The Welsh official will be involved in two games in New Zealand as he will be the assistant referee for the All Blacks’ game against Argentina at the Yarrow Stadium on 9 September. A week later he will be the man in the middle for the game at the QBE Stadium in Albany.
Jérôme Garcès will take charge of the first match of the Rugby Championship 2017 when Australia host New Zealand on 19 August. He is one of 18 officials and five TMOs taking charge of the 12 matches and the stand-alone Bledisloe Cup match in October.
New Zealand’s Ben O’Keeffe will make his Rugby Championship debut when he referees South Africa and Australia at the Toyota Stadium in Bloemfontein on 30 September. Several new assistant referees have also come into the elite squad after impressive performances over the recent months.
“We’re working hard with Rugby World Cup 2019 in mind and The Rugby Championship gives us a further opportunity to review match officials under the pressure and intensity of international test match rugby,” said World Rugby Match Officials Selection Committee Chairman, Anthony Buchanan.
“Along with officials that performed to the highest level during the Lions series and the June internationals, we now have new faces coming into the panel. Our ultimate goal is to arrive in Japan in 2019 with an established group of top-class, in-form officials with the necessary experience to perform at the highest level.
“Our focus continues to be clear and consistent decision-making and the highest standards of physical conditioning.”
Owens refereed the 2015 Rugby World Cup final involving the All Blacks at Twickenham Stadium and earlier this year was in charge of both the Champions Cup and Guinness PRO12 finals. He took up the whistle at 16 while still at school and reached international status at the age of 32 in 2003, when he was in charge of Portugal’s 34-30 win over Georgia in Lisbon and he refereed at the 2007, 2011 and 2015 Rugby World Cups.
