do it, but there would have been far too much to work around.”
LIST | The day jobs of your favourite rugby referees
Just refereeing doesn’t always pay the bills for some of the games top whistle blowers, including Nigel Owens and Wayne Barnes.
Here’s the rundown on how they make extra cash when not taking to the field.
1. Wayne Barnes – Barrister
The 41-year-old is an English international rugby union referee and barrister. It was law he studied at university and a career as a barrister he pursued after graduating, but as he started to progress up the ranks as a referee the RFU offered to employ him in 2005. He’s now refereed more Premiership games than any other official.
