Nigel Owens retires from international refereeing 

CALLING TIME: Referee Nigel Owens blows the final whistle after officiating in his 100th - and final - international match, the Nations Cup match between France and Italy. Picture: INPHO/Dave Winter

Welsh rugby referee Nigel Owens has announced his retirement from officiating at Test level.

Last month, Owens was in charge of his 100th international in France's Autumn Nations Cup game against Italy, and he announced today that that game will be his last at that level.

Owens refereed the 2015 Rugby World Cup final and stepped away before the beginning of the 2021 Six Nations will gets underway in early February.

He will continue to take charge of PRO14 and Welsh domestic games.

The 49-year-old's first international was Portugal's meeting with Georgia in 2003.