Nigel Owens: Retired ref wants measured reaction to rugby drunks

Nigel Owens warned against knee jerk reactions to drunkenness

Retired rugby ref Nigel Owens has warned against knee-jerk reactions to drunkenness at the Principality Stadium.

But he said fans drinking and "falling about" should not be at rugby games and should be removed.

During Saturday's match an 80-year-old man was injured after an altercation between two other men.

The WRU, Mr Owens said, would deal with problems as they arose adding: "That's what I think we need to do."

Speaking on Radio Wales Drive, he said "everybody" wanted to knock the governing body at the moment and called on people to be "sensible".

He added: "We need to reassure people who go there with the family and the kids, (that they) can go there and feel safe and not have to worry about somebody falling over them and spilling beer on them.

"And obviously as well the people who want to go there and be sensible and have a few beers.

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"So what we don't want is a knee-jerk reaction and spoil it for everybody."

The atmosphere at the Wales-New Zealand game, which the visitors won 55-23, was criticised as being "flat" by some who said fans spent their time at the bar instead of watching the match.

Ex-Wales and British and Irish Lions player, John Devereux, said: "When I was a boy, I would go to the stadium on a bus with my rugby club, my friends.

He believed "everybody" wanted to knock the WRU and called on people to be "sensible"

"Yes, there was drinking prior to the game, but not during the game and it was all good humour.

"It's just become the trend and the norm now that people feel they have to drink non-stop during the game."

Because so many were queueing for drinks the atmosphere, he said, was "dead".

"It was flat, there was no singing," he said.

Wales fan Kate Jarvis travelled from Kent to be there.

She agreed the mood was "flat" and people seemed distracted.

"Once the haka had been done, everyone started getting up and down, up and down," she said.

"I think I spent more time up, than I did actually watching the game, letting people through."

During the match, which the All Blacks won 55 to 23, an 80-year-old man was injured

The injured 80-year-old man is still in hospital.

South Wales Police said a 32-year-old had been released under investigation and a 20-year-old had been bailed.

The WRU previously said it was cooperating with police.

A spokesman said: "We are extremely sorry to hear that a supporter was injured during the incident."

South Wales Police asked witnesses to get in touch.

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