#2. BARNES: SUNCORP STADIUM, BRISBANE
Barnes said: “Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium – A stadium which is built up so it feels as if the spectators are on top of the pitch, I’ve refereed two cracking Bledisloe Cup matches there too.”
Embed from Getty Images#2. OWENS: TWICKENHAM, LONDON
Owens said: “It will always be a special place for me because it’s where I took charge of the World Cup final and my first ever Six Nations match, but there is more to this selection than just that. Surprisingly, for a match where the host nation wasn’t involved, with a lot of neutral supporters in the ground, the atmosphere was special.
“I say neutral supporters but it felt like most people in the ground had chosen a team to support, there can’t have been many who weren’t rooting for one team or the other and that added to the occasion. I remember some of the crowd outside wishing me good luck as we walked into the stadium, which was a nice touch..
“I’ve always enjoyed refereeing at Twickenham. I’ve taken charge of England games many times and I always got a great welcome there. It’s a lovely stadium and it’s always full.”
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