Nigel Owens kindly sat down with us to discuss Brian O'Driscoll as part of our #Thirteen campaign with O2, with the Welshman saying 'it's always been a pleasure to referee him.'
He describes O'Driscoll as one of the greatest rugby players ever – a great man on and off the field. Owens mentions a recent example where BOD got in touch with him to commend the referee on speaking out about Neil Francis' comments on gay people in sport.
Owens said:
He sent a message saying well done on speaking sensibly. You've done a lot, not only for gay people in sport but for straight people as well.
So I thought, you know, he didn't have to do that and neither did some of the other players as well. It took a good man to do that, I thought.
Also watch: Brian O’Driscoll Tributes Roll In From Across The World
The referee talks about one match of O'Driscoll's in particular that sticks out in his memory:
Because you're concentrating so much on the game [as referee], you tend to be oblivious of what's happening around you, how great the game is, somebody's performance in the game...
On only a couple of occasions that's happened and one them was Bath against Leinster and Brian O'Driscoll just played out of this world.
You can watch the interview here.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZqhJa_dQKFA
