Nigel Owens has reportedly confirmed he’s been approached to work with world champions South Africa in what is being dubbed a master move for the world champions.
The 2019 global title winners are said to be looking to appoint a referee coach to aid their preparations for the upcoming World Cup, with Owens reckoned to be the preferred candidate for the job amid a proposal being put to the national governing body’s executive committee.
And former Springboks team boss Nick Mallett believes hiring the Welsh refereeing legend could turn out to be an inspirational decision as South Africa look to successfully defend their crown in France this autumn.
Until now, suggestions that South Africa’s director of rugby Rassie Erasmus had been in touch with Owens had been speculation.
But Owens is reported to have told the Sunday newspaper Rapport: “Yes, I was approached by Rassie. I had a good conversation with him. Unfortunately, that’s all I can say at the moment.”
The supposed thinking is that whoever lands the role would work towards bettering the relationship between the Springboks, Test referees and World Rugby after a number of high-profile fallouts in recent years.
Owens was viewed as the top referee of his generation, taking charge of the 2015 World Cup final between New Zealand and Australia at Twickenham. He also refereed England's semi-final win over New Zealand in Japan last time out, widely regarded as the best match of the tournament.
Owens set aside his whistle in 2021 having controlled a record 100 international Tests.
His potential appointment has been talked up by Mallett, Springbok coach between 1997 and 2000, who says in a column for News24: “Reports over the weekend suggested that the Springboks are looking to appoint Welsh legend Nigel Owens as their refereeing coach for the 2023 World Cup in France, where they will look to defend their title, and pulling this off would be nothing short of a masterstroke from Rassie.
“Even if they don’t land Owens and have to go with somebody else, the position in itself is another example of Erasmus’ incredible out-of-the-box thinking and his meticulous planning, and he deserves a lot of plaudits for that.
“Getting Owens on board really would be a win-win situation for the Boks, who have been on the wrong end of big refereeing decisions consistently for some time now.”
Owens, however, has a contract with the Welsh Rugby Union to help bring through young refereeing talent in Wales.
It could be the WRU want him to do work with Warren Gatland's Wales team, instead, building towards the World Cup, so it remains to be seen if Erasmus and South Africa actually get their way.
It also remains to be seen whether Owens, who works full-time on his farm in west Wales, would be interested in teaming up with the Springboks.
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