Nigel Owens Blasts Controversial Law Change – Calls for Urgent Overhaul

“I’ve said in the past that I’m not a big fan of the bunker,” Owens told Wales Online. “I just think that if something’s a red card, you’ll know it’s a red card and you should be down to 14 men for the rest of the game, not 20 minutes.”

“It just feels like the referee doesn’t make the decision any more,” he said. “It’s given to someone in the bunker, who on most occasions hasn’t been anywhere near the field of an international game as a referee, and then he’s got to make a decision on what could be a defining moment.”

“Experience and ability is crucial for these big moments and that should be down to the referee on the day.”

“I feel the referee is there because he’s the best person to do that job and he should be making that decision.”

“If I was refereeing and I wanted to decide if something was a yellow or a red, I’d be wanting to make that decision myself. I wouldn’t want to pass that decision on to someone else.”

“It naturally becomes a talking point then. But for all the noise, there’s only one person to really blame — and that’s the player.”

“You can’t go in like that and make a tackle around someone’s head or neck. There’s no debate about that.”

“Players need to learn or change that behaviour to avoid making those tackles. If players change their behaviour and tackle down lower, then we wouldn’t be having these discussions about officiating or the bunker.”

“I don’t think the bunker has really prevented players from going in and committing those reckless tackles, either, and ultimately that’s what we want.”

“If you want to be serious about it, then a red card should also mean a red card,” he said. “And, in my view, I still think the bans for players should be longer too.”

“It shouldn’t be reduced because someone says sorry, or because they agree to a tackling school with probably the same coach that was teaching them how to tackle before.”

“If we want to be serious about it, a six-week ban should be a six-week ban.”