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Wales Online
2 hours ago
- Sport
- Wales Online
Tonight's rugby news as Welsh star ends retirement to join hometown club and Springbok great dies
Tonight's rugby news as Welsh star ends retirement to join hometown club and Springbok great dies The latest headlines from Wales and around the world Fry (right) has come out of retirement to sign for Cardiff RFC (Image: Chris Fairweather/Huw Evans Agency) These are your evening rugby headlines on Thursday, August 14. Welsh forward comes out of retirement Former Dragons forward Ben Fry has come out of retirement to join Cardiff RFC, a year on from hanging up his boots. The Cardiff-born back rower represented Wales at age-grade level and made 37 appearances for the Rodney Parade side between 2018 and his release from the region in 2023, before moving to the United States and joining Major League Rugby side the Dallas Jackals, after a brief spell with Merthyr RFC. When the Jackals disbanded ahead of the start of the 2024/25 MLR season, however, Fry retired from rugby - but now he is back in the game after finding a new job in the capital, with Cardiff taking him on board ahead of the new Super Rygbi Cymru campaign. Sign up to Inside Welsh rugby on Substack to get exclusive news stories and insight from behind the scenes in Welsh rugby The former Wales U20s international was once seen as one of Welsh rugby's rising stars, a player who thrived when things were at their most physical and one that was tipped for higher honours, having endeared himself to the Rodney Parade faithful. Fry spoke to WalesOnline earlier this year about starting work as an estate agent in Bristol, with his career seemingly behind him, but he will now lace up his boots again after joining the Rags. ''It's an absolute privilege to have signed for Cardiff," said the 26-year-old as his signing was confirmed. "I'm Cardiff born and bred, and it's always something that I've wanted to do. The last time I played for Cardiff was for Cardiff Schools under-15s, so to be able to put the jersey back on and represent my home town is an absolute honour. Article continues below 'I finished rugby for a year; one part of it was family, the second part of it was the state of rugby, and the third part was that I was working in Bristol. I've got the itch back to play,' he added as he reflected on why he initially quit the sport. 'Fortunately, I've got a job back in Cardiff and that has given me the opportunity to get back into things. So I reached out to Fishy [Cardiff RFC head coach Dan Fish] and, fortunately enough, he's been kind enough to bring me on board. So I'm really excited about it.' Fish added that he was "delighted" to bring the 6ft 1in former Dragons forward to the club, adding: 'He's a Cardiff boy through and through, and a former captain of Cardiff Schools Rugby where he played alongside the likes of Ben Thomas and Max Llewellyn. 'Ben's experience at professional level, combined with his work rate, physicality, and leadership, makes him a perfect fit for our squad. His know-how and professionalism will be invaluable in helping to develop our young academy boys." On playing in Super Rygbi Cymru for the first time, Fry added: 'I am looking forward to playing in the Super Rygbi Cymru league; it's not something that I've done before. "My last sort of taste of Premiership rugby was in the old sort of framework league, so to see it progressing and just take that next elite step up is definitely something that I am looking to get stuck into and see what's it's all about. 'It's about getting back into something that I love, surrounded by a good group of boys. Representing a City that means so much to me, that's the main part of getting the enjoyment back, getting my competitive edge back and hopefully putting a positive stamp on what's already a successful team.' Springbok great dies Former South Africa international and widely-respected coach Dawie Snyman has died at the age of 76, following an illness. A utility back during his playing days, he won 10 Test caps for the Springboks during the 1970s, playing at both full-back and fly-half. In total, he represented his country on 22 occasions, scoring 86 points. Snyman - whose older brother Jackie also played Test rugby for South Africa - also made 60 appearances for Western Province and went on to become one of the most successful coaches in their history after hanging up his boots. Between 1982 and 1986, he coached the club to five consecutive Currie Cup titles, while they also shared the title with the Bulls in 1989 under his leadership. Snyman went on to coach South Africa at the 1997 Sevens World Cup, with the Blitzboks ultimately losing to Fiji in the final, while he was also involved with the Lions and at Stellenbosch University. Paying tribute to the late player and coach as "one of the greats of South African rugby", SA Rugby president Mark Alexander said: 'Dawie will not only be remembered as a determined player who worked extremely hard and succeeded at international level in two positions, but also as one of the finest coaches South African rugby has known. 'He could have played much longer, but chose instead to invest in the game as a mentor and leader, shaping generations of players with his insight and passion. His contribution to rugby in South Africa is immeasurable. 'It is never easy to lose a member of the South African rugby family," Alexander added. "We extend our heartfelt condolences to his wife, Pam, his daughters Louise, Patse, Pam and Danielle and to their extended family, loved ones and friends during this time of bereavement. "May you find comfort in the legacy of a man who will forever be remembered as one of the greats of South African rugby." O'Connor returns for Wallabies Veteran fly-half James O'Connor has been named to start for Australia against South Africa in the opening round of The Rugby Championship this weekend. The 35-year-old played a Super Rugby season for Crusaders last year and was massively influential in their title win, but has not played Test rugby for the Wallabies since 2022. Now, however, he finds himself back in the starting side to take on the reigning world champions at Ellis Park, with the 64-cap international the only out-and-out fly-half that head coach Joe Schmidt has at his disposal currently. O'Connor is the only change Australia have made to the starting XV that won against the British and Irish Lions in the final Test in Sydney two weeks ago. Schmidt has also opted for a 6-2 split on the bench, with Tate McDermott and Andrew Kellaway providing the firepower for the Wallabies in in the backs. Article continues below Australia side to face South Africa: 15 Tom Wright, 14 Max Jorgensen, 13 Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, 12 Len Ikitau, 11 Dylan Pietsch, 10 James O'Connor, 9 Nic White, 8 Harry Wilson (c), 7 Fraser McReight, 6 Tom Hooper, 5 Will Skelton, 4 Nick Frost, 3 Taniela Tupou, 2 Billy Pollard, 1 James Slipper Replacements: 16 Brandon Paenga-Amosa, 17 Angus Bell, 18 Zane Nonggorr, 19 Jeremy Williams, 20 Langi Gleeson, 21 Nick Champion de Crespigny, 22 Tate McDermott, 23 Andrew Kellaway
Axios
6 days ago
- Business
- Axios
NOLA Gold Rugby calls it quits for 2026
Just a year after hosting its first home playoff game, the NOLA Gold announced the team wouldn't participate in Major League Rugby in 2026. Why it matters: It's a loss for New Orleans sports fans and raises a significant question about the future of the Shrine on Airline stadium. The big picture: Founded in 2017, the NOLA Gold participated in the U.S.-based Major League Rugby, which has been rattled in the past couple of weeks as Miami's team also shuttered and two teams in California merged. A Utah team is also seeking additional investment, The Guardian reports. The shakeup, according to the newspaper, likely concerns officials with World Rugby, who look to host the 2031 men's and 2033 women's rugby World Cups in the U.S. Zoom in: A top MLR official boasted about the sport's U.S. growth in New Orleans last summer while celebrating the NOLA Gold's home playoff game. Average stadium attendance was up 29% since 2021, MLR said at the time. The intrigue: It's not exactly clear what led the Gold to close up shop. While an end-of-season statement in June acknowledged "challenges" and "growth opportunities," it offered optimism and a promise for "a detailed roadmap for the 2025-2026 season and beyond." The team could return to the MLR in the future, The Guardian reported, and the Gold's statement announcing it would not participate in 2026 said the team had ongoing discussions with the league about its future. Between the lines: At least one Gold staffer found a new role: Former NOLA Gold general manager Ryan Fitzgerald heads to Loyola University, the school announced, where he'll oversee the development of women's and men's teams. What we're watching: The Gold's departure leaves a gap in programming for the 10,000-seat Shrine on Airline, which The Times-Picayune reports is about to undergo a yearlong, $30 million renovation.
The Guardian
06-08-2025
- Business
- The Guardian
Rugby in US suffers another blow as second team in a week exits MLR
Major League Rugby was reduced to eight teams on Wednesday by the withdrawal of the Miami Sharks, just a week after a founding team quit the competition and two California teams merged. Miami and MLR did not immediately comment but multiple league sources confirmed that the Sharks' withdrawal after two years in the league was finalized on Tuesday. The Guardian understands that a request to withdraw for 2026 before a potential return in 2027 was rejected by team owners – NOLA Gold, the team that announced its exit last week, having sought a similar arrangement. NOLA and Miami could reapply to play in 2027, the Guardian was told. Last week, after NOLA's exit and the merger of San Diego Legion and RFC LA, it was widely reported that the league could yet fall to just seven teams, the number that kicked off the competition in 2018. Utah Warriors, like NOLA and San Diego founding MLR members, are seeking new investment – a process CEO Kimball Kjar last week told the Guardian was 'a heavy lift' but going well. Kjar expressed confidence in Utah continuing to play. MLR commissioner Nic Benson said he thought the league could continue if reduced to just seven teams. News of Miami's exit will concern executives at World Rugby, which has placed the men's World Cup in the US in 2031, followed by the women's event in 2033. Last month, speaking to reporters in Washington DC, World Rugby chief executive Alan Gilpin said the governing body 'believed … there needs to be a domestic professional league in the US that's growing and thriving [and] we want MLR to be that'. Gilpin also indicated an openness to talks with international interests seeking to plant teams on US soil, including Super Rugby, the United Rugby Championship and the mooted R360 breakaway project. On Wednesday, the Guardian sought comment from Benson, Miami CEO Milagros Cubelli, and players' representatives. Miami entered MLR in 2024 and reached the playoffs for the first time this year, losing the Eastern Conference Semi-Final to New England Free Jacks, who went on to win their third successive title. There was an immediate irony in news of Miami's MLR exit. Just two days earlier, Cubelli — the sister of Miami and Argentina scrum-half Tomas Cubelli — was named MLR Major League Rugby Executive of the Year. In comments released by the league on Monday, Cubelli said: 'We are a new team at a starting level, so you have to be smart in how you use your resources. 'I have a strong background in entertainment and production, so I think I brought this experience to the Sharks to have a good gameday experience and an interesting, attractive brand. I'm proud and very happy. And I love to win.' Cubelli also said sponsorship was 'one of the big successes of 2025', as the Sharks 'grew sponsorship revenue to almost 20%' 'There's a professional rugby team in Miami that is doing things well, that is eager to share the fun of this sport with the people in the community,' she added. 'The doors are wide open.' On Wednesday afternoon, the Miami website still advertised 'Season 2026' as 'Coming Soon'. 'Come enjoy the Sharks experience,' it said. Martin Pengelly writes on Substack at The National Maul, on rugby in the US.
Toronto Star
31-07-2025
- Sport
- Toronto Star
NOLA Gold folds, two California teams join forces in Major League Rugby shuffle
Seattle Seawolves, right, and San Diego Legion players square off in a scrum Sunday, April 22, 2018, in the first half of the first ever Major League Rugby (MLR) match in the Pacific Northwest in Tukwila, Wash. MLR, which began the inaugural season a day earlier, has seven teams across the United States and will run their regular season through June. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson) ET flag wire: true flag sponsored: false article_type: : sWebsitePrimaryPublication : publications/toronto_star bHasMigratedAvatar : false :
Hamilton Spectator
31-07-2025
- Sport
- Hamilton Spectator
NOLA Gold folds, two California teams join forces in Major League Rugby shuffle
Major League Rugby, which operated with 11 teams this season, is down to nine. NOLA Gold, based in the New Orleans suburb of Metairie, said Wednesday it will not be part of the pro rugby league in 2026. Earlier Wednesday, the San Diego Legion and Rugby Football Club Los Angeles (RFC LA) announced they will join forces and compete in the league next season as the California Legion. The new franchise will host matches across San Diego, Los Angeles and Orange County, 'solidifying the new club's vision of becoming a representative of professional rugby in California.' NOLA Gold and San Diego have been part of the league since its inaugural season in 2018. RFC LA started life as Atlanta's Rugby ATL, relocating to California for the 2024 season. Other teams that took part in the league this season were the champion New England Free Jacks, Chicago Hounds, Old Glory DC (Washington, D.C.), Miami Sharks, Anthem RC (Charlotte, N.C.), Utah Warriors, Houston SaberCats and Seattle Seawolves. The league started with seven franchises (including Houston, Seattle and Utah) with original teams in Austin and Glendale, Colo., subsequently folding. The Toronto Arrows, Rugby United New York, L.A. Giltinis and Dallas Jackals also came and went. Toronto joined the league in 2019 but folded in November 2023 after the death of president and general partner Bill Webb. The NOLA Gold roster this season included Canadians Cooper Coats, Tyler Matchem and Callum Botchar while Andrew Coe, Matt Heaton and Conor Young were with RFC LA. NOLA Gold, which finished fifth in the six-team Eastern Conference at 4-12-0, announced its withdrawal from the league in a pithy statement on its website. 'NOLA Gold has informed the league that we do not intend to participate in the 2026 season. Discussions are ongoing with the League regarding future opportunities and potential pathways forward.' MLR CEO Nic Benson, meanwhile, said the new California team 'will build and connect rugby communities to elevate the game in Southern California.' 'We look forward to working with new ownership groups to align, grow rugby statewide,' he added in a statement. Canadian players have found a home in the MLR, with 16 Canadians in New England's squad alone this season. Canadians Andrew Quattrin, Piers von Dadelszen, Cam Nordli-Kelemeti, Ben LeSage and Brock Webster started for the Free Jacks in their 28-22 win over the Houston SaberCats on June 28 to claim their third straight MLR championship. Webster, who played a key role in two of the New England tries, was named player of the match. Canada captain Lucas Rumball and fellow Canadians Matt Owuru, Jason Higgins and brothers Mason and Noah Flesch play for the Chicago Hounds. —- This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 30, 2025.
