Gloucester: Friends raise thousands in memory of rugby campaigner
Setting off from the Gloucester Rugby Club stadium in Kingsholm, Gloucester, on Friday morning, the group ended their cycle in Cardiff in the afternoon.Former Welsh international Ian Gough, who took part in the cycle, has been part of Progressive Rugby since its inception. He told the BBC the organisation's aim was to make sure the game was "as safe as it possibly can be". "We don't want to take out the contact or what makes rugby great, but it's about making it safe so everyone can enjoy it," he added.
Of Friday's cycling challenge he said: "If anyone wants to come out and push me up any hills or install a battery in my bike, I'm down."That's what rugby is like, when you're going through a bit of a dark place you've got your mates around to help and give you a little push," he added. "When you feel a bit better further on down the track, you can reciprocate that."
Retired orthopaedic surgeon Prof John Fairclough, who was involved in the development of sports medicine and research in Wales and is a fellow member of Progressive Rugby, said: "It's terribly important that we recognise the impact that Tom made. "He brought together a group of people who were involved in concussions in sport, and injuries in sport, which produce long-term problems."The most important thing that Tom did was leave a legacy. It's incredible that after five years he managed to generate such a following of people who wanted to support what he had, which was the wish to carry on."To not stop rugby, which was his passion, but rather to make rugby the game that we all love, but to recognise there are dangers. "The legacy of Tom is the fact that we're all here today, all supporting people in the cycle race."
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Wales Online
an hour ago
- Wales Online
Tonight's rugby news as former Wales captain lays out his blueprint for game and trio fly home after major shock
Tonight's rugby news as former Wales captain lays out his blueprint for game and trio fly home after major shock The latest headlines from Wales and around the world General view inside the Principality Stadium (Image: Huw Evans Picture Agency) These are your evening rugby headlines on Sunday, August 17. Ex-Wales captain lays out blueprint Former Wales captain Paul Thorburn has re-affirmed his blueprint for the future of Welsh rugby, saying that the number of regions must be cut from four to two with the surviving regions to be wholly owned by the Welsh Rugby Union. The WRU will shortly be entering into a formal consultation process with a number of key stakeholder to decide the optimal structure for the professional game in Wales, with its long-term future set to be decided by the end of October. Sources within the game say a reduction of professional clubs from four to two is highly likely, while changes to the ownership model will also be considered. Sign up to Inside Welsh rugby on Substack to get exclusive news stories and insight from behind the scenes in Welsh rugby. And Thorburn, who won 37 caps for Wales and has long been vocal about the need to 'shake up' Welsh rugby, believes that a halving of the number of professional sides is the right move, as he proposed the formation of 'East' and 'West' teams. "The two surviving regions must be wholly owned by the Welsh Rugby Union,' the 62-year-old told The Rugby Paper. 'Where East Wales and West Wales play their home matches is a matter to be discussed. 'It is imperative that we recreate the importance of our club game which used to be the envy of the world. Below that, the community game should not be based on leagues because all that has done is fuel payments to players, money the game can ill afford to lose. Article continues below 'Do I have any reservations about going down to two regional teams which will cause fury and anger?," he added. "No, because if they are well run and the pathway to the top works efficiently the whole game will flourish.' It comes after former Neath full-back Thorburn told BBC Radio Wales that he supported the idea of bringing the regions under the control of the WRU. "I think the writing has been on the wall for some time that the game is walking a very thin tightrope," he said earlier this year. "Let's be fair and honest, Welsh rugby is never going to compete financially with the likes of France, England and Ireland. Never have done, never will do. "I've been an advocate for, I have to say, trying to bring the regions within the control of the Union - albeit I'm not saying the Union is brilliantly administered necessarily. "But it certainly needs a better structure where we're all working collaboratively," he added. "In our history, we've had problems with our clubs, then regions, with some going financially in a very difficult position. There's no consistency, that's the problem. "I think we now need to have a better working model, where everyone is working together. I don't believe that has been the case over the years." Wallabies trio forced to fly home Australia are counting the cost of their remarkable comeback win over South Africa in their Rugby Championship opener, with three players forced to fly home with injury. Joe Schmidt's side stunned the Springboks as they came from 22-0 down to claim their first win on South African soil since 2011 in style, knocking Rassie Erasmus' men off top spot in the global rankings in the process. Despite falling behind in the opening quarter, the Wallabies rallied to score 38 unanswered points and leave Ellis Park as 38-22 winners, in a result that shocked the rugby world. However, while Schmidt had plenty to celebrate come the full-time whistle, he has been dealt a new double injury blow with wing Dylan Pietsch and prop James Slipper both ruled out of the second Test in Cape Town on Saturday. Pietsch suffered a broken jaw in the first half of the clash in Johannesburg, while the experienced Slipper failed a concussion test after the match. The pair will both now return to Australia in the coming days, joining fly-half Ben Donaldson, who suffered an abductor strain in training ahead of Saturday's match. There is also concern over the fitness of captain Harry Wilson, who pulled up in discomfort after scoring the second of two tries at Ellis Park. Wing Filipo Daugunu, prop Rhys van Nek and centre Hamish Stewart have now been called into the squad by Schmidt and will link up with their team-mates this week. Kay: Crack down on cheating Former England international Ben Kay has called for a crackdown on cheating in rugby, expressing concerns that an increasing number of players are attempting to sway referees with dramatic reactions to collisions. The 2003 Rugby World Cup winner's comments come after much of the British & Irish Lions tour was dominated by debate over an incident involving Wales captain Jac Morgan. The Ospreys back rower found himself at the heart of controversy after clearing out Wallabies flanker Carlo Tizzano at the breakdown in the dying moments of the match, with Hugo Keenan scoring a dramatic series-winning try later in the same move. There was anger in the Wallabies camp that Morgan's clearout was dangerous, but Tizzano soon came under fire himself for what was widely judged to be an overly dramatic reaction to the hit, having theatrically fallen to the ground clutching his head. Now, Kay has called for action to be taken to avoid such a reaction becoming the norm, warning that rugby's established reputation as a sport based on fairness and honesty is at stake. 'Sadly, we are seeing more and more diving coming into our sport which, we have always said, sets us apart from the likes of football," the Leicester Tigers legend told The Rugby Paper. 'We've always prided ourselves on rugby being a tough game and we don't have people trying to cheat a penalty or get a refereeing decision. 'We saw Tizzano rolling out from the ruck against the Lions and holding his head. If hadn't rolled out clutching his head the way he did it wouldn't have been looked at. 'But this is just part of a wider picture in the modern club and international game. Article continues below "It's something that has crept into rugby a bit, particularly with people worried about player safety and welfare," he added. 'It's important not to allow it to become the norm because, as we've seen in football, it puts those who do it in a poor light, makes rugby look bad and also puts added pressure on officials who have a tough enough job as it is.'
Daily Mirror
3 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac name key to Wrexham success with record set straight
Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac have credited Wrexham's meteoric rise to manager Phil Parkinson and his players, saying their hands-off style lets them bond closely with the squad Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac believe leaving football decisions to the experts has been key to their success at Wrexham. The two Hollywood stars have transformed the Welsh side's fortunes since buying the club in February 2021. The Red Dragons have climbed from non-league obscurity into the Championship after registering three straight promotions. Reynolds and Mac have been praised in many quarters for their approach to running the football club, but the pair insist any success is down to manager Phil Parkinson and his staff, along with the players. The co-owners were in attendance at the Racecourse Ground on Saturday to watch Wrexham's first home game in the second tier in 43 years. Unfortunately, there was no fairytale ending as their team suffered a 3-2 defeat to West Bromwich Albion, but both men were in good spirits ahead of the game. READ MORE: Ryan Reynolds explains awkward moment with Wrexham's record signing - 'Got my leg in my mouth' Speaking to Sky Sports, Reynolds also highlighted another benefit to distancing themselves from playing matters, as it allows them to form a closer bond with the team. "We have a very hands-off management style," said the Deadpool actor. "Our job is to listen, learn, and tell the story, and that's a great position for any owner to be in. "We don't make football decisions, and the great gift of that is that we're able to have relationships with the players at Wrexham, whereas most people in our position can't. We have a relationship with every single one of our players." The positive connection the duo have with players was evident after the final whistle as they caught up with former Wrexham man Steven Fletcher, who was at the match working as a pundit for ITV. The veteran striker was released from the club in May, with the 38-year-old making it clear in a post on social media that he would've preferred to stay. However, there was no animosity on show as he walked across the pitch laughing and joking with the celebrity owners. Mac, who recently filed to legally change his surname from McElhenney, admitted he was also surprised by the plaudits bestowed upon him and Reynolds. "It's interesting to get accolades when you hear people say, 'Oh, you guys have done a pretty good job at the club.' The truth is we don't really have anything to do with what happens out on the pitch," he insisted. "We've got our very specific job, which is to be clowns and to tell the story as best we can, but to be as respectful as we possibly can of what Phil does on the pitch." Wrexham have failed to register any points in their first two Championship games after losing their opener at Southampton 2-1. But Parkinson insists there is no need to push the panic button, despite urging his players to rediscover their "grittiness" in defence. Speaking after the West Brom game, he told The Leader: "The game is won and lost in both boxes ultimately and the goals we conceded were too soft, it's as simple as that. "We've got to find a tenacity and defend our box better. The chances we had, could we have made the keeper work more? Yes of course, but the goals were just too soft. "We've had starts to seasons like this before; in League Two. I remember where we were doing a lot of good things like defending properly, and we've got to get that grittiness back in our game." He added: "A lot of the football was really good and we showed that we can compete at the level. But I didn't see too many times our players were getting freedom and space in their penalty box. We've got to look at that, and we will do, starting on Monday morning." Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. Sign up to our newsletter! Wrexham is the Game is great new way to get top-class coverage Wrexham AFC is the arguably the fastest-growing club in the world at the moment thanks to a certain Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney. The Dragons have achieved two consecutive promotions and are cheered on by crowds from not only North Wales but also from all over the globe, thanks to the success of the Disney+ documentary 'Welcome to Wrexham'. But does it have a dedicated, quality source of information piped through to your inbox each week, free of ads but packed with informed opinion, analysis and even a little bit of fun each week? That's where Wrexham is the Game steps in... Available every Wednesday, it provides all the insights you need to be a top red. And for a limited time, a subscription to 'Wrexham is the Game' will cost fans just £15 for the first year.
South Wales Guardian
4 hours ago
- South Wales Guardian
Ryan Reynolds says he and Rob McElhenney don't make Wrexham ‘football decisions'
Wrexham have had a meteoric rise under their Hollywood owners, becoming the first team in the history of English football's top five divisions to secure three successive promotions. Reynolds and McElhenney were at the SToK Cae Ras on Saturday to watch Wrexham play their first home game in the second tier of English football since May 1982. But there was no Hollywood ending as West Brom won 3-2 to leave the Red Dragons without a Championship point after two games. 'We have a very hands-off management style,' Deadpool star Reynolds told Sky Sports. 'Our job is to listen, learn, and tell the story. And that's I think a great position for any ownership group to be in, to really just be there to support and tell the story. 'We don't make football decisions. And it's actually the great gift of that is that we're able to have relationships with the players at Wrexham, whereas most people in our position can't. 'So we have a relationship with every single one of our players.' The Welsh club's commercial success – fuelled by Reynolds and McElhenney's celebrity status and the award-winning 'Welcome to Wrexham' documentary series – has allowed them to invest heavily in Phil Parkinson's squad with nine summer signings. Wrexham have broken their transfer record three times this summer and Wales striker Nathan Broadhead, signed from Ipswich in a deal worth up to £10million, made his debut against West Brom. McElhenney said: 'It's interesting to get accolades when you hear people say, 'Oh, you guys have done a pretty good job with the club. 'The truth is we don't really have anything to do with what happens out on the pitch. 'We've got our very specific job, which is to be clowns and to tell the story as best we can. 'But also to be as respectful as we possibly can to what Phil does on the pitch and what the executive team, Michael (Williamson) and Shaun (Harvey) and Humphrey (Ker) and everybody does off the pitch. 'We just have an incredible team and we just get to sit back and be fans and document the process.'
