Latest news with #Warburton
Wales Online
3 days ago
- Sport
- Wales Online
Tonight's rugby news as Welsh club coach linked with job and Sam Warburton says Welsh rugby 'can only dream'
Tonight's rugby news as Welsh club coach linked with job and Sam Warburton says Welsh rugby 'can only dream' The latest rugby news from Wales and beyond. Jared Payne (right) could be leaving west Wales. (Image: Huw Evans Picture Agency ) Your rugby evening headlines on Saturday, May 31. Warburton: Welsh rugby can only dream Wales legend Sam Warburton says Welsh rugby "can only dream" after drawing comparisons with the English game. This weekend, the top four places of the English Premiership were decided in the final round of regular season fixtures, with Warburton's comments coming prior to these final games. Going into the final weekend, there was still some jeopardy involved, with Bristol Bears just two points ahead of Gloucester in fourth place, with Saracens level on points with the Cherry and Whites. Warburton said Welsh clubs can only imagine the sorts of crowds and jeopardy on show across the bridge at present. Speaking about this in his Times column, Warburton, who is a TNT Sports pundit and commentator, said: "I'll be at Bristol on Saturday for the Bears match against Harlequins and qualification for the top four is in their hands, so, while it may not be a rip-roaring conclusion, at least there is enough on this last round of regular matches to see the argument for the play-offs and a climax to a thrilling season. "I hear some English fans complaining a little and touting their plans for improvement and I just think: 'You should try living in Wales and see the problems we have there!'. In Wales, we can only dream at the moment of our regions having the games that the English clubs have, and especially the crowds they attract so regularly." Sign up to Inside Welsh rugby on Substack to get exclusive news stories and insight from behind the scenes in Welsh rugby. Welsh club coach favourite for top job Scarlets coach Jared Payne is favourite to land the head coach position at Connacht, reports RugbyPass. The former British & Irish Lions tourist is currently assistant coach under Dwayne Peel in west Wales, but could now be switching United Rugby Championships clubs. Payne has been with Scarlets since June 2023 and has helped the side reach the URC play-offs this season alongside his colleagues, with the Parc y Scarlets outfit facing Leinster on Saturday afternoon. Despite being born in New Zealand, Payne represented Ireland at international level and a move to Galway would see him coach in the country for the first time since 2022, where he left Ulster to join up with Clermont Auvergne in the Top 14. Of course, Payne moved into coaching back in 2018 after sustaining a head injury on the Lions tour to New Zealand in 2017. Recurring headaches had forced him into retirement, but a career in coaching awaited him. IRFU performance director David Humphreys is reportedly a big fan of Payne. Premiership play-offs decided The English Premiership top four was settled on Saturday in the final round of action. Bristol Bears' fate was in their hands in round 18, and they got that all-important victory over Harlequins at Ashton Gate - quite convincingly too - 52-26. The West Country outfit scored a stunning seven tries against Quins, with a total of 11 scores on the day. The results confirmed a place in the semi-finals for Bears, who'll be joining Leicester Tigers, Sale Sharks and Bath in the play-offs. Saracens picked up a tidy result at the StoneX Stadium, beating league leaders Bath 36-26, although it was very much a second string Bath team. However, it's a mid-table finish for Nick Tompkins' team. Wales international Gareth Anscombe played his final game for Gloucester, who defeated Northampton Saints 41-26. The 34-year-old fly-half was substituted on the 64th-minute mark, and will be heading to France next season to link up with Bayonne. Christian Wade, who is leaving rugby union again to pursue a career in league, scored in the final minute of the game, in a fitting send-off for one of the league's most prolific try-scorers. As was confirmed prior to the weekend's action, after disappointing seasons, Exeter Chiefs and Newcastle Falcons will be playing EPCR Challenge Cup rugby next term, having finished outside the top eight. Gloucester, Saracens, Quins and Saints all miss out on the play-offs but qualify for Champions Cup rugby next season. Franco Smith: I'm not surprised my players shone By Anthony Brown, PA Franco Smith claimed he was not surprised to see champions Glasgow turn on the style in their United Rugby Championship quarter-final victory over Stormers because he was always confident they would bounce back from their recent dip. Warriors romped to a five-try 36-18 triumph over their South African visitors on Friday night to set up a semi-final showdown with the winner of Saturday's clash between Leinster and Scarlets in next weekend's semi-final. Much of the pre-match talk had surrounded the fact Glasgow had lost four of their previous five matches, including a shock 33-7 defeat away to Benetton. Smith argued that some form of drop-off was inevitable amid such a gruelling schedule, and he is hopeful that his team are back on song at just the right time to defend their title. 'It's a long season, 18 rounds, nine Test matches (four autumn Tests and five Six Nations fixtures), and you have six or seven European Cup games,' said the head coach. 'It's high-priority games every week. 'Our squad is that big, we've rotated it, we've brought some new players in. 'But to be on the mental edge the whole time is sometimes inhuman, if I can put it that way. 'All the sides that finished in the top eight had a bad period somewhere. Ours might have been evident against Benetton. Not even against the Bulls, who were actually very good that evening. Article continues below 'If I keep perspective and don't form a perception, I have a good chance of staying true to the cause. I'm not surprised about our performance against Stormers."
Wales Online
6 days ago
- Sport
- Wales Online
Sam Warburton says 'cut-throat' decision needed over regions and reveals his 'preference'
Sam Warburton says 'cut-throat' decision needed over regions and reveals his 'preference' Welsh rugby faces the possibility of cutting a professional club and Warburton is on board with that Warburton believes the WRU needs to cut a region (Image: Bob Bradford - CameraSport via Getty Images ) Sam Warburton has urged the Welsh Rugby Union to cut one of its four professional clubs for the greater good of the game in Wales. Welsh rugby is currently in limbo after the Ospreys and Scarlets both declined to follow Cardiff and the Dragons in signing the new Professional Rugby Agreement with the WRU. As a result the WRU have served a two-year notice to both the Ospreys and Scarlets on the old PRA, meaning there will be a tiered funding model next season. Going down to three professional clubs is a very real possibility and Warburton insists it needs to happen if Welsh rugby is to drag itself out of the abyss. "I've said they need to be cut, I don't want them to," Warburton told Mirror Sport. "I would love us to keep four teams and add a north Wales region and have players pouring out of that pathway but that's not happening and it's not happening down south either. Sign up to Inside Welsh rugby on Substack to get exclusive news stories and insight from behind the scenes in Welsh rugby. "All the reviews that have come about have all concluded for the last 10 years that you need to go down to three. "We've fought to keep four from a good place to keep them alive, but the reality is we just can't and we have to drop to three. "I don't want it, but if we're looking at it subjectively it has to happen. "My preference would be a merger, but if no one is willing to merge then unfortunately there has to be a cut throat decision. "Is it perfect? No. "Whether it is right or wrong, nobody has the right answer. Join WalesOnline Rugby's WhatsApp Channel here to get the breaking news sent straight to your phone for free "But one answer we do know is we've had four teams for 20 years and it's bought no success. "The daft thing is to keep doing the same thing and expecting a different result. "I fully support going down to three, from a player quality perspective, we can't support four teams nor do we have the funding." Get the latest breaking Welsh rugby news stories sent straight to your inbox with our FREE daily newsletter. Sign up here. Article continues below Reducing to three professional clubs would concentrate both money and playing talent, which in theory should drive up standards on the field.
Daily Mirror
6 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
Warburton "fully supports" cutting Welsh region - "it has to happen"
Sam Warburton admits Wales needs to cut one of its regions and go down from four teams to three with their player pool and funding unable to maintain its current structure Sam Warburton confessed with a heavy heart that Welsh Rugby has to cut one of its four regions with the former captain admitting the "daft thing is to keep doing the same thing and expecting a different result". With the country's player pool drying up and funding becoming an issue with each passing year the expectation is that one of the Ospreys, Scarlets, Dragons or Cardiff Blues is set for the chop. Warburton himself came through the ranks at the Cardiff Blues, playing his whole career in the capital, but is a believer that going down to three teams is ultimately in the nation's best interest. Especially as they look to rebuild and snap a winless run that now stands at 17 games - the most for a tier-one nation in the professional era. The WRU announced earlier this month that its four regions will no longer be equally funded as reports continue to swirl over a team being cut. Warburton claimed keeping four for so long came from "a good place" but the time had come to either merge a region or be ruthless. He told Mirror Sport: "I've said they need to be cut, I don't want them to. I would love us to keep four teams and add a north Wales region and had players pouring out of that pathway but thats not happening and it's not happening down south either. All the reviews that have come about have all concluded for the last ten years that you need to go down to three. "We've fought to keep four from a good place to keep them alive, but the reality is we just can't and we have to drop to three. I don't want it, but if we're looking at it subjectively it has to happen. My preference would be merger, but if no one is willing to merge then unfortunately there has to be a cut throat decision. Is it perfect? No. Whether it is right or wrong, nobody has the right answer. "But one answer we do know is we've had four teams for 20 years and it's bought no success. The daft thing is to keep doing the same thing and expecting a different result. I fully support going down to three, from a player quality perspective, we can't support four teams nor do we have the funding." Welsh rugby bosses intend to implement a new two-tier funding system and have served a two-year notice on the current agreement that had remained the central cog of the domestic game. That current Professional Rugby Agreement (PRA) deal runs out in 2027 and was due to be superseded by a new five-year deal that Ospreys and Scarlets have not signed. Only Cardiff, who are owned by the WRU, and privately-backed Dragons have put pen to paper. The four sides are expected to exist in their current form until at least June 2027, but beyond that it remains unclear what direction the Welsh game will go in. The governing body says it has an "open mind to all constructive and realistic proposals on the way forward".
Daily Mirror
6 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
Lions great Sam Warburton outlines Fin Smith task as "best winger" misses out
The battle for the British and Irish Lions 10 shirt could hot up before the Australia Test series as Fin Smith looks to usurp the current favourite, Finn Russell Sam Warburton believes some stunning form from Fin Smith in the British and Irish Lions ' warm-up games can see him usurp Finn Russell as the man to start at fly-half against Australia. The Bath No 10 is seen as the most likely man to start Down Under and could make the trip off the back of Premiership success. Russell has commanded Scotland's fly-half spot for a decade and is now involved in his second Tour after appearing back in 2021. Smith is tipped to provide the most competition having made himself the first choice 10 for England under Steve Borthwick. The young Northampton star has also guided the Saints to the European Cup final, falling narrowly short at the weekend. His control and composure has seen some call for him to start ahead of Russell, who himself has just won the Challenge Cup with the Premiership play-offs to come. Warburton insists Andy Farrell and co will have an idea of the Test team already, but outstanding performances in the weeks beforehand cannot be ignored. Two-time Lions skipper Warburton told Mirror Sport: "The coaches will have an idea what the Test team is now. So right now you might think Finn Russell starts at 10, but if Fin Smith is pulling up trees in those warm-ups he has to start. If Gibson-Park plays 8/10 and Williams plays 8/10 they'll go with Gibson-Park. "I think everyone should feel like they've got a chance to start a Test. The coaches will have their favourites right now, but the warm-ups will dictate who starts Test matches." One Englishman who won't be heading to Australia is Exeter winger Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, whose injury denied him a chance to stake his claim. The youngster has enjoyed a rapid rise and Warburton believed he was a "banker" to be part of the Lions squad. He will instead to be part of England's summer tour, but with injuries part of the game Feyi-Waboso could still receive a call with the Wales legend admitting he would've included him despite the winger only just regaining his fitness. "I would've picked Feyi-Waboso," said Warburton. "I just thought if he gets two games under his belt I think there'd be enough to have him in contention for a Test match. I would've had him in my squad, back in the autumn he was the best winger in the four islands. He's been unfortunate and if he'd stayed fit he was a banker to go on tour." One of Farrell's big tasks through the tour will be whether to stick with tried and tested or consider experimenting with combinations - Warburton advising on the latter. The four centres are split - two Scots in Sione Tuipilotu and Huw Jones and two Irish in Bundee Aki and Garry Ringrose - with the international duos proving they can play effectively together. Whilst that cohesion is huge, Warburton insists trialing the new combinations could unearth the type of partnership that blossomed in 2009 when Jamie Roberts and Brian O'Driscoll proved to be a match made in heaven. "The partnership thing is big," said Warburton. "(Jonathan) Davies and Roberts. That's why it was so unusual in 2009 to see Roberts and O'Driscoll do so well. I think you've got to try the combinations. Going into the Test you know Sione and Huw Jones and play together. You know the Irish lads can play together. I'd love to see them experiment with those combos, but it wouldn't surprise me if we saw the international pairings come the Tests." One Irishman who isn't present is Caelan Doris - the Leinster No 8 who was tipped to be captain. Maro Itoje will fill in there, but it leaves a back spot open. Warburton confessed his admiration for Ben Earl, but aired concerns over a lack of height. Especially if, say, Tom Curry and Jac Morgan played on the flanks. It leaves Jack Conan potentially stepping up for his compatriot. The bolter Henry Pollock is capable of packing down at 8 and has enjoyed a meteoric rise. The Northampton ace was playing for the U20s only months ago. He's passed every challenge thus far, but Warburton insists the "litmus test" will come against the elite nations - but acknowledged that the 20-year-old " does things that you don't see 7s do" as he drew comparisons with World Player of the Year Ardie Savea. Sam Warburton was speaking at Canterbury of New Zealand's Train Like a Lion event. To purchase Canterbury's new Red Dahlia Boots, as worn by Canterbury ambassadors and Lions squad members, Mack Hansen and Andrew Porter, click HERE.
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Investability Announces Milestone Fifth Year with Expanded Investor Event Lineup
Investability, an Australian investor relations firm, marks its fifth year with expanded investor events and ambitious growth initiatives. Since 2020, the company has facilitated AUD 400M in equity funding and USD 250M in M&A deals, serving 65 clients globally across natural resources, technology, and financial services credit: Investability SYDNEY, Australia, May 27, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Investability, a leading boutique investor relations consultancy, is celebrating its fifth year with an expanded lineup of investor events designed to connect growth-focused companies with quality investors. The milestone highlights the firm's continued success in delivering tailored solutions to clients across natural resources, technology, and financial services sectors. Since its inception in 2020, Investability has facilitated over AUD 500 million in equity funding and worked on mergers and acquisitions totaling USD 250 million. As the firm looks ahead, it is increasing its focus on hosting impactful investor events to strengthen ties between companies and the investment community. 'Our fifth year marks a significant milestone for Investability, and we are proud of the progress we have made in becoming a trusted partner for clients navigating the capital markets,' said Dannika Warburton, Founder and Principal of Investability. 'This year, we are expanding our investor event offerings to provide even more opportunities for companies to showcase their potential and connect with investors globally.' The expanded event schedule includes roadshows, conferences, and bespoke investor presentations tailored to meet clients' needs, ranging from pre-IPO startups to publicly listed companies. These events aim to bridge the gap between companies and investors, ensuring clear communication of investment opportunities and fostering stronger engagement. 'Our goal has always been to provide a platform for companies to tell their stories effectively and build meaningful relationships with investors,' added Warburton. 'We enable our clients to stand out in a competitive market while offering investors valuable insights and opportunities by increasing the scale and scope of our events.' Should we include a summary of upcoming events here? Or simply tell people to reach out for more information on upcoming events? Sydney Resources Sundowner | Investor Event (Sydney, New South Wales) – Wed, 7 May 2025 – all investors welcome ASX Companies with North American Assets | Investor Event (Los Angeles, California) – Late August, 2025 – institutional investors only Small Cap Companies Battle Pitch Series - Melbourne and Adelaide – October 2025 – all investors welcome London Mining Week Investor Event (London, UK) - November 2025 – institutional investors only Investability also regularly hosts virtual events and investor webinars with individual stocks. You can sign up to receive Investability event invites here: Investability has earned a strong reputation for its high-touch service model, blending traditional investor relations with cutting-edge digital strategies. As the firm's founder, Warburton devotes the majority of her time to advising C-suite executives on the development and seamless execution of investor relations programs. While the work is often high-pressure and time-sensitive, reflecting the pace of markets and constant flow of client updates, Warburton thrives in the dynamic environment. 'It's a role that constantly inspires and energises me,' she says. This forward-looking mindset is what's propelling Warburton and the Investability team into their next phase of growth—despite challenging market conditions. The firm is actively exploring partnerships with technology platforms to strengthen its sentiment analysis and digital engagement capabilities. At the same time, it continues to expand its global investor network, which includes high-net-worth individuals, fund managers, brokers, and family offices. With a clear focus on innovation and connectivity, Investability is positioning itself for even greater impact in its sixth year and beyond. About Investability Investability is a boutique investor relations consultancy headquartered in Sydney, Australia. Specializing in connecting growth-focused companies with quality investors, the firm provides a comprehensive range of services, including roadshows, strategic advisory, digital marketing, capital raising, and investor analytics. Since its founding in 2020, Investability has supported over 65 clients globally, facilitating equity funding and mergers and acquisitions across diverse industries. Investability's next investor event will be held in Sydney on Wednesday, 7th May. For more information, please contact: Contact Information: Name: Dannika Warburton Company: Investability Partners Email: info@ Website: A photo accompanying this announcement is available at
