International Rugby Union Referee - Nigel Owens
What is making the sport so popular today?
The Interview · BBC World Service
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Show Notes
Zeinab Badawi speaks to Nigel Owens, the Welshman who refereed the recent Rugby World Cup final and is one of the most respected professionals in the game. It has not been an easy journey to the top of the game for him - as a gay man in a macho sport, he has suffered depression and contemplated suicide. How has the world of rugby embraced him and what is making the sport so popular today?
(Photo: Referee Nigel Owens of Wales awards a penalty during the 2015 Rugby World Cup Final. Credit: Getty Images)