Nigel Owens claims referee ‘should not have moved’ Finn Russell and Maro Itoje ‘illegal’ as Six Nations controversies reviewed
Scotland's Finn Russell after missed conversion against England in Six Nations and former Test referee Nigel Owens.
Respected former Test referee Nigel Owens has admitted that Scotland were hard done by in their Six Nations defeat to England last weekend.
The Welshman reviewed a few key incidents from the Calcutta Cup clash and stated the referee was wrong on a couple of occasions.
It certainly won’t ease the pain for Scotland’s players, coaches or fans after Owens deemed that the match official was wrong to move Finn Russell with his final kick.
After Duhan van der Merwe touched just to the right of the five-metre line, Russell appeared to have got the correct spot with his conversion.
However, the referee was seen moving the fly-half to the left, making the kick more difficult for the playmaker.
He would duly miss the attempt and his side would succumb 16-15 at Twickenham for their second defeat of the 2025 Six Nations.
Finn Russell correct
“There were a few talking points in this game but the one that has really got you talking, probably a day or so after the game, is the Finn Russell missed conversion,” Owens said on World Rugby’s Whistle Watch.
“What we did notice is that afterwards we saw the referee moving Finn Russell three or four metres towards the touchline, whereas the conversion should have been a little bit closer. It should have been pretty much on the five-metre line.
“Would it have made a difference? Well, who knows, but the conversion should have been taken closer to the five-metre line, so he shouldn’t have been moved.”
Owens also addressed the Maro Itoje turnover, which saw the England captain lean over the ruck and steal the ball.
Many claimed it was illegal and the former referee agreed, but he was at pains to state that the action moves so quickly that it is impossible for them to see everything.
“Maro Itoje turnover, was it legal or not? This has been a big discussion for many of you. Let’s remember one thing, the speed of the game, all things happen so quickly,” he said.
“Was Itoje on his feet? Was he supporting his own bodyweight? Remember the referee has to make a decision in a split-second.
“Now, he reaches over and gets on the ball. As long as he’s supporting his own bodyweight, which means he’s not using the ground or the ball to actually be held up, or players beneath him on the ground, then that turnover would be legal.
“But it looks like that stretch could be a little bit too much which means he was not supporting his bodyweight.
“Should Itoje have been penalised? Yes, he should have, but just remember the referee makes a split-second decision there and then, so we can also understand why the referee played on. But after looking at it again, and on numerous occasions, it should have been a penalty.”
Officiating praise
According to Owens, England were fortunate on those occasions and they should also be thankful that the television match official stepped in after a high shot was missed.
On this occasion, the Welshman praised the officials, firstly for spotting the incident but then for coming to the right conclusion with the decision.
“Head contact, Kyle Rowe on Ollie Chessum. Good TMO intervention here, this is what you want the TMO to come in for when the referee hasn’t seen something,” he added.
“The player was upright in contact, but what the officials felt was that it was a low degree of danger because it’s more of a passive tackle, he was absorbing rather than going in to the player. On this occasion, the referee gave the right decision of just a penalty.”
READ MORE: Ex-Scotland star claims Calcutta Cup defeat ‘so Scottish’ after referee ‘bottled’ England game
