Famed for his no-nonsense attitude to officiating, referee Nigel Owens was evidently fed up with England captain Chris Robshaw’s persistent attempts to influence his decisions during England’s 55-35 win over France at Twickenham on Saturday.
In the 72nd minute Robshaw made an effort to draw Owens’ attention to an incident where he clearly believed a French player to be at fault. After replying with his opinion on the situation, Owens was unimpressed with Robshaw’s continued endeavours to change his mind.
In a school teacher tone of voice, Owens flashed the England skipper a serious look and said, “Christopher,” after which Robshaw quickly apologised with “Sorry sir,” and the game continued.
The incident is highly amusing, but also a fantastic advert for the respect shown to match officials in the sport. Whilst it may appear the England leader is pestering Owens, he isn’t acting far outside the remit of any other international captains, and is quick to make amends and apologise for his actions when aware he’s overstepped the mark.
Some of the most successful leaders of all time, such as Martin Johnson and Richie McCaw, are famed for their ability to mediate a match by influencing refereeing decisions and winning favour with the officials – the trick is knowing when to stop however, a mistake Robshaw won’t likely make again.
WIN A CHRIS ROBSHAW SIGNED ENGLAND RUGBY JERSEY
View more of Owens sorting out players, including 30 players at once, in the Related Posts below
Sign In