Nigel Owens is not a fan of the new ‘orange card’

“We’re getting to the stage where sometimes on a weekend there is more time spent with referee in conversation with the TMO upstairs than there is actually ball in play time,” Owens wrote.

“That’s not a good look for a sport where fast pace, drama and moving on to the next phase in play are part of the huge appeal.

“We had a situation the other day where the second half of the Cardiff Blues versus Zebre game lasted 67 minutes. Yes, that’s fully 27 minutes more than should have been the case and from what I can see no-one was happy.

“This kind of thing is spoiling the game; everyone accepts a match can drag on a little when the clock goes red, but almost half an hour extra for a half of rugby?

“People simply aren’t going to go to the stadium if they know games are going to be dragging on and on like this.”

He added: “A red card should mean a red card. We’ve tried the orange card, when a player is sent off but can be replaced by a substitute after 20 minutes, but it doesn’t work for me so let’s bin that one too,”

Owens said: “Definitely Healey. I only caught him towards the end of his career, thankfully.

"A wonderfully talented player and a very good pundit now, but he always had plenty say and quickly assumed I didn’t like him.

"He’s actually blocked me on Twitter, but I don’t think I’m the only one.”

DID YOU KNOW? Healey won 51 England caps and 2 Lions caps. He played for England at scrum half, fly-half, fullback and wing

Owens said: "Oh god yes, Biggar can be a tricky customer on the field.

"He's so focused and so passionate about what he's doing no matter the game or occasion, we've had a few run ins on the pitch down the years.

"I mean, it's always been in a respectful way and we always have a drink and a laugh after the game."

OWENS SAID: "A player who pushed himself, but also sometimes the referee, to their limit due to his intensity. A really nice guy away from the field."

DID YOU KNOW? He has won three Six Nations Championship titles with England and one English Premiership title with Harlequins

Owens said: “Definitely! ROG and (Peter) Stringer, oh, when you had to referee the two of them together.

"I always got on well with the both of them though. I have a huge amount of respect for them, but they made my days hard on occasions. They were lippy in a respectful way.”

Owens said: "The former Ospreys scrum-half has actually started refereeing now, but he'd always be in my ear all game when he was a player.

"He certainly thought he knew the laws then so it will be interesting to see how he does."