6 minutes and 4 seconds of Nigel Owens being the best referee...

[@ryandonaghy8613]

“I’m straighter than that one” is one of THE best lines ever. Not only from a comedic perspective, but also just honesty.

[@noelmartin5877]

Nigel was the best referee that ever set foot on a rugby pitch, his unique way of communicating with the players is legendary and I'm sure he earned the respect of most of the players who were fortunate enough to be part of Nigel's long and distinguished career as a rugby ref.

[@leonscheepers5350]

:) ... 'I'm straighter than that one' - classic .... quick wit and one of the best. A legend. (Saffa)

[@evealicelucienne]

" Come here... don't look so worried." Well, that's as reassuring as when being called to the headmaster's room.

[@Xxxxxxx-i1h6t]

Saying that to John Muldoon the connacht captain who was 3 times bigger than him.

[@MrFlashpoint1978]

He says no need to call him Sir. I'm fairly certain he's earned that respect.

[@occamraiser]

One of life's little pleasures.....watching someone being superb at a difficult task :)

[@jimmaloney1121]

"Err...Christopher?" "Sorry sir." 😂

[@benvaughan3392]

Best one

[@mmmbilly]

Golden moment

[@nickstones5583]

Evan was fearless, some of these players are huge. He held the respect of all the players because he was fair & professional.. Football and football players could take some notes from Evens..

[@scottauger4295]

Made him in to his bitch in 10 seconds lol

[@just-dl]

My son’s name is Christopher. I try to say it like Nigel....

[@williamtraep2984]

The best referee I have seen in 32 years watching the game. Professional, consistent and fair, hardly missed anything on the pitch. Let the game flow, and appreciated great rugby. Proud that he is Welsh but unfortunately the Welsh rugby team didn't benefit from his refereeing. A great tribute to see he did get to referee Wales once against the Barbarians. Enjoyed watching Nigel's career and benefiting the sport as a whole. Thank you Nigel

[@TheTwarag]

from my understanding you cannot ref for your own country.

[@CymruEmergencyResponder]

@@TheTwarag indeed, usually referees are forbidden from refereeing matches involving their own country. The fact that Nigel was permitted to do so, and that the opposition did not disagree with his appointment, shows just how highly regarded he was as an official.

[@gemmastaines5706]

I love it! He’s taking no lip, no dramatics or messing about from anyone! Thank God for Nigel Owen!!!

[@bobbell4461]

boy will he be missed. As I have said elsewhere he should be knighted for his services to the game. A fair, good humoured gentleman who has has come through much in his life to reach the very highest level of his profession. And before anyone says anything i am not Welsh but a man from Langholm in the Scottish Border country once the heartland of Scottish rugby.

[@RugbyManual]

Totally agree!

[@just-dl]

I’m a Yank of welsh ancestry (amongst many, many others), and I’m tickled to have that very slight connection. Totally agree with your comment.

[@SteffanRoberts]

Judging by his reaction to being called sir I don't think he'd accept the knighthood

[@lukebridgwater6288]

One of if not the greatest ref in rugby union history. He gained the respect of not just the players but everyone in the sport. His wit and unique interactions with the players will surely be missed on the international level, it will never be the same without him.

[@kevinbarnett2355]

The respect from the players towards Nigel is second to none,

[@Driver2616]

Best quote ever , “this is not soccer”.👍

[@Leifr952]

😴

[@gavinfagan4995]

Nah "I'm straighter then that"

[@lucasnestor3993]

@@gavinfagan4995gets me every time! 😂

[@fionapelegrin4846]

I just love watching Nigel! Such a great guy and referee too 🏉🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿😍

[@bristolrovers27]

In case anyone doesnt know, Nigel was concerned that the ballboy would take his joke yellow card the wrong way. When the ball went out next he went over to him to check on him and shook his hand. Quality Referree and a quality man.

[@billb7876]

Thats nice to hear, what a gent he was

[@MrLenoir99]

"I'm straighter than that one" must be the funniest comment heard on a rugby field. Great man in all respects.

[@geraintwiggins9860]

Nigel had set the bar so high now. 👏👏👏👏 Best referee I’ve ever witnessed 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

[@davidwallace9479]

We need someone like Nigel Owens in the game. Takes no nonsense and is fair

[@peterlewis8040]

Absolute legend. Wales is very proud Nigel, very proud indeed.

[@jackmehoffe9372]

*West Wales 🤣🤣

[@michaelsaayman2802]

Not only did he have great sense of humour he was also a very fair and professional referee that many of todays referee's can learn from. True legend

[@Xxxxxxx-i1h6t]

I don't think we've met, but I'm the referee. Legend.

[@adriaanschoeman1527]

Lol.😂 "Im straighter than that" Nigel had a great sense of humour. "This is not soccer" .... "The football stadium is 500yards that way"...Brilliant

[@fernandog.aguirre2791]

This is a referee that is an EXAMPLE for the sport! This is a ref that many others can learn from him!

[@just-dl]

One of my favorite Nigel-isms: “if you’re going to cheat, cheat fair!” Just saw that one recently. I know not where....

[@davidluck8851]

A true gent who has respect from players because he gives respect back - He will be greatly missed ..... Many thanks Nigel 🤔😉👍👍👍

[@fabricehaubois2442]

Wonderful referee, and person… he is missed by the fans and rugby community

[@andrewfenn3019]

"I'm straighter than that one." That had me in tears laughing.

[@mmmbilly]

I can’t give you the three points, but I can give you a go. Brilliant.

[@Labraxsquad20]

Gonna be missed in the game. Awesome ref. Pretty good farmer to.

[@richieb6273]

Yes Nigel Owens was a superb ref. For those of an older vintage Clive Norling (also Welsh) was very similar.

[@ChrisHopkinsBass]

“Let’s have a chat is it?” Jiffy at its finest

[@89andyy]

the best of the best, love him!

[@steven666bate]

Should have been sports personality of the year at some point

[@ericfleury8470]

Le meilleur arbitre de rugby avec pédagogie et British humour

[@DavidJones-bz8jl]

Brilliant referee,hard but fair.Possibly the greatest!

[@cbachinger]

IS the greatest...often when about to watch a big match and owens was in charge, people were confident there would be no BS.

[@richardtuffnell9886]

Definitely the best ever.

[@soultaff]

They’ll never be another , ever . Diolch yn fawr iwan Nigel the best in the business 💪❤️🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿🏉❤️🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿🏉

[@petermallia558]

I think most people may have missed that joke, when he said "I'm straighter than that one" about the lineout, because we all know he's openly gay, so that one killed me, I'm still laughing as I'm writing it. Great referee, absolutely at the top of his game at any given time when he was refereeing, before retirement in Dec 2020. You won't get a better game of Rugby than when he was on the field.

[@chemicalbrucey157]

Thats why he caught the ball at 4:50 then? :P

[@Tara19040]

He's only retired from international refereeing he's still doing club rugby.

[@leonscheepers5350]

' .... if you don't like it, you're in the wrong position ...' ! Hahahaha

[@Baron_Laska]

I want my extra second of Nigel please.

[@kobusdutoitbosman6240]

…extraordinary, off the cuff hands on and fully in control - simply g r e a t !! NOT off the shelf, this is supreme talent at is best. And the Game of RF benefits indescribably…👊!

[@RhysOlwyn]

2:27 - "d'yw e ddim yn colli cyfle" - he doesn't miss an opportunity

[@c0222]

Translate

[@andrewkirkhope2842]

@@c0222 he translated it

[@c0222]

@@andrewkirkhope2842 thanks

[@davidanderson4091]

"This is not Soccer". I wish every referee would have that attitude. I've had a gutsful of players waving their arms about appealing for turnovers five milliseconds after every tackle.

[@keithfowler2013]

Simply the best !

[@iain075]

Love the man

[@williamarmstrong2018]

legend of the game

[@danwaqa4605]

Rugby will miss him forever!

[@karenhenderson1462]

He would have made an amazing head teacher!

[@kenmay1572]

"You do your job and I will do mine" classic

[@drgjenkins4361]

Mr fairness. Caru ti Nige

[@pbnygiants]

Ah… Christopher🤣🤣what a superb ref

[@CommanderSuberox]

Damn what happened to him during that NZ vs SA game? was a nasty fall can't believe the player did that!

[@curnock]

brilliant.

[@waltersimpson2936]

Nigel Owens is the best referee ever.he will be mist

[@hjones3056]

He isn't dead 🤣😂🤣😂

[@waltersimpson2936]

@@hjones3056 he will be mist as a referee .because he retired as a referee.

[@hjones3056]

@@waltersimpson2936 only international rugby m8

[@MKRM27]

@@waltersimpson2936 No, I think he’ll be fog

[@zyaicob]

@@MKRM27 more of a smoke guy

[@IrlBandit]

Ah Nigel, a man well missed on the pitch for his concise and humorous explanations of the rules to pros (!), his intolerance of skulduggery and shenanigans - but most of all for his unbiased approach to the game and his love of the game too - big loss to rugby not having Nigel about, no one has yet filled his boots in my opinion.

[@robertgriffin30185]

An absolute Legend

[@rickcarnaby9048]

Brilliant ref,

[@hermanpieterse791]

Best referee ever!

[@chiva2507]

Refs,wants to be heard,the rugby GODS.!

[@paulnewell7330]

This is what is needed in the football instead of the rubbish that we have now

[@scrumlass]

00:12 C H R I S T O P H E R.

[@swabs7004]

Legend 👏

[@OriginalPuro]

"No need to call me "sir"". Disagree. That's one of the things that make rugby great, the referees and how the players treat him.

[@terryobrien289]

The only thing this Legend got wrong was calling football soccer ⚽️

[@brucesterlowden140]

Deliberate on his part since rugby is after all “rugby football”....another example of his star quality - avoids anyone quibbling with him. So he’s right again ...don’t argue with him you know what happens!

[@aaronleverton4221]

It was the English who invented the word "soccer", so there is nothing wrong with him calling it that. Because in Australia soccer, rugby and Aussie Rules are three very different sports, yet all of them call themselves "[something] football".

[@donalfinn4205]

You couldn’t not like him!

[@Funkopopsstorewalkthroughsunbo]

Cymru am byth 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

[@MrLenoir99]

I sure wish he were still around and referee the likes of Owen Farrell. The game is just going the wrong way.

[@knuffel3225]

Watched a lot of international games with nigel referee.................there is a lot of respect in rugby but he had a notch extra ...... shame that you grow old...

[@Jay-jn6ul]

3:27 surely that's a red for Juan Smith ... you can't touch a referee, let alone shove them

[@kadovax6567]

It was unintentional.

[@andrasszabo1570]

@@kadovax6567 He unintentionally shoved the referee?

[@TenjiBenji]

4:52 I bet he shit himself

[@MrRobertjohn15]

Huge loss to the game with him finishing

[@aaronlloyd2286]

Cymru am byth

[@dylanjohns8409]

Why did he say soccer. He’s not American he’s welsh so either say pêl-droed or football 😂

[@gomongio]

What is soccer? Why does he say that horrid word? That sport’s called football.

[@MKRM27]

God, that man loved the sound of his own voice. Always grandstanding to get on TV

[@kingy002]

What a cock!