"The worst one - and I've thought it for years"
There's no doubt that Nigel Owens is the most famous official in rugby union history.
Owens officiated some of the biggest games in rugby,, including numerous European Cup finals and the 2015 Rugby World Cup final.
And the players liked him, too.
Owens' five most annoying players
Popular Welshman Owens refereed in an era filled with feisty players, many of whom presented a challenge or two.
Lately, he revealed the five most annoying players he presided over during his record-breaking career...
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#5. 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."
#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
#3. Peter Stringer & Ronan O'Gara (Ireland)
Owens said: “Definitely! Stringer and O'Gara, 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.”
#2. Dan Biggar (Wales)
Owens said:"Oh god yes. He's so focused and so passionate about what he's doing, we've had a few run ins on the pitch down the years. I mean, it's always been in a respectful way as we always have a drink and a laugh after the game."
1. Austin Healey (England)
Owens said: "Definitely. 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."
