Why Nigel Owens said NO to Rassie Erasmus’ Springbok offer: We’re starting a family!

Retired Wales referee Nigel Owens has declined an offer to join the Springboks coaching team for the upcoming Rugby World Cup in France.

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SA Rugby Director of Rugby, Rassie Erasmus, had hoped to bring Owens on board as the team’s new referee coach to assist in defending the title they won in Japan four years ago.

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However, as reported by The South African website, Owens said ‘thanks, but no thanks’ to the Springboks and he explained in his latest weekly WalesOnline column on Saturday why he had reached that decision.

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Nigel Owens wrote: “It goes without saying really that to be asked to become part of the coaching team for a side like the Springboks was incredibly exciting and, of course, a huge honour. It’s something that I would have enjoyed doing without a shadow of a doubt. But yet, as I told Rassie this week, I have decided to say no.

“While it is a great privilege to have even been considered for the role, it has simply come at the wrong time in my life. I have still got a lot of commitments here in Wales at the moment and while a few years ago I may have been able to set off for South Africa and spend time away from home for six months, I can’t really do that anymore.

“I have got to think about the farm and all the work that goes with that, as well as my current roles with the WRU, URC and World Rugby. Between overseeing the refereeing academy, coaching officials and doing Whistle Watch, I have got more than enough going on to keep me busy.

“But 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.

Nigel Owens’ partner is a primary school teacher

“There is not too much I can say at the moment about the process itself, but we are both incredibly excited. It’s something that we have spoken about for a few years now and it’s taken a while to get here, but now that it is happening we can’t wait.

“As any parent will tell you, there is 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.

“I could have brought plenty to the table, but it just wasn’t going to work. Rassie has been very understanding all the way through this and I wish him and the team the best of luck when September comes around.”

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.

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