Nigel Owens has revealed the pet hate of his that the match officials missed during the second Test of the Wallabies v British & Irish Lions series.
The incident in question occurred in the 62nd minute of the game when referee Andrea Piardi awarded a penalty to the Lions after Langi Gleeson failed to release the ball after being tackled on the halfway line.
Finn Russell gets away with one
Owens had no issue with the decision at the breakdown, but what occurred thereafter, as fly-half Finn Russell kicked the ball to touch, setting up a lineout five metres from the Wallabies’ try-line.
“What a kick, if he walked down and put it there, it could not have been in a better place,” Sky Sports commentator Miles Harrison hailed.
It was, in fact, a fantastic line kick from the Scotsman, but one that irked former referee Owens, who believes that it should have been retaken.
Asked on World Rugby’s Whistle Watch if Russell took the kick in front of the mark, Owens replied: “He certainly did.
“It’s a little pet hate of mine. It happened when I was refereeing games too, but sometimes you don’t notice until you sit down and review the match afterwards.
“You give the penalty and then the kicker starts his run up from where you gave the penalty and then goes a couple of metres before he kicks it. Finn Russell certainly does that in this situation.
“So what should have happened here is the referee should have called him back and told him to take it again on or behind the mark.
“Now would he have got you a touch? He probably would have. Would he have been as close to the try-line? Who knows? But yes, you should be taking the penalty on the mark, not a few metres in front of it.”
Nigel Owens weighs in on debatable Wallabies and Lions tries as referee must apply ‘common sense’
“If he walked down and put it there… it could not have been in a better place.” 🎯#Lions2025 @finn_russell pic.twitter.com/MT5GUZTiov
— British & Irish Lions (@lionsofficial) July 29, 2025
The Lions failed to capitalise from the ensuing lineout, with Carlo Tizzano winning a penalty for the Wallabies at the breakdown. Tom Lynagh failed to find touch with his kick, with the play ending with a scrum to the Wallabies between their 22 and 10 metre line.
Right call on the non-50:22
Owens also weighed in on Russell’s kick in the fifth minute of the match with the fly-half taking the restart quickly after the Wallabies opened the scoring with the penalty.
His kick-off caught the hosts off guard as the ball bounced before crossing the touchline five metres out from the Wallabies’ try-line.
The former referee was asked why it was not deemed to be a 50:22 with Australia being awarded the lineout.
“A 50:22 only applies in general play. So, it does not apply when it’s a kick-off or a restart, so that is the reason,” Owens explained.
“The key point is the restart or kick-off, the 50:22 does not apply only in open play. So rightly a lineout but an Australian throw-in.”