Tonight's rugby news as Liam Williams in plea for new club and Scotland international dies at 49
The latest rugby news stories from Wales and beyond
Liam Williams of Wales
(Image: 2025 Franco Arland )
Here are the latest rugby headlines on the evening of Saturday, May 10.
Liam Williams in plea for new club
Wales full-back Liam Williams has confirmed he is looking for a new club after seeing his time at Saracens ended by injury.
Williams signed for the English giants in November after a spell in Japan but suffered a knee injury during the opening match of the Six Nations against France and has not played a game of rugby since. He has been recovering over the past few months and is progressing well.
But his time with Saracens, who he previously played for between 2017 and 2020 is now coming to and end. Join WalesOnline Rugby's WhatsApp Channel here to get the breaking news sent straight to your phone for free
It remains to be seen if he is fit enough to tour with Wales in Japan this summer.
Appearing on the Sportin Wales podcast, hosted by former team-mate Alex Cuthbert, the full-back said: "I had surgery on my knee 12 weeks ago. I had an MRI yesterday and should get the results of that this morning and it all feels great.
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"I'll be looking for a club after that. It's nice going into training. I've enjoyed it over the last 12 years so if there's any clubs out there who want me for an extra year, sign me up."
Cuthbert said: "Hopefully you will be picked up. I'm sure there are plenty of clubs out there looking for an experienced man like yourself."
Williams, who currently has 93 Wales caps, still wants to continue his international career in the hope of reaching his century.
"I think I've got a couple of years left, to be honest with you." he told WalesOnline earlier this year.
"My aim is to get 100 caps for Wales and if that happens it is the icing on the cake and if it doesn't then it doesn't that is just the way it is. But that's my aim.
Ex-Scottish rugby star dies
Former Scotland A international Graham Dall has died at the age of just 49, it has been announced.
Back rower Dall was a fine player, representing Scotland A nine times and playing for Edinburgh Reivers in the early 2000s. Tributes have poured in across Scottish rugby, with the Scottish Rugby Uion descrbing him as "an immensely gifted flanker and a proven and charismatic leader".
Former team-mate Duncan Hodge paid tribute to Dall, saying: 'Graham Dall was like a modern-day open side. He was 6ft 1ins and 102 kg and he could do the defensive chores and the jackling, but it was his attacking game – he played like a back! – that marked him as a class operator.
"He was one of those guys that you just wanted on your team. He was a tough, tough competitor with a skill level that not a lot of people could match.
'Most of us who played in that crossover period between the amateur and professional game, spent a lot of time with him and forged friendships forever. Graham was such a great man, great captain and great bloke. It's a very sad day.'
Dall went on to become an orthopaedic surgeon, working in the NHS at the Borders General Hospital in Melrose, specialising in ankle and foot surgery.
His younger brother Andrew was capped against Wales in Cardiff in 2003 and was also a Scotland age-grade cap and mainstay of the Edinburgh professional team.
Bristol win big Cardiff event
By Andrew Baldock, PA Rugby Union Correspondent
Bristol kept themselves firmly in Gallagher Premiership play-off contention after beating west country rivals Bath 36-14 at the Principality Stadium.
The Premiership's first game in Wales attracted a crowd of 51,095, with an occasion Bristol billed as the club's 'Big Day Out' not disappointing under a closed roof.
Bristol's bonus-point win took them third ahead of next Friday's crunch away clash against play-off rivals Sale Sharks.
And while a much-changed Bath – head of rugby Johann Van Graan made 13 changes following a European Challenge Cup semi-final victory over Edinburgh with his team already assured of Premiership top spot – battled hard, they came up short.
Bristol prevailed despite collecting four yellow cards and twice being temporarily reduced to 13 players as discipline frequently let them down.
Gabriel Ibitoye, Rich Lane, Fitz Harding, Gabriel Oghre, Will Capon and Viliame Mata scored Bristol's tries, with AJ MacGinty kicking three conversions, while Ciaran Donoghue and Ewan Richards touched down for Bath, both converted by Donoghue.
Cardiff's hopes go down to wire
Cardiff's hopes of securing a maiden appearance in the United Rugby Championship play-offs will go down to the wire following a 45-21 defeat to Bulls in Pretoria.
Sitting fifth heading into the final two rounds, tough assignments against Bulls and Stormers in South Africa, the game was over for Cardiff by half-time as the home side ran in four tries.
After an early Johan Goosen penalty, Harold Vorster, Wilco Louw, Canan Moodie all crossed, with Goosen and Keagan Johannes (twice) converting, to put Bulls 24-0 ahead just past the first-quarter mark.
Cameron Hanekom secured the bonus-point try for Bulls, Johannes again adding the extras, before the break and Sebastian de Klerk's converted score early in the second half extended their lead.
Cardiff got on the board through Alex Mann, with Ben Thomas adding the extras and, after De Klerk's second try of the game, Teddy Williams and Gabe Hamer-Webb crossed late on, Thomas converting both.
The Welsh side must now hope other results go their way and may also need to beat Stormers on Friday to guarantee a top-eight finish.
Surprise Lions call-up not a shock to team-mate
By Anthony Brown, PA
Zander Fagerson said he was not surprised to see Scott Cummings join him in the British and Irish Lions squad as he backed his fellow Glasgow and Scotland forward to justify his inclusion for this summer's tour of Australia.
The 28-year-old lock was one of the more eye-catching names to make Andy Farrell's 38-man squad as he only returned a fortnight ago from a forearm injury that had sidelined him since January and denied him the chance to enhance his claims in this year's Six Nations.
But prop Fagerson, himself called up for a second consecutive Lions tour, is in no doubt that the unheralded Cummings is fully deserving of his place.
'Not a major surprise to me, no, I always thought Scott had a chance,' said Fagerson. 'I was just absolutely made up for him. I know missing the Six Nations and stuff, he was absolutely devastated.
'But it just shows you how highly regarded he is to go through that and still get selected. I know he'll be absolutely ready to go, and when he does come in, he'll really contribute to the team.'
Fagerson said Cummings would bring a 'calming presence' to the Lions squad.
'Scott's got some attributes to his game which are absolutely top drawer,' said the tighthead. 'Some of his running lines, he's got a soft hand, and also the way he leads the line-out. We've been missing that without him at Glasgow so it's good to see him back playing.
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'I think his game speaks for itself. Solid defender, great attacker. He does his nuts and bolts really well. You can't ask for more from a second rower. There's nothing flash, but it's a very good basis.'
There was some doubt about Fagerson's own inclusion due to the fact he is set to be absent until at least June with a calf injury sustained last month.
'I'm getting there,' said the 29-year-old. 'I'm doing all I can. I'm a fast healer. I'm doing well. I'm on target just now. We'll see what happens.'
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