Respected former referee Nigel Owens says “there’s a lot” for him to consider on whether he joins the Springbok camp as part of their preparation for the upcoming World Cup.
SA’s director of rugby Rassie Erasmus has confirmed that he has been in contact with Owens over the possibility of working as a specialist refereeing consultant for the Boks.
The world champions are eager to add a referee coach to their staff to accompany them to France later this year, with the Welshman the reported top candidate for SA Rugby.
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In his column for WalesOnline, Owens addressed the matter of potentially helping the South Africans prepare to defend the Webb Ellis Cup in six months’ time.
“Two weeks ago, I received a text message from somebody I know in South Africa, asking me if the rumours were true. To be honest, as I told them, I had no idea what they were talking about,” he writes.
“A few hours later, I saw online what I expect most of you will have seen by now all over social media and in the press. It was reported, first in South Africa and then in the UK and across the world, that the Springboks want me to join their coaching team ahead of this year’s World Cup.
“While receiving that text message was the first I’d heard of these rumours, I soon learned that they were true, as South Africa’s director of rugby Rassie Erasmus phoned me a few days later and indeed asked me if I’d be interested in returning to the Test arena and joining up with them in the summer as a law and strategy consultant.
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“The role itself, as Rassie explained, would be nothing new for me. It would entail me being in South Africa with the squad, refereeing their contact sessions and helping them with their understanding of what they can and can’t do on the field.
“I’d be giving feedback to World Rugby on behalf of South Africa, reviewing the game from a referee’s point of view, flagging incidents the team may have a couple of questions about, or areas where we feel like they’ve been treated harshly.
“I told Rassie that I needed a week or so to think things through and that’s where we’ve left it for now. I will go back to them when I’ve thought it over and then either negotiations will carry on from there or I will have to say I’m sorry and prioritise my other commitments.
“There’s a lot for me to consider, but all I know for sure right now is that it won’t be an easy decision either way.”
Photo: Getty Images/World Rugby