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Wales Online
6 days ago
- Sport
- Wales Online
Leinster v Scarlets team news for huge URC quarter-final as Peel makes selection decision
Leinster v Scarlets team news for huge URC quarter-final as Peel makes selection decision Dwayne Peel has gone for continuity in selection for the date in Dublin It's a youthful Scarlets outfit, with Johnny Williams (centre) being the oldest player in the starting backs at 28. (Image: Huw Evans Picture Agency Ltd ) Scarlets have named their team to face Leinster tomorrow afternoon. The two teams clash in the United Rugby Championship quarter-finals this weekend, after Scarlets secured the last play-off place in the final round of regular season action. Dwayne Peel has opted for exactly the same XV that played Sharks on May 17. They lost 12-3 at Kings Park but had already qualified at that stage. The back three is comprised of Wales internationals Blair Murray, Ellis Mee and Tom Rogers, with fellow internationals Joe Roberts and Johnny Williams linking up in the centres. Wales star Sam Costelow continues at fly-half and his half-back partner is 22-year-old Archie Hughes. Sign up to Inside Welsh rugby on Substack to get exclusive news stories and insight from behind the scenes in Welsh rugby. Josh Macleod skippers the side from openside flanker and is joined by Taine Plumtree and Vaea Fifita in the back row. Alec Hepburn, Ryan Elias and Henry Thomas make up the front row, with Sam Lousi and Alex Craig packing down in the boiler house behind them. There is plenty of firepower on the bench, with Ioan Lloyd and Macs Page providing X-factor cover for the backline. Should Sam Wainwright come off the bench, he will make his 50th appearance for the west Walians. Star signing Marnus van der Merwe also provides support at hooker for Elias. "We have worked hard to get to the play-offs, now we have to embrace it, we have to make the most of it now we're here," explained Peel. "There is no greater task in club rugby than going to Dublin, but we're looking forward to it. "We won't shy away from it. We are confident in our own ability and we know we are going to have to be at our very, very best. "It is going to be a great occasion, it will be a new experience for a lot of our boys - we are going to have to be brave, we are going to have to be accurate and we are going to have to try and put our stamp on our game, play the Scarlets way." Leinster have a stacked match day 23 to face Scarlets, with All Blacks superstar Jordie Barrett lining up at inside centre alongside a whole host of Ireland stars. RG Snyman will make an impact off the bench with Dan Sheehan providing cover at hooker. Leinster XV: Hugo Keenan, Jimmy O'Brien, Jamie Osborne, Jordie Barrett, James Lowe, Sam Prendergast, Jamison Gibson-Park; Andrew Porter, Rónan Kelleher, Thomas Clarkson, Joe McCarthy, James Ryan, Ryan Baird, Josh van der Flier, Jack Conan. Replacements: Dan Sheehan, Jack Boyle, Rabah Slimani, RG Snyman, Max Deegan, Scott Penny, Luke McGrath, Ciarán Frawley. Scarlets XV: Blair Murray; Tom Rogers, Joe Roberts, Johnny Williams, Ellis Mee; Sam Costelow, Archie Hughes; Alec Hepburn, Ryan Elias, Henry Thomas, Alex Craig, Sam Lousi, Vaea Fifita, Josh Macleod (C), Taine Plumtree. Replacements: Marnus van der Merwe, Kemsley Mathias, Sam Wainwright, Dan Davis, Jarrod Taylor, Efan Jones, Ioan Lloyd, Macs Page. Article continues below Kick-off: 3pm, Saturday, May 31.
Wales Online
6 days ago
- Business
- Wales Online
WRU announce major new appointment at critical time for game in Wales
WRU announce major new appointment at critical time for game in Wales The WRU have announced a major new appointment New WRU CCO Leighton Davies (Image: Huw Evans Picture Agency Ltd ) The Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) has appointed Leighton Davies as its new Chief Commercial Officer (CCO). This new role was previously described as the Chief Growth Officer and has been created to bring growth to the WRU and the whole Welsh rugby ecosystem. Davies is currently WRU Chief Operating Officer (COO) and, having led the effort across the business to implement robust business process and a solid financial foundation, will take up the new role later this summer - with a replacement COO to be recruited. He is also the WRU Chief Operating Officer having joined the WRU as Chief Financial Officer in March 2024, while he also sits on the Professional Rugby Board. 'I am really excited to be taking up this new role," said Davies. Sign up to Inside Welsh rugby on Substack to get exclusive news stories and insight from behind the scenes in Welsh rugby. "Welsh rugby possesses a huge amount of unrealised potential and this is what directly attracts me to this position. "The game is undoubtedly going through a tough time, not just in Wales, but globally, but I'm hugely excited about the potential of our new strategy and plans.' The professional game in Wales is at a critical stage in its history after the Ospreys and Scarlets refused to sign the new Professional Rugby Agreement due to concerns the WRU were planning to turn Cardiff into a super club after buying the capital city side. Following Cardiff and the Dragons' decision to sign PRA 25 it led to the WRU activating the two-year notice clause on the old agreement, leaving the two west Wales clubs in limbo. The future direction of professional rugby in Wales will be decided over the coming months but a reduction to three or even two clubs is a very real possibility. Join WalesOnline Rugby's WhatsApp Channel here to get the breaking news sent straight to your phone for free As a result Davies will have a critical role to play in the future direction of the professional game. 'We are delighted that Leighton has accepted this new challenge in such a pivotal role for Welsh rugby," said WRU CEO Abi Tierney. Article continues below "It is a key position for us as we continue the process of professionalising and further commercialising ourselves to meet the challenges faced by all of Welsh rugby as part of our five-year One Wales plan.' Get the latest breaking Welsh rugby news stories sent straight to your inbox with our FREE daily newsletter. Sign up here.
Wales Online
27-05-2025
- Sport
- Wales Online
The search for Wales' new head coach, why it's taking time and names still in frame
The search for Wales' new head coach, why it's taking time and names still in frame The WRU's search for a new head coach shows no sign of ending WRU chief executive Abi Tierney and newly appointment Dave Reddin, director of rugby and elite performance (Image: Huw Evans Picture Agency Ltd ) The Welsh Rugby Union's search for a new head coach remains ongoing three months after they parted ways with Warren Gatland. Matt Sherratt will lead Wales to Japan as interim head coach, having held that role for the final three games of the Six Nations, but the identity of Gatland's long-term successor has not been finalised. The WRU have chosen not to rush into an appointment, but while there is no deadline on the appointment Welsh rugby is in need of a long-term head coach who can work closely with the new director of rugby Dave Reddin to plot a way forward for the game in Wales. In the weeks after parting ways with Gatland, the WRU did make contact with agents and coaches, with a number of early contenders emerging. Ireland's Simon Easterby was a name high up on the list, with his thorough knowledge and experience of Welsh rugby after almost 20 years as a player and coach at the Scarlets marking him out as a prime candidate. Experienced Australian Michael Cheika was also someone of interest, while Bristol Bears director of rugby Pat Lam confirmed to WalesOnline on the Welsh Rugby Podcast the WRU had enquired about his availability. Sign up to Inside Welsh rugby on Substack to get exclusive news stories and insight from behind the scenes in Welsh rugby. Article continues below But Lam is in the middle of a long-term contract at Bristol and, while Cheika is leaving Leicester Tigers at the end of the season, his family are based in Australia. Glasgow Warriors head coach Franco Smith, who led the Scottish club to the United Rugby Championship title last season, was another leading contender. "I would like to coach international rugby again... you never know," the former Newport outside-half told Premier Sports when asked whether he'd be interested in the Wales job. But there was another dynamic to Smith's position with many in the game touting the South African as Gregor Townsend's long-term successor as head coach of Scotland. However, Scotland defence coach Steve Tandy then became the frontrunner for the job having held talks with the WRU. But Reddin has taken over the search for a new head coach since being appointed DOR and, as a result, the WRU have taken a breath. WalesOnline understands Tandy remains a strong contender, while former England boss Stuart Lancaster's name has also been thrown into the mix. Lancaster departed French giants Racing 92 in February and has since revealed he was in contention to become head coach of Australia before missing out to Queensland Reds boss Les Kiss. Join WalesOnline Rugby's WhatsApp Channel here to get the breaking news sent straight to your phone for free It also appears Glasgow boss Smith remains in the frame for the job, while RugbyPass recently linked former England prop Graham Rowntree with the role following his exit from Munster. The feeling is some of the coaches who Sherratt has taken to Japan will be contenders to be part of a new long-term coaching team. Danny Wilson (forwards) and Adam Jones (scrum) join on secondment in the summer but both are contenders for long-term roles with the WRU, while there have been suggestions Sherratt could stay on as attack coach, especially if Tandy gets the main job. While the WRU are wise not to rush into an appointment there does need to be a sense of urgency. Welsh rugby is on the floor after a record 17 defeats in a row for the men's national side, while things have also blown up off the field with two clubs - Ospreys and Scarlets - refusing to sign the new Professional Rugby Agreement. The permanent head coach needs to be in place not only to start preparing for next season but also to run the rule over the pathway and to start building relationships with the professional clubs. The future of the professional game in Wales is uncertain and that is likely to be a hindrance with regard to attracting high-quality candidates. Get the latest breaking Welsh rugby news stories sent straight to your inbox with our FREE daily newsletter. Sign up here. Article continues below As Welsh rugby faces one of the most challenging periods in its modern history, the appointment of a permanent head coach is no longer just a matter of sporting strategy — it is a crucial step toward restoring stability, credibility and hope. With the professional landscape in flux and the national team in dire need of direction, the WRU must strike the right balance between patience and purpose. Whoever takes the reins will inherit more than a team — they will shoulder the responsibility of reigniting belief across a fractured rugby nation.
Wales Online
25-05-2025
- Sport
- Wales Online
Wales' Japan tour can finally end two directionless years in the position the country loves most
Wales' Japan tour can finally end two directionless years in the position the country loves most Wales have spent two years muddling about with their fly-halves amid a 17-Test losing run, but could this summer change that? A silhouetted Sam Costelow in Brisbane on last year's tour of Australia (Image: Huw Evans Picture Agency Ltd ) Fly-half has always been a position that Welsh rugby has struggled to get to grips with. As the late Eddie Butler once said: 'Wales and the No. 10 shirt have an almost unhealthily close relationship. The vulnerability of little facing big, the chance to strut: it's Wales all over.' It's a position that we adore, one that - perhaps more than any other - has contributed to the wider culture in Wales over the years, but that brings a unique pressure with it, too. Many are called, but few are chosen. Those who have worn the jersey know that only too well. Barry John walked away from the spotlight at 27, while Phil Bennett was dropped by the Big Five. Gareth Davies was left out for 'A. N. Other', while Jonathan Davies went north after growing frustrated with Welsh rugby. Countless others have had their battles with the slings and arrows in the years since, be it Neil Jenkins, Stephen Jones, James Hook or Dan Biggar. Never is the path of a Welsh fly-half a smooth one. Article continues below Two years ago, Biggar decided his own time in the jersey was at an end. Scarlets fly-half Sam Costelow was anointed his successor, both with Biggar's beloved laundry duty, but also as Wales' next fly-half moving forward. All the talk towards the end of the 2023 World Cup was how Costelow - having been a eye-catching talent both with the U20s and as part of the Scarlets' run to the Challenge Cup semi-finals that year - would be Wales' long-term 10 following Biggar's emotional farewell. That farewell came sooner than they'd hoped, with a quarter-final defeat to Argentina brutally ending Biggar's Test career. A late intercept from Costelow only served to knock his confidence ahead of taking on the starting jersey full-time. Since then, it's felt like Costelow has always been on the back-foot. His first start AB - After Biggar - saw Wales get their tactics all wrong against Scotland in the 2024 Six Nations opener. While the coaches insisted privately the mindset was to play running rugby, they ended up falling into conservative patterns as they fell to a 27-0 deficit at half-time. Costelow was replaced by Ioan Lloyd and Wales nearly pulled off a remarkable comeback. One game into the Costelow era and already the jersey was no longer his, with Lloyd starting the next game at Twickenham. Costelow won it back for the remaining games against Ireland, France and Italy, before starting the summer Test against South Africa in London. However, once in Australia, Ben Thomas - despite playing the vast majority of his rugby for Cardiff in midfield - was Warren Gatland's 10. Sign up to Inside Welsh rugby on Substack to get exclusive news stories and insight from behind the scenes in Welsh rugby. Then, in the autumn, Gareth Anscombe was the man in possession of the jersey, with Costelow handed a start at the end of the campaign - when Wales were already starting down the barrel of a winless calendar year - against the world champions, South Africa. As a first full year in Test rugby goes, it was tough on the young Scarlet. Injury kept him out of the Six Nations - perhaps a blessing in disguise as Wales slumped to another successive wooden spoon - but now he travels to Japan this summer as one of two fly-halves. The other, Ospreys playmaker Dan Edwards, has been on the Test scene for a considerably shorter period of time than Costelow, but has his own frustrating experiences too. Named in the Six Nations squad, he was called from the bench in the final throes of Gatland's miserable second stint - being asked to turn the tide against France and Italy away from home. The likes of John, Bennett and Jiffy would have struggled in those circumstances. When Gatland left and was replaced by Cardiff coach Matt Sherratt, Anscombe was handed a recall along with Jarrod Evans - meaning Edwards didn't see another minute of action in the Six Nations. All of which leads us onto this summer. The fact that the pair are Wales' only out-and-out 10s - not forgetting Thomas can cover the position - means minutes are essentially guaranteed for both. After two years of experimenting and wandering around without direction with the fly-half position, this tour of Japan could be the time where Wales take a meaningful step forward. Sherratt - once again in interim charge for the summer - spoke last week of wanting to leave the next Wales head coach with something to build upon. With no senior fly-half in the squad, there'll at least be some meaningful answers when it comes to the fly-half position. For two years, Costelow has been slowly drained of his confidence, with the ailing fortunes of the men's national team occasionally laid at his door. Injuries haven't helped, either. And yet, as you look at the Scarlets' late-season ascent into the United Rugby Championship play-offs, Dwayne Peel's side are undeniably a better side when it is Costelow pulling the strings. That doesn't necessarily mean the transition can be made to becoming a reliable presence on the Test scene, but the truth is - even when detractors want to make the judgement off a half of rugby here or there - is that he's not had enough time in the saddle to decide that fact. Japan this summer, with its early morning UK kick-off times that are already competing with the Lions tour, doesn't bring the same glare that Costelow's other appearances have brought. He can get on with two Tests against the Brave Blossoms, just trying to stamp his mark on the Test game. Judgements can come later on whether Costelow is Wales' next fly-half, but just getting his confidence back at that level is what you hope this summer will bring. As for Edwards, there's a natural swagger to the 22-year-old. What he needs is game time. Article continues below That should come this July in Kitakyushu and Kobe. It could just be that, in the months ahead, both of Wales' fly-halves get exactly what they need from the trip to Japan.
Wales Online
24-05-2025
- Sport
- Wales Online
Matt Sherratt has huge Japan calls to make as several Wales stars face defining tours
Matt Sherratt has huge Japan calls to make as several Wales stars face defining tours Wales will face a tough challenge in Japan this summer Wales interim head coach Matt Sherratt (Image: Huw Evans Picture Agency Ltd ) Matt Sherratt and his coaching team have already started to plan a way Wales can end a 17-game losing streak by beating Japan this summer. The interim Wales head coach will be joined by Harlequins coach Danny Wilson (forwards), Gethin Jenkins (defence), Adam Jones (scrum) and T. Rhys Thomas (skills) in Japan. In normal circumstances Wales would look to use a trip which coincides with a British & Irish Lions tour to blood players, but these are strange times. Wales only have two players on the Lions tour - Jac Morgan and Tomos Williams - while Sherratt is merely keeping the seat warm before the Welsh Rugby Union find a long-term replacement for Warren Gatland. But more importantly than that Japan (13th) are ranked just one place below Wales (12th) in the World Rugby rankings. Defeat this summer would weaken Wales' Rugby World Cup seeding and potentially see them drop into a pool which contains a further three tier one nations. There cannot be too much mixing and matching this summer because Wales really need to win this one. Sign up to Inside Welsh rugby on Substack to get exclusive news stories and insight from behind the scenes in Welsh rugby. Article continues below So, what are the biggest conundrums facing Sherratt this summer and what could he do differently from the Six Nations? During the Six Nations Sherratt was handed over a squad at a really low ebb midway through the Championship and it would have been extremely difficult to change too much. Yes, there was a shift in terms of the way they moved the ball but this summer Sherratt and his coaching team will be able to get through far more detail in the lead-up to the tour. This is now his squad and he will be able to stamp his own authority on the team. Japan are not the same quality of team which toppled South Africa at the 2015 World Cup or reached the quarter-finals four years later by disposing of Ireland and Scotland, but they remain a dangerous outfit. They are also coached by Eddie Jones and given Wales' recent struggles will fancy their chances of taking a tier-one scalp. Sherratt and his players must be prepared for that, along with the searing heat they are likely to experience in Kitakyushu and Kobe. But arguably the biggest challenge Sherratt will face is what style of rugby to adopt. Traditionally Sherratt likes his team to play with speed and width, with players backed to play what is in front of them, which is in stark contrast to Gatland's risk-averse philosophy. But if they go down that road they will need to be accurate and it is worth noting that Japan aren't the biggest of sides, so they will undoubtedly look to play with speed and tempo. That is the style of rugby which took three significant scalps at the 2015 and 2019 World Cups. Japan will want to draw Wales into a fast and loose game, hoping their skill levels and the potential heat can get them over the line. Wales need to ensure the pack dominate physically and the set-piece functions well but they do have two outstanding coaches in Wilson, who will take charge of the forwards, and scrum guru Jones. It will be interesting to see who Sherratt opts for at inside centre but in all likelihood it will be Ben Thomas who has served him well at Cardiff. Join WalesOnline Rugby's WhatsApp Channel here to get the breaking news sent straight to your phone for free Thomas is a very talented footballer with a strong kicking game and is in the mould of a Southern Hemisphere second five-eight. But in-form Scarlets centre Johnny Williams is the more powerful carrier and is capable of making significant post-contact metres. Williams is a player Japan won't want to face because they will have difficulty containing his carrying game, and this is a big tour for the Scarlets man who fell out of favour with Gatland. What also favours Williams is the fact his Scarlets midfield partner Joe Roberts is highly likely to start at 13 because cohesion is vital at Test level. As always the breakdown will be key and Wales will want to slow down the speed of Japan's ruck ball with both Tommy Reffell and Scarlets captain Josh Macleod set to play important roles on this tour. If Japan are forced to play on the backfoot then it will be very difficult for them to score points against Wales due to the lack of size and power in their side. In terms of players it's a big tour for both Sam Costelow and Dan Edwards. Costelow is now an experienced player and needs to bring his excellent Scarlets form onto the international arena by becoming a leader in the group. Kieran Hardy is also playing the best rugby of his career for the Ospreys and it would be hugely beneficial for Wales if he was able to exert some serious pressure on Tomos Williams in the autumn. Up-front, tighthead prop is a problem position in Wales therefore it is a huge positive to see Archie Griffin return. Get the latest breaking Welsh rugby news stories sent straight to your inbox with our FREE daily newsletter. Sign up here. Article continues below But what is intriguing is the selection of Dragons prop Chris Coleman because Wales really needs to build some depth at tighthead. But the biggest priority is winning both Tests because if Wales lose even one they will have hit a new low.
