“World Cup bosses fear an alarming rise in final ticket prices following the confirmation that popular referee Nigel Owens will take charge of Sunday’s decider.
New Zealand and Australian rugby union officials are already believed to have lodged complaints with World Rugby after All Black and Wallaby supporters hoping to get tickets for the final found themselves vying with fans of Welsh whistler Owens.”
Ok, so maybe not, but judging by the reaction online you’d swear Christ had risen and picked up a whistle.
What hope for Richie McCaw and David Pocock when they’re sharing the stage with Nigel?
No doubt Owens is the correct choice to officiate the final, and he should be rightly proud to receive the honour of reaching the pinnacle of his profession, but should the referee ever be the story to this extent (at least until he is attacked by José Mourinho)?
The headlines generated by and the Twitter reaction to the appointment would have you believe that his role in the showpiece is more important than anything that McCaw, Julian Savea, Bernard Foley or Pocock can manage.
I'm probably more excited for Nigel Owens refereeing the @rugbyworldcup final than I am for New Zealand and Australia playing it.
— ratboy (@EmmaLouiseSmyth) October 26, 2015
@BBCWales @Nigelrefowens amazing!!! can’t wait to see the best referee in the world live in action next Saturday ???
— Magda (@madzia300) October 26, 2015
@Nigelrefowens And they said Wales wouldn’t make the @rugbyworldcup final…. Congrats, makes the final worth watching all the more. — Rachael A. Wheatley (@wheatley1_a) October 26, 2015
https://twitter.com/WillNickell/status/658681077431685120 https://twitter.com/Georgie_Barker/status/658693957879267328 https://twitter.com/LukeCrothers/status/658691692686671872 https://twitter.com/steviepearce82/status/658688430780653568https://twitter.com/MG_Leadership/status/658698229379264512 https://twitter.com/micealocoileain/status/658698711971819520 https://twitter.com/SecularNuncio/status/658697057851588609
@BBCWales @Nigelrefowens very proud of our Nigel. A great ambassador for Wales and a credit to his sport.
— David Browne (@david1browne) October 26, 2015
It's confirmed, THE best Rugby ref in the game has control of the final, looking forward to a flowing game, well in @Nigelrefowens #NZLvAUS
— Klopplife🏴⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 19🏆💙 (@Welshboy64) October 26, 2015
@brianmoore666 @Nigelrefowens By far and away the best referee in the world. In ANY sport
— Phil Sandford 🇮🇱 (@Phil_Sandford) October 26, 2015
Congratulations @Nigelrefowens truly deserved at the pinnacle for years now @rugbyworldcup there really was only one choice
— Keitho (@KeithEvans1970) October 26, 2015
