Nigel Owens: World Rugby needs to get tough on encroachment

Former Test referee Nigel Owens wants World Rugby to get tough on coaches and water carriers entering the field of play and questioning officials’ decision-making. Photo credit: Andrew Matthews/PA Wire

Former Test referee Nigel Owens wants World Rugby to get tough on coaches and water carriers entering the field of play and questioning officials’ decision-making.

Wales assistant coach Neil Jenkins was seen arguing with French referee Mathieu Raynal during his country’s final Guinness Six Nations match with Italy last weekend while earlier in the championship, France assistant William Servat, acting as a water carrier, wandered across Italy’s goal kicker Paolo Garbisi line of sight as he prepared to take a potentially match-winning penalty in Lille at the end of their round-three game.

Owens, who took charge of 100 Test matches including the 2015 World Cup final, is now a member of the URC’s Independent Referee Selection Panel, the league which issued a four-match ban to Dragons assistant Dan Baugh for laying hands on match official Ben Whitehouse earlier this season.

Speaking on a media call for the BKT United Rugby Championship yesterday, the Welshman called for sanctions on water carrier and coaches who acted improperly on the field of play.

“The value of respect in rugby is hugely important,” Owens said. “That is something we pride ourselves on particularly here in the URC.

“And when that line is crossed and it becomes unacceptable then sanctions for the issues need to be dealt with.

“I didn’t see the incident involving William Servat but I was in Cardiff on Saturday and I heard the comments between Neil Jenkins and Mathieu Raynal and I thought Mathieu Raynal dealt with it very, very well on the field.

“I don’t think you should be coming on and telling the referee, they’re doing this and they’re doing that. That’s not what they are on there for. But if you’re coming on saying something in the right context I wouldn’t have too many issues with that. But when people are coming on and having a go at referees, that is not acceptable and that needs to be dealt with.

“If it’s a quiet word, or maybe an official warning, or a letter or a sanction, it all depends on what is appropriate to deal with whatever what was said.

“It is something we do need to stay on top of that and we deal with these issues in the URC if they arise. It’s important to do that because you have to keep the values of ethos and respect in the game.

“We saw it in one of the URC games between Dan Baugh and the referee and it was dealt with and that’s how it should be.

“It’s not a case of a coach coming on and you can’t open your mouth and speak to the referee. I wouldn’t want to be in a situation where we arrive at that but what you sat and how you say it is I think the key thing and if that line is crossed then it needs to be dealt with.

"I don’t know whether anything will come of it from the weekend but I thought Mathieu Raynal dealt with it there and then and I’m sure the WRU (Welsh Rugby Union) or even Gats (Wales head coach Warren Gatland) himself will have a word with Jenks and say ‘that’s not what we want’ and there will be an apology maybe and then we move on. That’s what I think is important.”

The URC said it had sent letters to “one or two other clubs” this season, “to distinctly remind them of the responsibilities of their water carriers and a memo has gone out to the entire league before Christmas highlighting what happened with Dan (Baugh) and that we wouldn’t want to see that trend continue”.

As Owens was speaking yesterday, World Rugby published its phased plan to increase the sport’s global appeal, specifically focusing on the way rugby was officiated and including with immediate effect a call for the strict reinforcement of the 2022 law trial relating to water carriers entering the field of play.