The Welsh official broke the old record held by South Africa’s Jonathan Kaplan when he officiated in his 71st Test match between Fiji and Tonga in Suva in June. He then moved onto Sydney for the final Test between Australia and England.
His world tour continued during the Rugby Championship, when he was back in Australia for the game between the Wallabies and Argentina in Brisbane and this weekend’s game at Eden Park, when the All Blacks will be chasing a record breaking 18th successive international win, will take his Test tally to 74.
He will reach 75 games next month when he referees the Autumn Test between Italy and New Zealand at Rome’s Stadio Olimpico on 12 November. While Owens is Down Under, other Welsh referees will be turning out in Europe in the second round of the Champions Cup and Challenge Cup.
There will be an all-Welsh panel at the AJ Bell Stadium on Friday night when Sale Sharks host three-time winners RC Toulon in Pool 3 of the Champions Cup. Ben Whitehouse will earn his second Champions Cup cap having made his debut last season when Leicester Tigers took on Benetton Trevsio at Welford Road.
Whitehouse is set to referee the international between two of the 2015 Rugby World Cup finalists, Romania and Uruguay, in Bucharest next month and graduates to the Champions Cup in round two having controlled the opening game in European rugby this season at Harlequins last week.
He will be assisted by Sean Brickell and Chris Williams, with Jonathan Mason acting as the TMO. Ian Davies, who is also on international duty next month, will take charge of his fourth Champions Cup match when Castres Olympique host Northampton Saints.
He will be assisted by Simon Rees and have Gareth Simmonds as his TMO. Former international referee Les Peard will act as the TMO for the Challenge Cup game at Kingsholm between Gloucester and Benetton Treviso.
