Owens keen to continue

Refereeing the ‘‘fast, furious’’ All Blacks-England Rugby World Cup semifinal has helped convince Nigel Owens to continue his whistle-blowing career.

The Welshman, 48, wrote in his Wales Online column that ‘‘those wanting to see the back of me should cancel the parties’’.

Owens – widely regarded as the world’s best referee – said he realised ‘‘it’ll be a push to make it through to the [World Cup] tournament in France in 2023’’.

‘‘But what I’m going to do is just keep refereeing and see what my performance level is like.

‘‘I am not going to call it quits when I am happy with the way I am doing my job, when my performance reviews tell me I am still at the top of my game and when my peers are telling me as much as well.’’

Owens, a test referee for 15 years, said he believed ‘‘experience counts’’, but ‘‘in so many careers, people are too quick to write off those with miles on the clock’’.

The 2019 tournament in Japan was Owens’ fourth World Cup. He tweaked a hamstring in the semifinal and was restricted to the fourth referee role in the final, won by South Africa.

Owens said: ‘‘The probability is the England v New Zealand semifinal was my last at a global tournament and if it does turn out that way, then I can think of worse ways to leave the big stage. It was a classic, fast, furious and exciting from beginning to end.’’

After the semifinal, Owens said he shed a tear when rival captains Kieran Read (All Blacks) and Owen Farrell (England) signed the match ball for him.