"Nightmare" - Nigel Owens reveals the five toughest players to referee, including Maro Itoje

Tuesday, 27 July 2021 at 20:29

byRugby Rucker

NIGEL OWENS has lifted the lid on his life as a top international referee - and revealed who was the most difficult player to manage in games.

#5. Dan Biggar (Wales)

Owens said: "Oh god yes, Biggar can be a tricky customer on the field.

"He's so focused and so passionate about what he's doing no matter the game or occasion, we've had a few run ins on the pitch down the years.

"I mean, it's always been in a respectful way and we always have a drink and a laugh after the game."

DID YOU KNOW? Biggar has his own routine before kicking goals, which fans now call "The Biggarena" after Los Del Rio's 1995 hit, Macarena.

#4. Mike Brown (England)

OWENS SAID: "A player who pushed himself, but also sometimes the referee, to their limit due to his intensity. A really nice guy away from the field."

DID YOU KNOW? He has won three Six Nations Championship titles with England and one English Premiership title with Harlequins

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#3. Austin Healey (England)

Owens said: “Definitely Healey. I only caught him towards the end of his career, thankfully.

"A wonderfully talented player and a very good pundit now, but he always had plenty say and quickly assumed I didn’t like him.

"He’s actually blocked me on Twitter, but I don’t think I’m the only one.”

DID YOU KNOW? Healey won 51 England caps and 2 Lions caps. He played for England at scrum half, fly-half, fullback and wing

#2. Peter Stringer & Ronan O'Gara

Owens said: “Definitely! ROG and (Peter) Stringer, oh, when you had to referee the two of them together.

"I always got on well with the both of them though. I have a huge amount of respect for them, but they made my days hard on occasions. They were lippy in a respectful way.”

#1. Maro Itoje (England)

OWENS SAID: "Itoje is someone who plays right on the edge. That is what makes him such a great player. He must be so difficult to play against but he’s also difficult to referee and I mean that with the utmost respect.

"He plays with passion and on the line. It is difficult to tell Itoje not to bring the same confrontation and aggression to the game that he usually does. It would take away from his game.

"You don’t want him to change the way he plays but he needs to pick and choose when he gambles on the situation and when he doesn’t. And understand better those moments when you are under pressure and knowing when, if you take a risk and get it wrong, you will land your team in real trouble."