Tonight's rugby news as Wales legend knighted and Lions star hits back at barbs
Tonight's rugby news as Wales legend knighted and Lions star hits back at barbs
The latest rugby news and headlines from Wales and beyond
Sir Gerald Davies is knighted by the Prince of Wales
(Image: PA )
Here are your rugby evening headlines for Wednesday, June 25.
Wales leave for Japan
Wales have left for Japan ahead of their two-Test tour against the Brave Blossoms. Matt Sherratt's side flew from Heathrow earlier on Wednesday, flying direct to Japan ahead of their first Test in Kitakyushu on July 5.
Wales are likely to receive a warm welcome in Kitakyushu, having made it their base in the 2019 World Cup.
Looking to end their run of 17 straight Test defeats, Wales have two opportunities to do so against Eddie Jones' Japan next month.
Following the first Test in Kitakyushu, they face Japan again in Kobe on July 12.
Sir Gerald Davies calls for more support for volunteers on receiving knighthood
By Harry Stedman, PA
Article continues below
Former Wales rugby star Sir Gerald Davies has called for greater national recognition and support for volunteers after receiving a knighthood at Windsor Castle.
Davies, 80, played for Wales for 12 years in the 1960s and 1970s and won three Grand Slams, and went on to serve as president of the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU).
He was honoured by the Prince of Wales at an investiture ceremony on Wednesday for his services to rugby union, but also for his voluntary and charitable service in Wales.
The former British and Irish Lions wing has been chairman of both the Wales Youth Agency and Cardiff Business Club, while he has also helped out at the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) in St David's.
Speaking about his work after being knighted, Davies told the PA news agency: 'I've done a lot of local things, nothing in a major international sense I don't think, but giving my time, when it's asked for, for small institutions, voluntary contributions to whatever is going on in the community.'
He continued: 'What people don't often recognise or give credit for is the amount of voluntary work that's being done by people right throughout the country, in small clubs, small institutions, but they give up their time freely, without payment, and I think we need to support those in far more than we have done.
'If you put a price on a voluntary contribution, it becomes a huge burden on that institution.
'We need to recognise and praise them more than we do at the moment.' Sign up to Inside Welsh rugby on Substack to get exclusive news stories and insight from behind the scenes in Welsh rugby.
Davies said receiving a knighthood was 'a bit overwhelming', but that he was delighted as it represented 'a major honour' in his life.
Asked about his conversation with William, who is patron of the WRU, he said: 'When I was [WRU] president I was in his company a good deal, because he followed the game and he quite liked rugby, he quite liked the position that he held with Wales and he turned up for the games. I sat next to him so I got to know him quite well.
'We covered a little bit about the Welsh rugby and how wonderful it was to see him again.
'He is great company and very knowledgeable about rugby.'
Wales have finished bottom in the last two editions of the Six Nations, failing to win a match in either tournament, while the side are currently without a permanent head coach following the departure of Warren Gatland.
Davies said the team needed to rediscover 'a winning frame of mind' to start competing for major honours once again.
'The trick is to get that one game, one successful game under your belt, so you can get out of this rut, to gather the momentum to go on to get better results in the future, and that has to happen pretty quickly, I think, in the Welsh set-up at the moment,' he added.
Reflecting on his own playing career, Davies said it was 'a wonderful time altogether' to play rugby for Wales, where he earned 46 caps, as he appeared with the same team-mates for many years.
Lions star hits back at overseas player criticism
British and Irish Lions prop Pierre Schoeman has hit back at criticism over overseas-born tourists, maintaining he has every right to represent the Lions in Australia this summer.
The likes of Lions great Willie John McBride and former England scrum-half Danny Care have questioned the number of foreign-born players selected by head coach Andy Farrell, with McBride saying he was 'bothered' because squads used to consist exclusively of 'native' players.
Scotland prop Schoeman is one of eight Lions players who were born, raised and educated in South Africa, New Zealand or Australia but qualify for their home unions through residency or family lineage.
'If you're good enough to play for your country, you're good enough to play for the Lions and you're selected, then obviously you're going to do that,' said Schoeman.
'Playing for the Lions is massive. Scotland is home for us, my wife and myself. I know that's for the other players as well, like Mack Hansen has made Ireland home.
'You embrace that. You fully take that on. It's like the series Outlander – you move to a different country and now that's your house. You live there.
'If you work for one of the big four in finance, you get the opportunity, you're going to go for it. And you can really make that home.
'But this is much different. To represent the British and Irish Lions, you fully buy into that and its culture. You fully submerge into that. Nothing else matters. Not your past, not the future. It's about the now.
'Yesterday is gone forever, tomorrow might never come, now is the time to live. That's what we do as Lions. It's about the now, this tour. This is what really matters.'
Lions welcome release of Australia duo for Reds duty amid availability dispute
By Duncan Bech, PA Rugby union correspondent, Perth
The British and Irish Lions have welcomed Australia's decision to release two Wallabies back to the Reds amid rising tension between the rivals' top brass.
Hooker Matt Faessler and centre Hunter Paisami will face Andy Farrell's side in Brisbane next Wednesday following a row between Australia head coach Joe Schmidt and Lions chief executive Ben Calveley.
Schmidt was previously only allowing a number of his Western Force players to feature against the tourists in Perth on Saturday, resulting in a warning from Calveley of the hosts' contractual obligations to ensure the Super Rugby franchises field the strongest possible sides.
Calveley and Rugby Australia chief executive Phil Waugh met on Wednesday to discuss the situation, leading to Schmidt's decision to release Faessler and Paisami.
'It's exciting,' Lions assistant coach Andrew Goodman said.
'Hunter is a great player. If you look at the Force players who've been released, I've watched a lot of their rugby this year and they've got an exciting group.
'If you watch a Force team or a Reds team during Super Rugby, it's not an indication of what you're going to get against a Lions team.
Article continues below
'It's a once-in-a-life opportunity for most of those guys, so the level of intensity is going to be through the roof.'
Ireland duo Jamison Gibson-Park and Hugo Keenan are the only doubts ahead of Saturday's showdown with the Force at Optus Stadium because of respective glute and calf injuries.
The Lions on Thursday morning name their team for the Perth opener and Goodman said: 'A couple of them are still in return-to-play and we'll see how they pull up after today (Wednesday).'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
South Wales Guardian
33 minutes ago
- South Wales Guardian
‘What a rush' – Brad Pitt on driving Formula One car as new movie hits cinemas
The Hollywood star, who plays F1 driver Sonny Hayes in the blockbuster film, was recently given the chance to drive McLaren's 2023 car around Austin's Circuit of the Americas. Pitt, 61, had plenty of driving experience – including behind the wheel of modified F2 cars – while filming the movie over the last two years, but was blown away by his first taste of an F1 car. 'Oh my God, what a rush,' Pitt said in a video on McLaren's social media channels. 'A lot bigger horse than I've been on.' Brad Pitt LOVES the MCL60 🤩✅#McLaren | #F1TheMovie — McLaren (@McLarenF1) June 25, 2025 Pitt added on the Beyond the Grid podcast: 'I got to hit 197mph this week. I really wanted to hit 200. You know, it hurts me a little bit – three miles per hour short on the straight. This was at Austin. 'You're so focused, but you're not white knuckling. You're just in this sublime groove. It is really extraordinary. 'I try to explain this feeling of downforce, and I fail every time because you try to say like a rollercoaster, but that's not even right, because you feel the fulcrum point underneath you – you're in it. 'I was in an aerobatic plane once, and it's the closest thing, but still this thing… this is such a unique feeling and an absolute high. I'm still on a high, I really am. I'm just still on a high.' Pitt's fictional rookie team-mate Joshua Pearce is played by British actor Damson Idris. Filming has taken place across multiple races over the last two seasons and F1 chiefs hope the movie will follow the popularity of Netflix's Drive To Survive series in cracking America. Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton is an executive producer on the movie, directed by Joseph Kosinski and co-produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, which will be released in the United States on Friday. Hamilton, 40, posted a picture of himself alongside Pitt as he reflected on the journey he had been on while making the film. 'Four years in the making — what a journey it's been,' Hamilton wrote on Instagram. 'I'm incredibly grateful to everyone at Apple and Warner Bros for believing in us and partnering with such heart and vision. To Joe and Jerry — thank you. I've learned so much from both of you and it's truly been an honour to work alongside you. 'These were taken on our very first day on track, with Brad at Silverstone looking into Copse Corner. What a moment. One of those memories that stick with you.'
South Wales Argus
34 minutes ago
- South Wales Argus
Emma Raducanu hoping to get her head right in time for Wimbledon
Raducanu almost pulled off an incredible comeback in her second-round match against Maya Joint before losing on a final-set tiebreak. The 22-year-old revealed on Tuesday after her opening round win that she had received 'some pretty bad news' and that appeared to affect her against Joint as she looked subdued on court. With her home grand slam around the corner, Raducanu says she needs to focus. 'Unfortunately I couldn't get over the line today but I can get some rest ahead of next week,' she told the BBC. 'I feel quite tired. Just going through some stuff and I need to do my best to get my head in the game ahead of next week. 'Realistically, the turnaround is pretty soon – it's only four days away really that Wimbledon starts. Emma Raducanu loses out to Maya Joint in an Eastbourne thriller Onto @Wimbledon we go #BackTheBrits 🇬🇧 | #LexusEastbourneOpen — LTA (@the_LTA) June 25, 2025 'I think I'm just going to start with (a day off) tomorrow and then hopefully I can get on the court on Friday.' The British number one looked dead and buried in her second-round battle with the Australian, trailing 5-2 in the deciding set. But she produced an inspired spell, breaking Joint three times when she was serving for the match, to set up a tie-break. Victory was in sight when she got a mini-break to lead 4-3 but Joint reeled off four successive points to claim a 4-6 6-1 7-6 (4) victory and move into the quarter-finals. Emma Raducanu was beaten in three sets (Adam Davy/PA) Joint said: 'Today was really tough, there was a lot of ups and downs, I was happy I was able to tough it out at the end. 'I am really glad I was able to win this match.' Jodie Burrage become the second Briton in two days to miss match points to oust former Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova. Twenty-four hours after Harriet Dart spurned victory, Burrage, the British number seven, was 0-40 up on the Czech's serve at 6-5 in the deciding set, but she could not get over the line, with Krejcikova winning the tie-break. Jodie Burrage failed to take match points (Adam Davy/PA) In the men's draw, Dan Evans' recent upturn in form continued with a standout win over world number 13 Tommy Paul. The 35-year-old is trying to find his way back to the top of the game after slumping down the ranking and results like this will help. He ousted the number two seed 6-4 3-6 6-3 to set up a quarter-final tie with American Jenson Brooksby. Lucky loser Billy Harris continued to take advantage of his reprieve, winning 6-3 6-4 against Mattia Bellucci, but British number two Jacob Fearnley is out, losing 6-3 6-1 to Marcos Giron.
Powys County Times
an hour ago
- Powys County Times
Emma Raducanu hoping to get her head right in time for Wimbledon
Emma Raducanu admits she needs to 'get my head in the game' ahead of Wimbledon after she exited the Eastbourne Open. Raducanu almost pulled off an incredible comeback in her second-round match against Maya Joint before losing on a final-set tiebreak. The 22-year-old revealed on Tuesday after her opening round win that she had received 'some pretty bad news' and that appeared to affect her against Joint as she looked subdued on court. Magical Maya 🔮 Joint takes down Raducanu 4-6, 6-1, 7-6(4)! #LexusEastbourneOpen — wta (@WTA) June 25, 2025 With her home grand slam around the corner, Raducanu says she needs to focus. 'Unfortunately I couldn't get over the line today but I can get some rest ahead of next week,' she told the BBC. 'I feel quite tired. Just going through some stuff and I need to do my best to get my head in the game ahead of next week. 'Realistically, the turnaround is pretty soon – it's only four days away really that Wimbledon starts. Emma Raducanu loses out to Maya Joint in an Eastbourne thriller Onto @Wimbledon we go #BackTheBrits 🇬🇧 | #LexusEastbourneOpen — LTA (@the_LTA) June 25, 2025 'I think I'm just going to start with (a day off) tomorrow and then hopefully I can get on the court on Friday.' The British number one looked dead and buried in her second-round battle with the Australian, trailing 5-2 in the deciding set. But she produced an inspired spell, breaking Joint three times when she was serving for the match, to set up a tie-break. Victory was in sight when she got a mini-break to lead 4-3 but Joint reeled off four successive points to claim a 4-6 6-1 7-6 (4) victory and move into the quarter-finals. Joint said: 'Today was really tough, there was a lot of ups and downs, I was happy I was able to tough it out at the end. 'I am really glad I was able to win this match.' Jodie Burrage become the second Briton in two days to miss match points to oust former Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova. Twenty-four hours after Harriet Dart spurned victory, Burrage, the British number seven, was 0-40 up on the Czech's serve at 6-5 in the deciding set, but she could not get over the line, with Krejcikova winning the tie-break. In the men's draw, Dan Evans' recent upturn in form continued with a standout win over world number 13 Tommy Paul. The 35-year-old is trying to find his way back to the top of the game after slumping down the ranking and results like this will help. He ousted the number two seed 6-4 3-6 6-3 to set up a quarter-final tie with American Jenson Brooksby.
