Nigel Owens
As the Welsh squad fight off competition for the Six Nations title, referee Nigel Owens will be keeping the Scottish and Italian squads in line when they meet on the pitch as well as going head-to-head with Rowland Phillips in the S4C series, Bwrw'r Bar.
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What have you made of Wales' performances in the opening matches?
They were professional up in Scotland and simply got the job done – it was a must-win game to set up the rest of the competition for them. England gave them a bit of a scare in the Millennium Stadium, but Wales were strong enough to eliminate the threat.
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Warren Gatland's men will face tough tests in the next few weeks with games against France, Italy and Ireland. How do you think they will fare in these games?
I'm quietly confident that the boys can deal with the added pressure after winning the opening games. There are enough players in the squad who have won a Grand Slam in the past (either in 2005 or 2008), and have enough experience and professionalism to maintain the standard. The boys have experience of winning out in Paris, so they have a good chance.
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Which Welsh players have stood out for you in the competition?
Leigh Halfpenny has looked mature as an international winger and he's settled into his new role with ease. Jamie Roberts had a great match against Scotland and Gethin Jenkins shone in the win over England, with a great combination of defence and attack.
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How was your experience of officiating the opening match between Ireland and France?
I really enjoyed the experience. With it being the opening weekend and with the two teams wanting to prove themselves after a disappointing season last year on both accounts, there was quite a lot of added pressure for me.
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What kind of atmosphere was there in Croke Park?
I don't normally take much notice of the atmosphere that's around the stadium because I'm focused on the game itself and the job that I have to do. But in Croke Park, I couldn't help but notice what was going on around me. The stadium is amazing with a capacity of around 80,000 – it was mind-blowing.
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Are you looking forward to officiating in the bottom-of-the-table battle between Scotland and Italy?
Well, it's quite a different game, isn't it? The two teams are in the lower half of the table and the loser is likely to take home the Wooden Spoon at the end of the competition. There is added pressure because of this, but I won't let that affect me on the day.
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What's the best thing about being a referee?
Refereeing was my hobby – it's great that I can now combine my interest with my everyday work. One of the reasons why I enjoy my work as a referee is because I love being in the middle of the buzz and the atmosphere. You're in the wrong job if you don't like people. I even enjoy listening to the banter and the leg-pulling from the terraces, even though sometimes the ref comes across as some sort of clown!
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You're also a captain on the S4C entertainment series, Bwrw'r Bar. Are you a competitive person?
I'm quite a competitive person – I don't like to lose. I'm not very happy at losing in the last episode against Rowland, Dot Davies and Rhys Williams after being in front for most of the time.
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How are you going to bring it back and beat Rowland in the next round?
Let's just hope that next time I get people on my team that know a little bit about sport!