Nigel Owens is a colloquial genius

REFEREES are often chastised for making dubious decisions, but this whistleblower has been calling out players and leaving them feeling more than a little foolish.

Welsh referee Nigel Owens gestures during a Pool C match of the 2015 Rugby World Cup between Tonga and Georgia at Kingsholm stadium in Gloucester, west England, on September 19, 2015. AFP PHOTO / BERTRAND LANGLOIS RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE, NO USE IN LIVE MATCH TRACKING SERVICES, TO BE USED AS NON-SEQUENTIAL STILLS

SCOTLAND were trailing by 14 points early in the second half in their third pool match of the World Cup when one of their players did the unthinkable.

Fullback Stuart Hogg took a clearing kick just out from his goal line, timing it to perfection to miss a heavy collision with Springbok prop Tendai Mtawarira.

Instead of charging down the kick and collecting Hogg, the man they call The Beast simply brushed the Scottish kicker with such delicacy it would barely have shaken a hair on his head.

Hogg, however took exception to the nudge and threw himself to the ground in the most spectacular acting performance of the Cup to date.

When the incident replayed on the big screen for all to see, including referee Nigel Owens, it was the Welshman who stole the show.

Temporarily pausing the game, Owens called the 23-year-old Scot out to discuss the incident — and his comments were simply hilarious.

“I was looking at it. He was committed in the air. There was nothing wrong with it,” Owens said.

“Dive like that again and come back here in two weeks and play. Not again. Watch it.”

The referee was looking to Newcastle United’s English Premier League match against Norwich City as a more appropriate place for Hogg’s antics, suggesting he may be better suited to try his hand at the round ball game.

While commentators dubbed it the “quote of the tournament”, the heckle is not the first to come from the 44-year-old.

Owens has made a name for himself in world rugby, not only as a referee with hilarious banter, but as one whistle-blower most players would dare not to cross.

Mr Hogg, we would advise you don’t mess with Nigel.

At both international and domestic levels, the Welshman has a habit of making players feel as small as possible, despite holding a physical stature barely half the size of most men on the field.

One of his most memorable moments came in 2011 during a domestic game between Irish province Leinster and Welsh side Scarlets.

Following a scuffle between a handful of players, Owens proceeded to call the entirety of both teams to huddle around him as he laid down the law in true school teacher fashion.

As all 30 players fell silent, the ref said his piece.

“What happened here or what happened afterwards I did not see it. It ends there, is that clear? You are adults, you will be treated like adults as long as you act like it,” he said

Owens’ most recent brilliance during Scotland’s match is not the first time he has had a crack at the world game, often reminding players of the contact sport they are playing.

The refereeing veteran made short work of Italian side Treviso’s Tobie Botes during a game against Munster, after the halfback was warned to stop complaining.

“I don’t think we have met before, but I am the referee on this field, not you. Stick to your job and I will do mine. If I hear you shouting for anything again, I’m going to be penalising you. This is not soccer.”

Owens has enough quotes to write a book with, simply too many to include. See the video above for some of his best moments.

Rugby could do well to find more referees who are able to obtain his type of control on the field. Bravo Mr Owens.