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Wales Online
2 minutes ago
- Wales Online
Today's rugby news as Wales international reveals 'massive change' at region and Welsh club favourite dies
Today's rugby news as Wales international reveals 'massive change' at region and Welsh club favourite dies The latest headlines from Wales and around the world Wales internationals Thomas Young is now at the Dragons (Image: © Huw Evans Picture Agency) These are your latest rugby headlines on Monday, August 18. Wales international warns of 'massive change' Welsh international Thomas Young says there is a "massive change going on" at the Dragons, having switched Cardiff for Rodney Parade ahead of the new season. The flanker, who won the last of his four Wales caps in 2021, is one of several internationals to join Filo Tiatia's side for the 2025/26 campaign, with Wyn Jones, Dillon Lewis, Seb Davies and Mackenzie Martin among those also moving to the region. Young returned to Arms Park for a second stint with the capital city side in 2022, but endured a frustrating last term, starting just six games for Matt Sherratt's side last season. Sign up to Inside Welsh rugby on Substack to get exclusive news stories and insight from behind the scenes in Welsh rugby. Having now moved east to join Tiatia's side, the 33-year-old is looking to be far more involved, telling The Rugby Paper: 'I didn't play as much as I wanted to last season, so I'm probably a bit more driven again this year because I didn't play a hell of a lot last year. 'You play rugby to play rugby, you are not doing it to train every week and not play. I want to play as much as I can and it's up to me to perform. So I have got to make sure I do that.' With Tongan talents Fine Inisi and Fetuli Paea also among the Dragons' new recruits, former Gloucester and Wasps forward Young has suggested that the region could be a different animal this season, having finished rock bottom of the URC with just win to their name in the last campaign. Article continues below 'I met with them and they showed a vision of where they were going," he said as he explained why he chose the Dragons. "It was appealing and, with the other signings they were bringing in, it was something I got excited about. 'There's a massive change going on here and it was something I wanted to be part of. It's a fresh start. The whole environment is fresh, with loads of new players, new staff. I've enjoyed it so far. It's been good.' 'We know as players the Dragons should be doing better, so it's up to us to make sure that happens,' he added. 'It's about us gelling, working together and pushing each other on.' Welsh club stalwart dies Former Neath RFC lock Dai Davies has died, the club has confirmed. Described as a "very consistent, reliable [and] hardcore" forward who "rarely missed a game", Davies made his debut for the historic Welsh club in 1959 and went on to make just over 200 appearances for them before seeing out his career with Swansea. Highlights from his time with the club included playing against New Zealand as part of a combined Aberavon-Neath XV, in a game which they only lost 6-11. Announcing the sad news in a statement, Neath RFC said that a minute's silence will be held in Davies' memory ahead of their match against London Welsh next Saturday. "Neath RFC is saddened to record the loss of 1960s lock forward David (Dai) Davies," the statement read. "Dai Davies was the first of a unique Bryncoch rugby set of brothers to appear for Neath. "He made his Neath debut at the end of the 1958/59 season and the following season established himself as a durable, hard-core forward. In the the early 1960's the Neath pack forged a formidable path through these islands with the largely settled front five of Ron Waldron, Morlais Wiliams and John Dodd in the front row and the second row of Dai and either Peter Davies or Brian Thomas when he was home from Cambridge University. "Dai was a very consistent and reliable forward and he rarely missed a game. He played in a couple of big occasions for Neath – the opening of the new grandstand in 1962 when he scored a try in Neath's 15-6 victory over Glamorgan County and the switching on of the new floodlights in 1964 when he went off with an injured knee in the 8-8 draw against an International XV. It continued: "He also partnered Brian Thomas in the second row when the combined Aberavon-Neath XV put up such a brave fight before losing 6-11 to New Zealand in 1963. In all Dai played 201 games for Neath usually alongside Brian Thomas or Peter Davies. "When Walter Williams, Barrie Davies and Jeff Pyles emerged mid-decade he joined Swansea in 1965 and he made 64 appearances there before retiring from the first-class game in 1968. "Neath RFC's sympathy and condolences are extended to David's family and friends. A minute's silence will be held in his memory before Neath's game against London Welsh next Saturday (3.00pm)." Nche: We have to bounce back South Africa star Ox Nche has called on his side to bounce back in style to get their Rugby Championship campaign back on track, following their shock defeat to Australia. The Springboks looked in full control after racing into a 22-0 lead after 20 minutes at Ellis Park on Saturday, but then completely fell apart, with the Wallabies roaring back to win 38-22 and claim victory on South Africa soil for the first time in 14 years. The shock defeat left head coach Rassie Erasmus furious, while captain Siya Kolisi apologised to fans for what he described as an "unacceptable" performance. Now, Nche has explained what his side must do in order to get back to winning ways as they prepare to face the Wallabies again in Cape Town. 'We want to win the Rugby Championship,' said the Springbok prop. 'Next weekend is a must-win Test, and we have to get as many points as we can. 'At halftime, the chat was simply to stick to the plan and execute things, as it was working. But we just went off the script in the second half. They scored three easy tries early on, and it wasn't from a good set piece. They were just more active and ready, and they pounced ahead. Article continues below 'They just seemed more prepared than we were, and they used every opportunity they got, whereas we didn't. Everyone just started going off on their plan instead of sticking to the plan we had as a team.' On what needed to change, Nche added: 'For me personally, it means more hard work, more preparation, and to be better prepared. To do whatever you did last week, and do more of it. The only thing we can do is to execute better."
Leader Live
2 hours ago
- Leader Live
Wrexham AFC: No-one should be pressing panic buttons
No-one said it would be easy and Wrexham suffered a second defeat in a row when West Brom won 3-2 at The Racecourse on Saturday. The game was decided in both penalty areas as the Baggies capitalised on poor defending while the Reds weren't ruthless enough in front of goal. Having suffered a 2-1 defeat to Southampton on the opening day, it has been a reality check for Phil Parkinson's side but no-one should be pressing panic buttons at this stage. It has been as tough as everyone expected with Wrexham facing a Saints side relegated from the Premier League last season and a West Brom outfit who have also been in the fop-flight recently and regularly challenge for the play-offs at this level. But in both games, Wrexham have had chances to win it. The Reds, when leading 1-0 at St Mary's, came so close to getting that vital second goal before Southampton's late show. When it was level at 1-1 on Saturday for the club's first home game in the second tier for 43 years, Wrexham had better opportunities than West Brom and looked more likely to get that important next goal. But they just weren't clinical enough and the sloppy defending in their own area proved costly as they didn't even have a point to show for their efforts. Both performances have had their positives. The first-half display in each game was decent and that carried on at the start of the second period in both outings before the opposition managed to come out on both. But in each match, the outcome could have been different if Wrexham had taken their chances and the defending was better. Parkinson has spent big to make Wrexham competitive and they definitely have been. It is fine margins at this level when, let's be honest, every game is difficult, but Wrexham can't afford to leak goals like they did on Saturday. "We can take a lot of heart from the game," said Parkinson. "It wasn't like we were a team who's been sat off the ball for 90 minutes and not got a kick. "We had good control at times with the ball. "We'd spoken about that last week how Southampton in that period towards the end, they dominated it and we need to make sure we get hold of the ball and get a breather with the football at times. "I thought we did that really well even in the first half with some good passages of play for us. "We switched it and got our wing backs in some great positions but when we all look back on Monday, which we will do as a group, at the goals, we will say 'wow, that's too easy'. "If teams beat us and score against us, they've got to really have earned it and I don't think they had to really earn that enough today." Wrexham have earned their place in the Championship after securing a record-breaking three successive promotions. No doubt, there will be more defeats to chew over in the coming months than Reds have been used to during the meteoric rise up the pyramid but it's all about learning from those off-days.
BBC News
3 hours ago
- BBC News
Dobson keen to learn from 'top quality' O'Brien
George Dobson is bidding to learn from midfield partner Lewis O'Brien following the summer signing's impressive start to life at and O'Brien have started alongside Matty James in a midfield three in both of Wrexham's opening two matches of the Championship season.O'Brien - who joined on a permanent deal from Nottingham Forest - was among the star performers in the 2-1 defeat by Southampton on the opening day while he netted his first goal for the club in the 3-2 loss to West Bromwich Dobson admits he has been impressed with O'Brien since the 26-year-old made the switch to the Stok Cae Ras."He's a top quality player," Dobson said of O'Brien."You can tell why he's played at a high level and the way he manoeuvres the ball in tight positions."His athleticism of being able to cover such high distances - it's something for me to look at and help improve my game."I'm really enjoying playing alongside him and long may it continue."Phil Parkinson has regularly recruited experienced players from higher levels since becoming Wrexham boss in the summer of Kieffer Moore, Nathan Broadhead, Danny Ward, Liberato Cacace and Conor Coady are among those to make the switch to north Wales during the course of the Dobson feels O'Brien typifies the type of qualities Wrexham wish to have in their ranks."The dressing room has still got the same real strong core of brilliant characters," added Dobson."The gaffer has always recruited not just good players but really good people and that hasn't changed."It's like anything, when there's a lot of change, it's always going to take a little bit of time. but we can't make any excuses with that, we've got to deliver now."
