Former Test referee Nigel Owens says there can be no excuse for abusing match officials after Los Pumas flyhalf Tomás Albornoz’s actions towards Angus Gardner last week.
Owens weighed in after the fallout from England’s Nations Championship win in Santiago del Estero, which ended in controversy when Bautista Delguy was denied what would have been a match-levelling try, following consultation with the TMO.
The decision sparked an outburst from Argentina’s Albornoz, who has since been charged with misconduct by World Rugby after making contact with Gardner.
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Speaking on World Rugby’s Whistle Watch, Owens said the reaction from the players as well as supporters crossed the line.
“What you don’t want is it to spill over into disagreement and players running up to referees and then all the sort of abuse on social media that comes from it, which is totally, totally unacceptable,” the Welshman said.
“Walking off the pitch and then abuse from the crowd, something being chucked, is not a part of the game and should never be part of the game, and that needs to be dealt with fairly but very strictly as well.”
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Owens also backed the officials’ decision to rule out Delguy’s late effort: “Do I think they probably got it right? I think they have.”
He described it as “a really tight one”, saying either outcome would have divided opinion.
Owens believes the bigger lesson lies in how the review was handled, arguing that the lengthy exchange between Gardner and the TMO only fuelled uncertainty.
TOMÁS ALBORNOZ citado por World Rugby
El apertura de Los Pumas acusado de “mala conducta” en el procedimiento por abuso de árbitros
Regla 18 – Código de conducta
Cada vez que veo la última jugada es más inentendible la decisión de A.Gardner & B.Cronan pic.twitter.com/JcBjbjkwbo
— Fran Capizzi
(@Fran_Capizzi) July 22, 2026
Photo: Nations Championship/Getty Images
The post Nigel slams ref ‘abuse’ in Argentina appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.
Former Test referee Nigel Owens says there can be no excuse for abusing match officials after Los Pumas flyhalf Tomás Albornoz’s actions towards Angus Gardner last week.
The post Nigel slams ref ‘abuse’ in Argentina appeared first on SA Rugby magazine. Read More
