Injured Tipuric to miss Ospreys home farewell
United Rugby Championship: Ospreys v DragonsVenue: Swansea.com Stadium, Swansea Date: Saturday, 26 April Kick off: 15:00 BSTCoverage: Listen live on the BBC Sport website and app. Highlights on the BBC Sport website and app.
Ospreys flanker Justin Tipuric will be denied a home farewell appearance after being ruled out of the United Rugby Championship (URC) derby against Dragons on Saturday.Tipuric, 35, is retiring at the end of the season to become the Ospreys defence coach and might have played his final professional game.He was due to have a farewell home match at the Swansea.com Stadium this weekend but picked up a pectoral injury during the Challenge Cup defeat against Lyon earlier this month.Ospreys have two regular away league matches remaining when they travel to South Africa to play Sharks and Lions in May with no chance of a home match should they reach the play-offs.Ospreys are currently 13th in the URC table and have a slim chance of play-off qualification if they win their final three games. The play-offs are held in June with Tipuric not yet ruled out of a return by those dates.
Tipuric, who won 93 Wales caps and made a Lions Test appearance before his international retirement in 2023, made his Ospreys debut in November 2009 and has so far played 229 games for his home region. Only Alun Wyn Jones (268) and Paul James (232) have played more games.Wales lock Adam Beard, who Ospreys announced this week will leave at the end of the season, was hoping to play against Dragons after missing the defeat against Cardiff. Ospreys name their team on Friday.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Glasgow Times
2 hours ago
- Glasgow Times
Craig Bellamy promises Wales will not sit back and defend against Belgium
Wales coasted to a 3-0 win over Liechtenstein, the world's 205th ranked team, as second-half goals from Harry Wilson and Kieffer Moore added to Joe Rodon's 39th-minute opener. It was defender Rodon's first international goal and Wales had complete domination of a one-sided contest with 27 goal attempts to zero. Wales face a far tougher challenge in Brussels, although the Dragons did have the bonus of Belgium being held 1-1 in North Macedonia on Friday night, thanks to a late home equaliser. Bellamy said: 'We go there and I'm not camping. I'm not sitting back. It's not in my make-up. I can't do it, I don't want to do it. 'I've got a little bit more in my head, but I'm really excited about it. I'll try and absorb this one but then, yeah, get ready for that.' Victory took Wales to the top of their World Cup qualifying section with seven points from three games – but Bellamy could not resist a dig at the Welsh ball boys on the perimeter of the pitch. 'There is a lot I liked,' said Bellamy. 'I'd really like us to make this six, seven, eight. That's what we need to push. 'These games have never been easy four our nation. We have a proven record of that. 'The mentality of the players was really good. Did we expect to win? Of course we did. Did we expect such a slow game? Joe Rodon celebrated after scoring the first goal of his Wales career (Nigel French/PA) 'I felt our ball boys could have been a bit quicker. We are at home so we have a choice in that as well. 'I'm going to be looking for them in a bit – I'm not. I'm joking!' Victory came at a price as Neco Williams, one of Wales' best performers since Bellamy took charge last summer, was forced off midway through the first half with a nasty-looking injury. The Nottingham Forest full-back, in trying to cross on the byline midway through the first half, landed awkwardly and was in obvious pain before leaving the field on a stretcher. Neco Williams leaft the pitch distraught after being carried off on a stretcher in Wales' 3-0 victory over Liechtenstein (Nigel French/PA) Williams appears a serious doubt for Monday's clash with Belgium. 'Give us a few hours,' said Bellamy. 'We just don't know. We'll find out tomorrow morning (Saturday). 'The medical staff will be racing with it, we'll make sure he's looked after. 'We'll find more and relay that message as soon as we know.'
Scotsman
4 hours ago
- Scotsman
Finn Russell inspires Bath comeback to keep treble dream alive but Scotland star sparks injury scare for final
Bath power into Premiership final with second-half show Sign up to our Rugby Union newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Scotland star Finn Russell inspired a second-half comeback for Bath against Bristol to reach the Gallagher Premiership final - although the west-country side will have some concerns over his fitness after he came off late on with a leg injury. Stand-off Russell and his teammates overcame a seven-point deficit at the break eventually prevail 34-20 victory over near-neighbours Bristol and set up a clash at Twickenham next weekend against either Leicester Tigers or Sale Sharks. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Russell bagged 14 points and was key to their second-half turnaround, ably assisted by fellow Scotland internationalists Cam Redpath and Josh Bayliss. It keeps Bath's hopes of a treble alive with the Premiership Cup and Challenge Cup already in the bag as Johan van Graan's team look to atone for losing last season's final to Northampton. Scotland star Finn Russell helped Bath defeat Bristol. | Getty Images They will hope that Russell's injury is nothing more than a dead leg after he was replaced in the closing stages. The 32-year-old has become a talisman for club as well as country and did his Lions starting credentials no harm at all with this performance. He was all smiles at the end but no doubt Bath will assess his condition. Bristol were 13-6 in front at the break and it could have been more. The try of the match was scored by their lock James Dun after Fiji wing Kalaveti Ravouvou set off from his own line, leaving four Bath defenders in his wake. Guy Pepper started in the Bath back row in the absence of the suspended Sam Underhill, while Redpath replaced Will Butt at centre. England prop Ellis Genge was recalled to the Bristol pack along with Dun and centurion Steven Luatua. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad A fast and furious first half opened with a penalty to Bristol which was quickly reversed for some ill-advised verbals. When Bath then laid siege to the visitors' line, Genge was the man who held up the ball to earn a relieving drop-out. Tough start for Bath Both sides were probing for any advantage they could find and the first points went to Bristol as AJ MacGinty punished Pepper's infringement at a ruck with a straightforward penalty after 12 minutes. When hooker Gabriel Oghre broke clear, Bath had to defend desperately before Ben Spencer eased the anxiety with a long kick upfield. But Ravouvou, collecting the ball near his own line, somehow evaded a quartet of would-be tacklers and the home defence was soon spreadeagled at the other end. Lock Dun eventually cut a simple line to the posts and MacGinty added the conversion for a 10-0 lead. Ravouvou was soon sent to the sin bin for preventing a quick-tapped penalty by Spencer, allowing Russell to pull back three points for Bath but MacGinty immediately replied to make it 13-6 at the break. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Finn Russell celebrates with Bath owner Bruce Craig. | Getty Images Losing scrum-half Harry Randall to a shoulder injury just before half-time had not helped Bristol's cause and a Ted Hill try converted by Russell straight after the break brought Bath level. Joe Cokanasiga swooped on a teasing kick ahead by Tom de Glanville to score Bath's third try shortly after to put them ahead for the first time. When Will Muir finished off a prolonged period of pressure by touching down in the left corner and Max Ojomoh added a fifth on the hour, Bath were back in command. With Russell faultless from the tee, the score was suddenly 34-13.
South Wales Argus
5 hours ago
- South Wales Argus
England beat Wales 47-14 in World Rugby U20 Championship warm-up
A sizeable crowd, both in the ground and watching on from the grass bank outside the fencing, was treated to an entertaining if loose encounter in Torfaen. Wales led 14-7 at the break thanks to tries in the first quarter through centre Elijah Evans – despite not grounding the ball – and flanker Caio James, with openside Reggie Hammick crossing for England. The world champions responded with a dominant second-half showing, scoring tries through blindside George Timmins, Hammick, wing Tyler Offiah, flanker Jonny Weimann and The game went from 14-14 to a hammering in the blink of the eye as English pace and power told in the final quarter. It was, of course, only a warm-up fixture with with no anthems, some lenient refereeing to try and let things flow, no penalties kicked at goal and plenty of subs. Both sides will have learnt plenty and will hope that the inevitable casualties soon get the all clear from the medics. Wales dashed English Grand Slam dreams at Cardiff Arms Park in March with a 23-13 victory earned by going toe-to-toe with the world champions and rattling them. That meant that this tune-up was sure to have its spicey moments, and that's exactly what both sets of coaches wanted in the build up to the tournament in Italy. The two teams were drastically different to that Six Nations encounter with five starters retained in the home XV and three in the English selection – opportunity knocked for spots in the final squad. Wales were captained by Dragons number eight Evan Minto in his hometown and he was one of five starters who played for Pontypool in Super Rygbi Cymru last season, with flanker Ryan Jones, tighthead Owain James, fly-half Harri Ford and wing Ioan Duggan the others. Pooler and Cardiff Met hooker Evan Wood was on the bench along with Dragons scrum-half Logan Franklin and influential openside Harry Beddall, who moves to Rodney Parade from Leicester this summer. FORTUNATE: Wales got the opener despite Elijah Evans knocking on (Image: Mark Lewis/Huw Evans Agency) There was, understandably, an element of scrappiness to the opening exchanges and that was how the opener was scored after eight minutes. Scrum-half Sion Davies hacked the ball on and Cardiff teammate Evans won the foot race, although he didn't ground the ball and was lucky that referee Ben Breakspear awarded him a try that Ford converted rather than a knock on. Wales were bossing matters with play almost exclusively in the English half, and it was 14-0 after 18 minutes with Gloucester flanker Caio James at the bottom of a driving lineout. The visitors, to the frustration of their coaching team, had barely fired a shot and were second best in all facets of the game but were on the scoreboard in the 25th minute. Fly-half Josh Bellamy followed a line break with a calm assist for openside Hammick to show a serious turn of speed to finish from 30 metres, with Bellamy adding the extras. Wales were causing problems with their variety of kicks and one dab through earned a chance from a five-metre scrum as half-time approached, only for England to get over the ball and win a penalty to release the pressure. A fair few players were blowing – what the fixture was designed for – and glad to hear the half-time whistle with the hosts 14-7 to the good as the coaches passed on some pearls of wisdom. There were some changes at the break and one of the new boys, Luke Evans, was swiftly shown yellow after some overexuberance. England were dominant against 14-man Wales but failed to take chances to level due to a lack of composure in the 22. However, the pressure eventually told right at the end of the sin-bin period with a close range try by blindside Timmins after a scrum against the head, Bellamy levelling the scores with a simple conversion. England should have been in front after 56 minutes after some lovely handling released Offiah but the son of Martin dropped the ball over the line after trying to bump off last-man Jack Woods, his Bath teammate from Abercarn. It was getting manic, which led to a comical Welsh 'try' just past the hour and, ultimately, a turning point. Wing Aidan Boshoff went down with cramp and got treatment and was retreating back to the defensive line when he claimed an England cross-kick and raced away. Mr Breakspear eventually went back to penalise the Bristol speedster for being offside, England kicked to the corner and then won a penalty try. The visitors were 21-14 up when it looked like they could have been down by the same scoreline, then reaped the rewards of daring to play from a loose kick and iffy chase to work space for Hammick to race away. England were running wild and Offiah picked off a pass to scorch down the right, Weimann went over down the left and another interception led to Nic Allison breaking away. Wales scorers: tries – E Evans, C James; conversions – H Ford (2). England scorers: tries – R Hammick (2), G Timmins, penalty, T Offiah, J Weimann, N Allison; conversions – J Bellamy (2), B Coen (3). Wales U20 : Lewis Edwards (Ospreys); Ioan Duggan (Dragons), Elijah Evans (Cardiff Rugby), Elis Price (Scarlets), Aidan Boshoff (Bristol Bears); Harri Ford (Dragons), Sion Davies (Cardiff Rugby); Cam Tyler-Grocott (Cardiff Rugby), Saul Hurley (Aberavon), Owain James (Dragons), Dan Gemine (Ospreys), Kenzie Jenkins (Bristol Bears), Ryan Jones (Dragons), Caio James (Gloucester), Evan Minto (Dragons, captain). Replacements: Evan Wood (Pontypool/Cardiff Met), Louie Trevett (Bristol Bears), Jac Pritchard (Scarlets), Tom Cottle (RGC), Luke Evans (Exeter Chiefs), Deain Gwynne (Gloucester), Harry Beddall (Dragons), Logan Franklin (Dragons), Lloyd Lucas (Cardiff Rugby), Dylan Scott (Cardiff Met), Steffan Emanuel (Cardiff Rugby), Osian Darwin-Lewis (Cardiff Rugby), Jack Woods (Bath Rugby), Dylan Alford (Scarlets). Referee: Ben Breakspear (Wales).
