Nigel Owens has received widespread criticism for his performance in the All Blacks' 24-21 win over England last weekend and it's been reported he also received homophobic abuse during the match by a section of the crowd at Twickenham.
The Welsh referee, who is openly gay, has been a central talking point from the match for a number of controversial calls.
The Guardian reported that they received a number of letters following the match, including some about homophobic abuse directed at Owens.
"As a lifelong rugby fan, a straight man in his 60s, I could not believe that a bunch of men half my age watching a rugby match in the 21st century could be capable of hurling such nasty, foul-mouthed, racist, homophobic abuse at an openly gay match official," Keith Wilson of South Yorkshire wrote to the Guardian.
"My equally disgusted son is in his 30s but next to him, hearing this vitriol, was a little boy. I felt ashamed."
Wilson suggested that "if it had been a football match they'd have been thrown out".
