Nigel Owens responds to those calling him a ‘cheat’ in wake of Scotland’s win

(Photo: Getty Images)
By Adam Ellis
“One thing that really gets me going is when people accuse a referee of being a cheat,” Nigel Owens has said after criticisms online over his performance in Scotland‘s Six Nations match against England.
Gregor Townsend‘s side beat the Auld Enemy 25-13 at Murrayfield after a faultless first-half display, and as England aimed to fight back in the second half ruled out scoring chances by Owen Farrell and Danny Care to incur accusations of bias in his officiating.
Speaking to the Telegraph’s Full Contact podcast, Owens told Brian Moore: “If someone has a go at me on social media because he didn’t like my performance or decisions, and sometimes they are correct, that’s fine.
“I will never block anyone on Twitter for thinking I didn’t referee well. What I do block people for is if they call a referee a cheat or accuse them of bias. If somebody says that, they’re gone and blocked.”
“I was asked if I enjoyed the game on Saturday. But when your refereeing you’re concentrating and focused, that is the key thing because you have to be in that zone. You don’t really appreciate if it’s a great game or a poor game.”
The match at Murrayfield was Owens 81st international match he had officiated since his first in 2005 and saw England’s hopes of a Grand Slam dashed by a two-try demolition job by centre Huw Jones.
In an incident which bore no action from the officials, Ryan Wilson has been cited for making contact with the eye area during a fracas with his opposite number Nathan Hughes.
If found guilty by the citing commissioner, the Glasgow Warriors back row could be suspended from playing for a minimum of four weeks. With the most serious offences open to a ban of 52 weeks.