Newport dealt Antwi blow as Brennan return a boost
Newport County are set to be without Cameron Antwi for at least 10 days as the midfielder continues to follow concussion protocols.The 23-year-old was withdrawn during the Exiles' 2-1 defeat at Chesterfield on Saturday - being replaced by Kieron Evans in the 79th minute at the SMH Group Stadium.He was left out of the matchday squad for his side's 5-0 loss to Accrington Stanley on Tuesday night and is set to miss Saturday's fixture with Harrogate Town at Rodney Parade (15:00 GMT)."He had a knock to his head in the last game, that's why he came off," Nelson Jardim told BBC Sport Wales."He's going to be out for the next 10 to 12 days. He's following the head concussion protocol."The only positive on what was a sobering night for Newport at the Wham Stadium was the return of Ciaran Brennan from injury.The Irishman missed 11 League Two matches after dislocating his shoulder in Newport's 3-2 loss at Port Vale on 18 January.But he was listed among the substitutes in Lancashire on Tuesday and was brought off the bench in the 56th minute."It is (a boost). You could see he gave a little bit more options," added Jardim."His match fitness is probably not ready to play for 90 minutes, he's been away for a while now."
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Wales Online
an hour ago
- Wales Online
Wales discover Welsh-qualified New Zealand rugby stars and giant South African prop
Wales discover Welsh-qualified New Zealand rugby stars and giant South African prop Wales' exiles programme had identified some intriguing new names before being disbanded recently Hurricanes centre Riley Higgins is thought to be Welsh qualified (Image: Getty Images ) A couple of weeks ago the Welsh Rugby Union took the difficult decision to cut its Exiles programme. The WRU have replaced it with a system it feels is better placed to persuade the best Welsh-qualified players in England and beyond to represent Wales at senior international level. Whether this new system will be successful or not remains to be seen but the old exiles programme did play a big part in unearthing Welsh qualified players outside of Wales, from Will Rowlands to Nick Tompkins, among others. Sign up to Inside Welsh rugby on Substack to get exclusive news stories and insight from behind the scenes in Welsh rugby. Prior to the disbandment of the programme the Exiles had a number of players they were trying to persuade to go down the Welsh route or were at least investigating believed Welsh links. Here are a handful of Welsh-qualified players who should styill be on the WRU's radar. Riley Higgins The 22-year-old New Zealander plays for Super Rugby Pacific outfit the Hurricanes while he has also figured for the Wellington Lions in the Bunnings NPC. Article continues below Higgins can play 12 and 13 while he has also accrued minutes out on the wing but has only played four times this season in Super Rugby after breaking his leg. He is highly thought of in New Zealand rugby circles and made his Super Rugby debut before playing any NPC rugby, while he has also represented New Zealand U20s and an All Blacks XV. Higgins is an explosive centre who regularly breaks the line while he also possesses an excellent offloading game. He is believed to qualify for Wales through his grandmother and is another high quality player who should be monitored. Tahlor Cahill The 21-year-old has enjoyed plenty of game time for the Crusaders in Super Rugby Pacific this season making nine appearances and was a replacement in last Saturday's 32-12 victory over the Queensland Reds. Cahill is an athletic forward, who can play at lock and the backrow, is an excellent lineout forward who is also a powerful carrier capable of making significant post contact metres. The Crusaders lock qualifies for Wales through a grandparent and was on the Exiles' radar. He has also represented New Zealand U20s and is highly rated by All Blacks head coach Scott Robertson, meaning Wales are up against it. But Cahill is already a high quality player who looks destined to play Test rugby so should be targeted as a potential option by Warren Gatland's long-term successor. Tahlor Cahil of the Crusaders (Image: 2025 Getty Images ) Josh Penney The 21-year-old outside-half was a member of the Waikato Chiefs academy but has been playing for Counties Manukau in the Bunnings NPC. It is thought he qualifies for Wales through his Welsh mother and is another player who was included in the Exiles' database. Wales have some real talent coming through the system at outside-half with the likes of Carwyn Leggatt-Jones, Math Jones, Harri Wilde, Harri Ford and Lloyd Lucas while both senior number tens Sam Costelow and Dan Edwards are very young. But Wales needs to build as much depth as it can and the same can be said for its four professional clubs - Cardiff, Dragons, Ospreys and Scarlets. Kaleb Kriek The 21-year-old South African tighthead packs a serious punch at 6ft 4in and 140kg. Kriek is Welsh qualified through his mother and is part of the Blue Bulls academy. Join WalesOnline Rugby's WhatsApp Channel here to get the breaking news sent straight to your phone for free It will come as no surprise to readers that Kriek had a reputation at age grade level of being a destructive scrummager while those who have seen him play also compliment his ball carrying. Tighthead prop is not exactly an area of strength in Welsh rugby, with Wales having struggled to replace the experienced Tomas Francis. Just because a prop is 140kg doesn't automatically mean he will cut it as a professional but given the dearth of high quality scrummaging tightheads in Wales somebody like Kriek is worth looking at. Robert Carmichael The 22-year-old second-row was born in Hong Kong to a Scottish father and a Welsh mother but moved back to the UK in 2019. Carmichael was a member of the Leicester Tigers academy and represented England U20s before making the move north to join Edinburgh in 2024. At 6ft 11in and 125kg Carmichael packs a physical punch and is an outstanding lineout forward who has played for the Emerging Scotland side. But he remains Welsh qualified and one of Wales' professional clubs could do far worse than signing Carmichael if he was willing. Beau Farrance The 24-year-old English-born tighthead has been a regular starter for Agen in the French PRO D2 but is believed to be Welsh qualified. Farrance is a powerful scrummager in a league which puts a huge emphasis on the set-piece. He started his rugby journey at Old Elthamians RFC before moving to France. Farrance is now in the Joueurs Issus des Filières de Formation (JIFF) category, which is very important for players wishing to get a professional contract in France. To become JIFF qualified, players must spend five years playing age grade rugby at any French club or spend three season's with a French professional club's academy by the age of 23. He's certainly a player the Welsh clubs should be monitoring. Kienan Higgins The 25-year-old is the older brother of Riley Higgins and also plays centre. Higgins senior plays his rugby for Hawke's Bay Magpies in the Bunnings NPC and is a solid performer at that level who looks capable of playing professional rugby in Europe if given the chance. Get the latest breaking Welsh rugby news stories sent straight to your inbox with our FREE daily newsletter. Sign up here. Robbie Deans and Mikey Jones Robbie Deans is a 20-year-old loosehead who is part of the Glasgow Warriors academy and has represented Scotland U20s. He is thought to have Welsh qualifications on his mother's side. Article continues below Mikey Jones is also a prop but plays for Edinburgh and also qualifies for Wales.
Daily Mail
2 hours ago
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Ashton Hewitt opens up on the uncertain life of a rugby player in Wales after being released by the Dragons: 'It's been difficult to enjoy'
Welsh rugby is full of uncertainty right now and Ashton Hewitt knows that better than most. As the chairman and leading player representative of the Welsh Rugby Players Association, Hewitt has been the closest of his contemporaries to the discussions taking place at the top of the country's national game as it has slowly unravelled. Frankly, it has been a car crash. A total disaster. From player strike threats over contractual and financial issues to the current debate over the possibility of cutting a professional team – and much, much more besides – all sorts of off-field issues have only served as a distraction to the sport's development. They have had an impact on the pitch too, with Wales' senior men's side on a run of 17 straight Test losses. It seems hard to predict when things are going to change for the better. Every so often, a new low seems to be hit. With money slim and squad sizes being reduced, Hewitt has become the latest victim of Welsh rugby tightening its belt. After playing his entire career for the Newport-based Dragons, the 30-year-old has been released by his home region and is yet to sign a new contract elsewhere. It's left him, partner Ellis and five-month-old daughter Thea wondering what's next. 'For the last five years or maybe longer, there has been something every single year in Wales that has impacted the players and put lots of us in difficult positions,' Hewitt told MailSport. 'To be honest, it's been difficult to enjoy rugby because of that. It feels like a long time since as players, we've just been able to focus on the game and there's been no noise about anything else. It's been a s*** position to be in. I know I speak for myself when I say uncertainty and off-field stuff impacts performance. It's hard for it not to.' Hewitt gave his all for the Dragons over the course of 12 years and is second on the list of the region's all-time leading try-scorers. In the line of duty, he suffered two serious knee injuries. But loyalty and putting your body on the line counts for little in the cut-throat world of professional sport, as Hewitt has found out. After returning from his second knee blowout, he was informed by new Dragons coach Filo Tiatia he wouldn't be re-signed. It was a body blow to the player who isn't sure what's next. 'Filo didn't see me as part of what he's building and that's the nature of the game. Ideally, it would have been nice to know sooner, but I understand there may well have been reasons for that,' Hewitt said. 'It's tough. I've got a young family. I'm not quite at panic stations, but it is worrying. It's the same for anyone who loses their job when they've got commitments. 'There is a lot of pressure. You do feel responsibility and the need to keep going and provide for your family. This is a situation I hoped I'd never be in. It's just s***, to be honest.' Players and coaches come and go from clubs all the time. Hewitt's situation isn't new. But for him, being released has come at the worst possible time. Wales' four regions have limited money to spend and there is a very realistic chance the Welsh Rugby Union might cut its number of teams to three. Such a scenario would leave even more players unemployed. After the financial demise of Worcester, Wasps and London Irish, the number of playing jobs in English rugby is significantly less too. 'It's not just tough for players in Wales. It's everywhere. Clubs in England have gone bust and that's meant the player market is saturated,' Hewitt said. 'What's common at the moment for players to hear is they might be offered something based on other factors like governance, politics or finances. 'The uncertainty is tough. Most players have families. People see it as a glamorous job, but rugby can be very stressful. Welsh rugby isn't that glamorous at the moment. It's not all fun and games. There is a tough side to the business. 'Short-term contracts are one and a lack of security plays into that and puts a lot of pressure and strain on you as a person. 'You're always at risk of being in the position I'm in now.' A rapid wing, Hewitt still has a lot to give. He has received numerous expressions of interest in his services from several corners of the globe, but no concrete financial offer. 'I've got a few years left in me. I feel I've got something to prove now and I'm completely over my injury,' Hewitt said. Hewitt is not the only rugby player facing an uncertain future. Having been involved in talks between the WRU and the regions given his WRPA role, he has grown frustrated at a lack of transparency and accountability in Welsh rugby's corridors of power. Hewitt has been a passionate voice in society's fight against racism and bigotry. Away from the game, he advises organisations on equality, diversity and inclusion – in part using lessons from what rugby has taught him. He does have other non-sporting irons in the fire. But it is in rugby he would like to stay. Had he not cruelly been struck down by injury, Hewitt would surely have represented Wales. He was primed for a debut in the summer of 2018. 'Elliot Dee ran into me full tilt in training,' Hewitt recalled. 'Shaun Edwards was defence coach and I wanted to impress him, so I went in hard. 'It was a little bit rogue. It ended badly. The toughest thing for me has been whenever I've got injured, I've always been at the very top of my game. When you rack up two or three serious injuries as I have, you're out of the game for a long, long time.' It is hard to argue with Hewitt when he says players in Wales deserve better. The current struggles of the national side and the regional teams are down to a number of complex factors, but it is clear the game needs to be run far better than it is currently. 'There is huge pressure with what's going on in Welsh rugby. I don't know all the answers, but I've been heavily involved,' Hewitt said. 'Could it be better? Yes. 'The WRPA do a great job, but it's a small organisation with limited resource. I didn't have a whole load of time to get my head around the contract situation. 'It's been a rollercoaster of emotions. I've been at the Dragons my entire career. It's my home region and means so much to me, so it's strange to be in this situation. 'There's a lot the corporate world can learn from professional sport, rugby specifically. I want to make a difference in whatever it is I do. There are issues to address in society and hopefully, I'd like to be a catalyst for change. 'I'd like to work with clubs in the same way I'm working with other organisations now. 'That could be a route I'd go down. 'I am prepared if I don't get another contract, but that's not what I want. I understand the issues in the game, but I truly believe I can still offer a lot on the field.'
Scottish Sun
4 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Neil Lennon convinced me to stay at Hibs with wild night singing ‘Sunshine On Leith' on karaoke with England legends
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) NEIL LENNON is known as one of the biggest characters within Scottish football and he certainly made his mark at Easter Road. He took over in Leith in 2016, and won the Scottish Championship and earned the Hibees promotion back to the top-flight in his first season. Sign up for the Celtic newsletter Sign up 2 Jason Cummings helped Hibs and Neil Lennon to their 2017 Scottish Championship title Credit: Keith Campbell - The Sun Glasgow 2 Cummings finished joint-top scorer in the league that season Credit: Andrew Barr - The Sun Glasgow Jason Cummings was Lennon's star man in the ex-Celtic boss' first season in Edinburgh. If it wasn't for Lennon, however, the striker probably wouldn't have been at the Leith club in their league-title winning year. Cummings told Open Goal about how Lenny convinced his star man to give Hibs another season whilst the Irishman was on punditry duties at the 2016 Euros in France. Cummings said: "He's [Lennon] phoned me and went 'right, get over here', so me and my agent went over and he's got us tickets for the game, I can't remember who it was, Portugal or whatever. "We went to the game and he's like 'right, come and meet us, I'm just in the bar just over the road', he's finished doing the punditry. "So, I've gone in and Lenny's there like 'Ah Cummings! How you doing', and he's sitting there with Shearer, Ferdinand, Keown, John Hartson. Full bhuna! "He's like, 'This is my star signing Cummings, sit down, you're playing with me next year' headlock and that, 'Shearer tell him!' "[Shearer said] got to sign with Lenny, he'll look after you, and I'm like that, this is the b******s, Shearer and that! "He's like 'you want a drink Cumdog? Get a beer!' So we ended up getting on it, like Ferdinand, Shearer all having a laugh. "We went back to the hotel boardroom, all on it and we had the karaoke on and Shearer's up singing 'all night long'. David Gray on life as Hibs manager and how he turned it around when his job was on the line "Lennon's like 'Cummings, you've got to sing Sunshine on Leith, and you're signing with me next year. "I'm up there singing Sunshine on Leith with Ferdinand and that, best night ever! "After that, I'm thinking he's a hero, Lenny's a legend. I'm staying another year with him." Cummings scored 19 goals and set up a further six in his final year in green and white. The Scottish-born Australia international earned a move to Nottingham Forrest after his stellar season. Only six months into his spell down south, he was shipped off on loan, with the talisman coming back to Scotland and joining Rangers for the second half of the season. Keep up to date with ALL the latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football page
