Nigel Owens
Professional referee
Following a stellar Test career, spanning 17 years and 210 matches in total, including exactly 100 as referee, Owens called time on his international career in December 2020.
Owens reached the very pinnacle of the game when taking charge of the Rugby World Cup 2015 final between New Zealand and Australia at Twickenham and received the World Rugby Referee Award a day later.
Owens became the first referee to take charge of 100 tests when he blew the whistle for France v Italy in the Autumn Nations Cup in Paris on 28 November, 2020, 17 years after his Test debut in February 2003 when he was in the middle for Portugal versus Georgia in Lisbon.
Owens refereed his 50th test on 24 November, 2013 when he took charge of Ireland v New Zealand in Dublin, and he surpassed Jonathan Kaplan as the most-capped referee with  his 71st Test on 11 June, 2016 when Fiji hosted Tonga in Suva.
Owens was also an assistant referee for 101 Tests and a TMO on nine occasions before calling it a day at the highest level.
The Welsh official is the most experienced referee in the Guinness PRO14 having made his 150th appearance during the 2016/17 season.
Owens made his first appearance in the Celtic League when he took charge of Border Reivers v Connacht on August 30, 2002.
Owens also took charge of seven Heineken Champions Cup final, among nine European club deciders in all.
Nigel Owens News
Photos of Nigel Owens
| Season | Matches |
|---|---|
| 2003 | P v G* |
| 2005 | J v I, Arg v Sam |
| 2006 | Arg v U, It v A |
| 2007 | P v M*, E v I, NZ v A, I v It, Arg v Geo, S v Rom, A v Fj |
| 2008 | F v I, It v S, NZ v E, F v PI, E v SA |
| 2009 | I v F, S v It, SA v NZ, NZ v SA, E v Arg, I v SA |
| 2010 | S v F, A v E, SA v NZ, I v SA |
| 2011 | S v I, RWC: Rus v C, I v E, Fj v Nam, NZ v J, A v USA, SA v Sam, NZ v Arg |
| 2012 | F v It, E v I, NZ v I (1), NZ v Ire (2), NZ v A, A v SA, F v A, E v SA |
| 2013 | It v F, F v S, Arg v Eng, NZ v F, A v Arg, SA v NZ, I v NZ |
| 2014 | F v E, I v It, NZ v E, Rus v Z*, SA v A, Arg v A, E v NZ, F v A |
| 2015 | F v S, E v F, A v SA, NZ v A, E v I, Ton v G, SA v S, F v I, NZ v F, NZ v A |
| 2016 | St V v J*, F v E, F v T, A v E, A v SA, NZ v A, It v NZ |
| 2017 | I v F, Arg v E, NZ v A, NZ v SA, F v SA |
| 2018 | F v I, S v E, J v G, NZ v SA, I v It, F v SA |
| 2019 | E v F, *USA v Sam, *T v Can, F v S, E v I RWC: J v R, It v C, E v Arg, USA v T, NZ v I, E v NZ |
| 2020 | F v E, E v G, F v I |
