“Nightmare” – Nigel Owens ranks the FIVE worst English players to referee

Nigel Owens has ranked the five 'toughest' and 'most awkward' England players to referee during his sensational career.

The popular Welshman announced his retirement from international rugby last November after taking charge of 100 Test matches.

He's now stepped back from professional refereeing all together to concentrate on his other businesses.

One of the teams he's refereed most during his stellar career is England, with Owens having a famously funny run in with former England captain Chris Robshaw.

See below, who he ranked as the toughest to officiate.

DID YOU KNOW? Nigel Owens first game was an under-15s match between Carmarthen and Pembrokeshire at the age of 16

Owens said: "He was always a funny one on the field in nice way. You'd be trying to tell him something serious and he'd just want to have a laugh and a joke. He'd wink at you on the middle of a serious telling off."

NIGEL OWENS SAID: "The second-row 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."

"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."

DID YOU KNOW? As a schoolboy, Itoje played several sports including basketball, football, rugby and athletics, representing England at U17 level in shot put

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

OWENS SAID: “Definitely Austin Healey (toughest to referee). 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