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Legendary referee Nigel Owens feels ‘like a weight has been lifted from me’ following his decision to retire from international rugby earlier this month.
The famous Welsh whistler, one of the game’s most recognized and decorated officials, said he wanted to finish on stage one “on his own terms”. He will turn 50 next year.
Writing a column for Walesonline.com, Owens admitted that the decision “had been a difficult decision, one that had been on my mind for months.”
He explained: “But the March lockdown gave me time to realize what I had missed over the previous 20 years.
For his highs, being a high-level officer is a huge commitment, with lots of training and traveling the world.
I’ve enjoyed it all and would do it again, but there comes a point when you realize you’re getting old and maybe it’s time to down a gear.
“Ever since I made the decision, it’s like a weight has been lifted from me. I’d been wondering if I was right at the right time. How much would I miss it? Was I doing the right thing? Would I continue for the sake of it?
“What about the training commitments? There were countless questions running through my head like steam trains. I’ve had many sleepless nights, I can tell you.
“But then because of the confinement, I spent more time at home and I thought maybe I could give it a try.
“Not being a referee at the test level will take some getting used to, of course, but I think there comes a point where you have to reassess your priorities, when you realize that you should be more at home. No one has the divine right. of solo continues.
He continued: “I made the decision in consultation with World Rugby.
“I came to my 100th test and had just umpired one of the big Champions Cup finals between Exeter Chiefs and Racing 92, so we agreed that it would be as good a time as any to relax.
“Fair play, they were eager for me to hit my hundred.
“I told them I only wanted to get there if I was still doing my job well. The last thing I wanted was for it to be a reward for services rendered over the years. I wanted it to be based on merit, and I think it was.
So I am ending on my own terms after discussions with the people involved.
I am 50 years old in June. It’s not a bad age to get out of the testing stage. “
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