Rugby's top referee Nigel Owens says too many decisions are referred to the TV Match Official (TMO) and that the overreliance on the system is starting to erode public confidence in the man in the middle.

Modern professional matches are routinely punctuated for rulings by the TMO on everything from the scoring of tries to foul play, offside in the build-up to a try and off the ball incidents.

Owens said he accepts the reasoning but that he felt the option was being overused.

“I can understand that people at games want to see the same thing people do at home, or in the hospitality boxes, but replays can make a huge difference – in players reacting on the field, supporters reacting,” he said.

““Personally I think we should go back to where it was five-six years ago where it was only on the goal line – ‘try yes or no?’

“Then, as a team of officials, we would have to work harder and be better at making the decisions that don’t involve the goal line. Things like obstruction, did he come in from the side, forward pass? There are so many things that can go either way and I think you’d probably find that if you make the decision and it’s not replayed then nobody argues with it.

“I also think that would help reduce the issue of players questioning the decision as most of the time they won’t have seen it at all.”