Latest news with #SixNationsFestival
Wales Online
28-05-2025
- Sport
- Wales Online
Tonight's rugby news as four highly-rated Welsh talents sign deals in England and 'gutted' star hit with ban
Tonight's rugby news as four highly-rated Welsh talents sign deals in England and 'gutted' star hit with ban The latest headlines from Wales and around the world Southworth has been banned for three matches (Image: Ashley Vlotman/Huw Evans Agency ) These are your latest rugby headlines on the evening of Wednesday, May 28. Welsh talents sign deals in England Four highly-rated Welsh teenagers have signed professional deals with Bristol Bears and joined the club's senior academy ahead of next season. Wales U19 full-back Evan Morris has joined the Gallagher Premiership side full-time, while three other Welsh age-grade players - prop George Leyland, lock Osian Williams and scrum-half Cai Gealy - have signed BUCS Super Rugby pathway deals in order to continue their studies alongside their rugby careers. Morris - who has represented Wales at U18 and U19 level and scored for the latter side against Italy last month - is a former Ospreys academy player but moved across the border to study at the prestigious Millfield School Clifton College student Leyland, meanwhile, was included in the England U18 development squads both last year and earlier this season, but featured for Richie Pugh's Wales U18s side at the Six Nations Festival in March. Williams and Gealy - of Clifton and Hartpury College respectively - have also both represented Wales at U18s level. Sign up to Inside Welsh rugby on Substack to get exclusive news stories and insight from behind the scenes in Welsh rugby. They join the Bears' senior academy alongside English age-grade stars Victor Worsnip and Kieran Hill, as well as Jeke Bulanauca, Arthur Guyot and Ollie Harris. 'I'm really pleased to welcome these promising young men from their schools and U18 rugby into our Senior Academy programme, as we build our younger exciting squad for next season," said Bristol's director of rugby Pat Lam. 'I believe with access to our world class facilities, staff and guidance and mentorship from our senior players at the Bears High Performance Centre, these players will have everything they need to achieve their rugby dreams and hopefully will become household names to our fans.' Academy head John Barnes added: 'This is a group of high potential young players who will add to our senior academy next season. They will have the challenge to breakthrough into the senior squad over the coming years, something we believe they have the ability to do. "It's an exciting time for the club with so much local talent coming through our pathway, we are looking forward to watching them thrive in the senior environment. 'The Bears Academy is there to capture, nurture and develop exciting young talent. We are proud of the players that have come through our pathway in recent times, representing the 1st XV and going onto International honours. "This group will only add to that success and reflects the hard work that is done by the coaches and support staff throughout our Performance Programme.' 'Gutted' star hit with ban Cardiff prop Danny Southworth has been handed a three-match ban after being sent off against Stormers in the region's final United Rugby Championship game of the season. The 26-year-old was shown a red card by referee Gianluca Gnecchi shortly before the half hour mark in Cape Town earlier this month, having made a dangerous tackle on Neethling Fouche. It meant that Cardiff were reduced to 14 men for just over 50 minutes of the match, which they ended up losing 34-24. Southworth - who is Welsh-qualified - was visibly upset after being shown the red card by Gnecchi, with BBC commentators noting that he looked "gutted" as he made his way off the field. A fortnight on, a disciplinary panel has now handed him a suspension, with the prop accepting he had committed an act of foul play. In mitigation, Southworth's early acknowledgement of foul play, together with his good disciplinary record, immediate apology and remorse, saw an initial six-week sanction halved to three. He will have his ban reduced by a week if he completes World Rugby's coaching intervention programme, also known as 'tackle school'. But with Cardiff's season having already finished after they failed to reach the URC play-offs, the games that Southworth will miss as a result of his ban will be confirmed at a later date. England international retires Bath wing Ruaridh McConnochie has announced he is retiring from playing and plans to move into coaching. The 33-year-old former 7s star, who won a silver medal with Team GB at the 2016 Olympics, has scored 29 tries in 95 appearances since moving to The Rec in 2018, but will leave the club this summer after hanging up his boots. McConnochie made two appearances for England, both in 2019, and scored his first and only international try against the United States at the Rugby World Cup in Japan. In 2023, he was a surprise inclusion in the Scotland squad for the Six Nations as he qualified through his father. However, he never featured for Gregor Townsend's side. Announcing his retirement and future career plans, McConnochie said: 'Almost 10 years to the day since I walked through the doors at England 7s, I now feel it's the right time to step away from a career that has given me memories and friendships to last a lifetime. 'I appreciate not every player has the ability to retire on their own terms, and so after much thought, I feel very lucky to be able to make the call myself. "I feel incredibly privileged to have experienced all I have done throughout my career, and I know this would not have been possible without the help and support of my family, friends, and coaches. 'Now into the world of coaching and education I go, with some life-changing memories and experiences to look back on. Thank you.' Underhill banned after Cardiff controversy By Andrew Baldock, PA Rugby Union Correspondent England flanker Sam Underhill is set to miss Bath's bid for the Gallagher Premiership title after receiving a four-week ban. Underhill was cited for a dangerous tackle on Lyon full-back Davit Niniashvili during Bath's EPCR Challenge Cup final victory in Cardiff. The Bath forward received a yellow card from Scottish referee Hollie Davidson, but a complaint was then lodged by match citing commisssioner Philippe Lenne. An independent disciplinary committee imposed the period of suspension, with European Professional Club Rugby stating his return to play date will be determined once his future playing schedule is confirmed. Bath's next fixture is a final game of the regular Premiership season against Saracens on Saturday. That is followed by a play-off on June 6, then the Premiership final eight days later if Bath get there. In terms of Underhill's potential England schedule, there is a non-cap match against France on June 21, with the first Test against Argentina two weeks after that. EPCR said: 'Underhill accepted that he had committed an act of foul play, but did not accept that it warranted a red card. 'The independent disciplinary committee upheld the complaint, finding that Underhill had tackled Davit Niniashvili in a dangerous manner that warranted a red card, and it determined that the offending was at the mid-range of World Rugby's sanctions and six weeks was selected as the appropriate entry point. Article continues below 'The committee gave the player credit for his remorse and timely acceptance that he had committed an act of foul play. But because of his prior disciplinary record, the committee were only able to discount the entry point sanction by two weeks. They therefore imposed a four-week suspension.' Underhill received a three-week ban in April after being sent off for a high tackle against Challenge Cup opponents Pau. He is an integral part of the Bath armoury under head of rugby Johann van Graan, and his ban is a major blow for the club. Premiership title success would see them complete an historic trophy treble this season, having already won the Challenge Cup and Premiership Rugby Cup.
Wales Online
21-05-2025
- Sport
- Wales Online
Wales just picked a 17-year-old schoolboy for the U20s because he's so good
Wales just picked a 17-year-old schoolboy for the U20s because he's so good Carwyn Leggatt-Jones has been promoted from the U18s ahead of Wales U20s' World Rugby Championship this summer Carwyn Leggatt-Jones kicks a drop-goal for Llandovery College (Image: Kian Abdullah/Huw Evans Agency ) Talented youngster Carwyn Leggatt-Jones has been included in a 45-man training squad ahead of Wales U20s' World Rugby Championship campaign later this summer. The Scarlets fly-half was playing for Wales U18s in April, having first played at that level while at the age of 16. He will now spend the coming weeks training with Richard Whiffin's squad as he tries to force his way into the 30-man group for the tournament in Italy. Sign up to Inside Welsh rugby on Substack to get exclusive news stories and insight from behind the scenes in Welsh rugby. The highly-rated fly-half has played a key part in Llandovery College's back-to-back WSC titles in the last two years - putting in player of the match performances in both finals at the Principality Stadium - while he was also named in the team of the tournament following this year's U18s Six Nations Festival in France. Another of the three Welshmen named in that team, U18s captain Cerrig Smith, is also included in Whiffin's wider training squad - which are due to meet up to begin training this month. There's no place for Morgan Morse, after the Ospreys No. 8 also missed out on Wales' senior tour to Japan in July. 'This 45-man training squad is a mixture of guys that did really well during the Six Nations for us and then the U18s and U19s had a really good block post Six Nations – the U18s went and won all three games out in Vichy and there's a number of those guys that stepped up," said Whiffin. Article continues below 'You also have the culmination of Super Rygbi Cymru - there's boys that have been putting their hand up in the last few weeks in that competition and it gives us an opportunity to put a bit of pressure on the guys that had the jersey in the Six Nations and also prepare for what guys might step up next year. 'The next few weeks are going to be really important for the boys. We've put a big focus on our individual skills and individual development. 'They'll be working incredibly hard physically and we've set a mantra for the boys to improve the individual, improve the team. 'We want everyone to come out of this development block, be it whether they get on the plane or not a better player. So there'll be some tough work for them and it'll be fun. But there will be a big focus on being better players at the end of it." As well as naming the wider squad, Wales also confirmed they will take on England in Pontypool in June to warm up for the tournament. Having defeated the current world champions on a memorable night at the Arms Park during the Six Nations, they will face them again at Pontypool Park on Friday June 6. The following week, they will take on Italy at the Arms Park to continue their preparations for the tournament. On the two preparation matches Whiffin added: 'Our prep's going to be important and those two games against England and Italy will give us a great indication of where we are. We're playing against the world champions in one prep and it'll be a tough game against Italy as well. 'We're going to use the England game as a selection tool and that will drop us down to our 30 player squad for the World Cup and then the Italy game will be our last opportunity to prepare before we get out to Italy for the tournament and face Argentina.' Article continues below Wales will face Argentina, France and Spain in their pool matches in the tournament, which runs from June 29 to July 19. Wales training squad for 2025 World Rugby U20 Championship Forwards (25): Dylan Alford (Scarlets /RGC), Harry Beddall (Dragons RFC), Jake Bowen (Scarlets), Tom Cottle (RGC), Ioan Emanuel (Bath Rugby), Keanu Evans (Scarlets), Luke Evans (Exeter Chiefs), Will Evans (Scarlets), Dan Gemine (Ospreys), Deian Gwynne (Gloucester Rugby), Saul Hurley (Aberavon), Caio James (Gloucester Rugby), Owain James (Dragons RFC), Kenzie Jenkins (Bristol Bears), Ryan Jones (Dragons RFC), Evan Minto (Dragons RFC), Jac Pritchard (Scarlets), Sam Scott (Bristol Bears), Cerrig Smith (Dragons RFC), Harry Thomas (Scarlets), Nick Thomas (Dragons RFC), Louie Trevett (Bristol Bears), George Tuckley (Dragons RFC), Cameron Tyler-Grocott (Cardiff Rugby), Evan Wood (Pontypool / Cardiff Met) Backs (20): Aidan Boshoff (Bristol Bears), Tom Bowen (Cardiff Rugby), Rhys Cummings (Cardiff Rugby), Osian Darwin-Lewis (Cardiff Rugby), Sion Davies (Cardiff Rugby), Ioan Duggan (Dragons RFC), Lewis Edwards (Ospreys), Steff Emanuel (Cardiff Rugby), Elijah Evans (Cardiff Rugby), Harri Ford (Dragons RFC), Logan Franklin (Dragons RFC), Carwyn Leggatt-Jones (Scarlets) Ellis Lewis (Neath), Lloyd Lucas (Cardiff Rugby), Elis Price (Scarlets), Harry Rees-Weldon (Dragons RFC), Osian Roberts (Sale Sharks), Dylan Scott (Cardiff MET), Harri Wilde (Cardiff Rugby), Jack Woods (Bath Rugby)
BBC News
18-03-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Jersey RFC star Coombs earns England Under-18 call
Rising Jersey RFC Women star Seren Coombs has been named in the England Under-18 squad for next month's Six Nations 18-year-old flanker was called up to the Red Roses squad for the first time after impressing in a selection match against Hartpury will fly to Dublin for a warm-up Test against Ireland on 30 March before the Six Nations Festival which runs from 11-19 April."Playing against the top girls of my age from other nations is going to be amazing," she told BBC Radio Jersey."I never imagined I'd be able to perform at this level, and the fact I'm with one of the highest-ranked teams in the world is just an amazing opportunity."Having been introduced to the sport through touch rugby, Coombs progressed into Jersey's girls' team before earning county and regional age-group call-ups for Sussex and South East international selection comes just over a year since she made her senior bow for Jersey RFC Women, shortly after her 17th birthday."My progression over the last couple of years has been so quick," she added."If you asked me in September if I thought this would be possible, I wouldn't have believed you."Coombs quickly settled into the senior club ranks, helping Jersey win promotion to Women's National Challenge 1 South East (South) in her first season."She's an incredible player and I'm not surprised she's been called up for England," women's captain Katie De La Cloche told BBC Radio Jersey."Ever since she was 17 she was champing at the bit to join the team and 'up' her level and her skill, and ever since then she's just a massive part of the team."She's got the drive, she's got the determination - she can go all the way."
