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The Six Nations is always a magical time of the year - for players, coaches, administrators and the wonderful fans whose passion and presence in large numbers makes it one of the greatest sporting tournaments on earth, in my eyes.

Take it from me, it's just as special for us referees. A competition you want to be involved in, probably every bit as much as the World Cup, and I've been fortunate to have been a participant for 13 years. Even more time since my first involvement as an assistant referee and even a TMO, believe it or not!

I can remember my first game as a referee, England versus Italy at Twickenham back in 2007, as if it were yesterday. That was extra special and in a way tomorrow's Le Crunch between France and England in Paris, which I've been handed the honour of refereeing, could also be something of a landmark match for me.

Why? Because there is a chance, I have to admit, it could end up being the last Six Nations match I referee.

I guess I will know more by the end of the next seven to eight weeks when the tournament is over.

The powers-that-be will begin the cycle for the next World Cup, bring through newer and younger referees for 2023 in France. If I'm not to be around for that, they may not consider me for future Six Nations, but we'll have to wait and see.

On a personal note, I've also got to be honest and say I'm torn a little on the subject of my future. It may be time for me to call time on the international stage, at least, for myself.

A little part of me is ready to finish for personal reasons. When you are doing this job you are away so much, your time is not your own, you can't do the normal things other human beings are able to do at home day to day, week to week.

For example, I've got lots of animals at home that I need to tend to. Two dogs, 25 herd of cattle. Pedigree Hereford. I used to work on a farm so always wanted to have cattle of my own one day.

I do get great help, to be fair, from others who look after things when I'm away, but it can be very time consuming and I also want to spend more time at home with those close to me, especially my dad and my partner Barrie.

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We have to attend lots of refereeing camps, sometimes I don't get to know where I will be travelling abroad until just three weeks in advance, the World Cup, of course, was a big time away from home. Eight weeks in total, although I must stress I thoroughly enjoyed the experience of Japan and everything that went with it.

And therein, then, is the other part of the dilemma. Whilst part of me wants to be at home more regularly, the other part of me wants to carry on doing the job I love so much.

If I'm still performing at the top of the game, enjoying it as much as always, and know deep down I can go on for at least another couple of years, why should I give it up? But I also don't want to go on too much time, with people saying 'he's past his best.'

It's about getting the balance right and within my own thought process this is the space I'm currently in.

I will know a lot more, I guess, when this Six Nations is up.

Yes, I'm preparing for the fact this weekend could be my last game in the great tournament, but would that be the right thing for me?

Mid-March will tell us, I suppose. Whatever, as per always I will give everything to perform to the very best of my ability in Le Crunch on Sunday afternoon.

If that does end up being my last Six Nations match, what a way it would have been to bow out.

There is always something that whets the appetite about this fixture. Not just for France and England fans, but also for Welsh, Irish, Scottish and Italian supporters who invariably tune in to see how the game goes between two great rugby nations, who have such wonderful tradition and rivalry.

I've had the honour of doing this match quite a few times. In fact, with the Bledisloe Cup, it's probably the international fixture I've refereed more than any other.

One of my abiding memories was the 2015 clash at Twickenham, which was the final match of Super Saturday, the year the title see-sawed from one country to another within a space of a few hours.

Momentarily, Wales had their hand on the Championship by piling up 61 points against Italy in Rome.

Then it was Ireland's crown for a while as they triumphed 40-10 in Scotland, meaning England needed to beat France by 26 points to take the title themselves.

It was a phenomenal game, played out in front of 83,000 at Twickenham and millions watching on TV, as the two teams went hammer and tongs at one another. It finished 55-35 to England. They ended up just one try short of the title in what had been a pulsating affair full of brilliant, fast and adventurous rugby.

(Image: Getty Images)

There is so much to look forward to tomorrow as well, even if as the first match, it might not necessarily flow as much as that 2015 game!

France have a new set-up at the helm, with Shaun Edwards part of that. They have picked a very young and exciting squad and lots of people are anticipating a return of the old Gallic flair.

England are a formidable team, having played brilliant rugby at the World Cup and, in particular, during their semi-final triumph over New Zealand. I saw first hand just how good they were that day because I was in the middle refereeing the action as it unfolded.

Okay, they would have been disappointed they didn't perform in the final as they did in that semi, but they will be expecting to bounce back again in this Six Nations.

The driving force for me will be to enjoy myself, do my best for the two sets of players on show, and hopefully come away from Paris with people talking about the rugby, not Nigel Owens.

As a referee you will always have ammunition thrown at you, people making issues of so-called controversial decisions. That goes with the territory, particularly in a match as big as this one when the scrutiny is so intense. My job, in conjunction with the team of officials around me, is to mitigate against that as best possible by making the right calls as often as we can.

I intend to enjoy the day from build-up to aftermath. It's the whole experience that makes it so special - the pre-match atmosphere; the walk out of the tunnel into the arena with the crowd already cheering loudly; standing there to hear La Marseillaise sung in full voice. That, at a packed out Stade de France, is something very special, for sure.

Believe me, when you're in the middle of the two teams, each singing their own anthem with such passion and meaning, it really is wonderful.

Then we have the game itself, of course, and plus savouring everything afterwards, when hopefully it has gone well.

As I mentioned earlier, I still remember the events leading up to, during and after my first Six Nations match back in 2007.

I was quite nervous, understandably. I was suddenly refereeing the likes of Jonny Wilkinson and Matt Dawson, plus other members of England's 2003 World Cup winning side.

Wilkinson kicked five penalties and Jason Robinson scored a try as England ran out 20-7 victors and for me the game seemed to go well.

What meant so much, though, was when my assessor, the Frenchman Michel Lamoulie, came to the dressing room after the game and said simply, 'Nigel, well done.' Those words were hugely important in terms of giving me a confidence boost as a young referee.

This year we have Andrew Brace, originally from Cardiff but who represents Irish refereeing, doing his first Six Nations match and the more support the more experienced hands among us, like myself, can offer, the better.

After Le Crunch, I'm actually back in Paris the following weekend, acting as touch judge for Andrew and will pass on as much of my own experience as I can. Just as previous experienced referees and others helped me so much at Twickenham 13 years ago.

Andrew has a wonderful refereeing career in front of him and as the guy who took the WRU Level One referees' course he was on many years ago at Llandaff RFC, it gives me great pride to see where he is today.

It's been a fabulous time for me since my own refereeing debut in this tournament. France v England, in fact, will be my 98th Test match. When I started refereeing at 16, doing a local game in the Dewar Shield National Schools competition, I never thought I would have achieved as much as I have done.

But I've never once taken it for granted, always strived to do my very best in every single match - whether it is Le Crunch, the World Cup final, PRO14 or a local village game back home in Wales.

Will this be my final Six Nations match? As I say, we'll probably know more towards the end of March.

But enjoy a fabulous tournament, everyone. The Six Nations really is an extra special competition in the sporting calendar.