STATEMENT: Nigel Owens confirms 'he's starting a family' after rejecting coaching role
Rugby NewsSaturday, 08 April 2023 at 07:32
Nigel Owens, a well-known referee, has declined an offer to join the South African coaching team for the upcoming World Cup.
Rassie Erasmus, the director of rugby for the Springboks, had hoped to bring Owens on board as their new referee coach to assist in defending the title they won in Japan four years ago.
Owens had previously expressed his excitement over the offer but questioned whether it was the right time for him due to other personal and work commitments.
Owens and partner Barrie Jones-Davies, a primary school teacher, have been together for a number of years and run a farm in the Gwendraeth Valley on top of their professional careers. You can read all about the farm here.
He wrote in his column for Wales Online: "The main reason why I had to turn down the job is because myself and my partner Barrie have some exciting news to share - we are currently in the final stages of the adoption process and will hopefully be starting our family in the coming months.
"There’s not too much I can say at the moment about the process itself, but we are both incredibly excited. It’s something that we’ve spoken about for a few years now and it’s taken a while to get here, but now that it’s happening we can’t wait, although I must admit it’s also a little nerve-wracking.
"As any parent will tell you, there’s no bigger commitment than raising a child, so that was obviously the main reason why I decided against the South Africa job in the end. I couldn’t, nor would I want to, go away for the next six months with this happening.
"So it’s a case of timing, really. If the Springboks had asked me probably maybe two years ago, then it is something I would have likely said yes to without any real thought. I did sit down with a few people and discuss whether I could do it, but there would have been far too much to work around.
"Obviously it’s a fantastic opportunity and another great experience that I would have been fortunate to have had. Even after refereeing in a World Cup final, I suppose being part of the coaching team for the reigning world champions isn’t bad either!"
5 out and proud rugby players, including first openly gay All Black
In honour of Pride month, RUCK wanted to celebrate five out and proud rugby stars. Their focus? How we can collectively align to take action that drives change on and off the pitch.
1. Campbell Johnstone
The former All Blacks prop has openly come out as gay. Johnstone becomes the first former All Black to do so, and has received tremendous support for this courageous act.
This is a milestone moment for the All Blacks, who have celebrated the occasion, sharing Campbell’s story on social media.
“If I can be the first All Black that comes out as gay and take away the pressure and the stigma surrounding the whole issue then it can actually help other people. Then the public will know that there is one in amongst the All Blacks.”
“To be able to do that could possibly be one of the final pieces in the puzzle for New Zealand sport…it could be a very vital piece that just gives everyone closure.”
“If I open up that door and magically make that closet disappear, then we’re going to help a lot of people.”
Johnstone played three times for the All Blacks, all in 2005. He made his debut against Fiji, and also took on the British and Irish Lions tourists. Johnstone spent his entire Super Rugby career at the Crusaders, before moving to France in 2009 for a four year tenure at Biarritz.
2. Nick McCarthy
The Leinster scrum-half came out as gay in June 2022, and thanked coaches Leo Cullen and Stuart Lancaster for their “unbelievable” support. McCarthy added that he had previously thought about quitting professional rugby union because of his sexuality.
The 27-year-old added that he had taken strength from the stories of footballer Josh Cavallo and American footballer Carl Nassib, in addition to his former bisexual teammate Jack Dunne.
3. Craig Maxwell-Keys
Maxwell-Keys, who took charge of the 2020 Gallagher Premiership final, eventually decided the time was right to reveal his sexuality to colleagues at Twickenham as well as his local club, Lichfield RFC in 2019.
Now based in Cheltenham, he aims to continue moving up the referees' pecking order - and his experiences since coming out have indicated that sexuality will be no barrier to that.
4. Nigel Owens
All fans, players, and anyone who knows anything about rugby will know the name, Nigel Owens. Besides having the record for most test matches refereed, Owens has earned a reputation as one of the top rugby referees around the world.
The Welshman is also a TV personality and a devoted activist for the LGBT cause, winning “Gay Sports Personality of the Decade” at the Stonewall awards ceremony in London back in 2015.
Referee, Nigel Owens during the Heineken Champions Cup Final Match between Exeter Chiefs and Racing 92 at Ashton Gate, Bristol on the 17 Oct. PHOTO: Phil Mingo/PPAUK
"It's such a big taboo to be gay in my line of work, I had to think very hard about it because I didn't want to jeopardise my career," he confessed.
"Coming out was very difficult and I tried to live with who I really was for years. I knew I was 'different' from my late teens, but I was just living a lie."
Refereeing in as sport like rugby also hindered his decision.
"When I became a referee, it became clear that there was nobody in the sport who was gay.
"The rugby world is very heterosexual and masculine, and this made things difficult.
"Although that’s not to say that the sport is openly homophobic. It was just never an environment where I felt like I could be myself."
5. Jack Dunne
Out pro rugby player Jack Dunne will have a new home next season. The Exeter Chiefs, who play in rugby union’s top division, Premiership Rugby, recently signed the promising young rugger from Leinster, a club in Ireland.
Last year, Dunne publicly came out as bisexual in an interview with the Independent, talking about his desire to be a role model for LGBTQ kids. That’s an impressive goal for any 22 year old.
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