-Credit:Huw Evans Picture Agency
Here are your latest rugby headlines on Sunday, December 29.
Wales face injury concerns at hooker
Warren Gatland will be sweating on the fitness of hookers Dewi Lake and Ryan Elias ahead of Wales’ Six Nations opener against France.
Wales are highly likely to be without Lake for at least the start of the Championship after the 25-year-old underwent surgery on his bicep which the Ospreys have confirmed will keep him out for “months”. Scarlets hooker Elias has missed the last couple of games with a neck injury but Dwayne Peel hopes he will return to play some part in their Challenge Cup games against Gloucester and Vannes next month.
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“He is getting there slowly,” said Peel. “I don’t think he will be right for New Year’s Day but he has been part of what we are doing.
“Until he gets some strength back, we will not be risking him in that area. He is a big loss because he is a big leader and player for us and we are looking forward to getting him back.”
But Gatland has at least been boosted by the return of experienced hooker Elliot Dee who made his first appearance of the season for the Dragons in their defeat to Cardiff on Boxing Day.
Wales wing Blair Murray, who missed the last couple of games with a hamstring injury, will return to figure for the Scarlets against the Dragons on New Year’s Day.
Lancaster slams ‘lies’
Former England coach Stuart Lancaster has slammed what he claims are “lies” surrounding speculation over his position at Racing 92.
Lancaster, whose Racing team lie second in the Top14 behind Toulouse, was responding to comments made by former England international Andy Goode on The Rugby Pod.
Addressing the comments, Lancaster told French outlet RMC Sport: “I was disappointed by the lies told about me. One of them started in England about my departure for Munster, which is totally false. I lost all the respect I had for the people on the podcast who said that.
“But what disappointed me the most was the fact that other people presented information on their websites as true without checking the facts. We live in a world full of false information; it is a responsibility to check it.”
Goode had suggested on the podcast that there is unrest at the French club over Lancaster picking his son Dan at fly-half, while also suggesting he is he keen on the vacant post at Munster.
“He’s picking his son at fly-half. Apparently, the French lads are not happy with Stuart Lancaster whatsoever, and I’m not sure Lanny’s enjoying that relationship with the French lads and the club,” Goode said.
“The easy thing to do over in Racing and in France, in general, is just to blame the non-French option, blame the English guys, blame the Scots, blame whoever else is there that’s not French, and Lanny’s under some heat.
“I’ve heard he’s chucked his hat in the ring for Munster because he wants out of Racing, but we’ll see what happens.”
Former Cardiff RFC player dies
Former Cardiff RFC wing and rugby league legend Frank Wilson has died at the age of 80.
Born in Cardiff in 1944 and a product of Llandaff North, Frank made his debut for his home city against the Barbarians on October 7, 1964. According to the Cardiff Rugby website Wilson was the “first Cardiffian of colour to become a first team, scoring a hat-trick of tries against Coventry in 1966”.
Wilson represented Cardiff alongside the great Sir Gareth Edwards, Gerald Davies and Maurice Richards. He scored 17 tries in 24 matches for the Blue & Blacks before switching codes to play for St Helens in 1968.
Wilson made 300 appearances for the rugby league giants and scored 176 tries. He also had spells at Workington Town, Warrington, Salford and Cardiff City Blue Dragons.
Wilson also won 14 caps for Wales in rugby league, representing his country in the 1975 World Championship.
Saracens suffer record Premiership defeat
Liam Williams was part of a Saracens side who got annihilated 68-10 by Bath at the Rec.
This was a record Gallagher Premiership defeat for Saracens who conceded 10 tries. Experienced Wales full-back Williams was at fault for the opening try when he intentionally tapped a cross-field kick from Finn Russell over the dead ball line to prevent Joe Cokanasiga scoring a try.
But his efforts were in vain with referee Karl Dickson awarding a penalty try and sending Williams to the sin bin. The floodgates opened when openside flanker Toby Knight got red carded for a high tackle after 14 minutes with Will Muir scoring a hat-trick while Cokanasiga (twice), Thomas du Toit, Cameron Redpath, Sam Underhill and Ollie Lawrence also scored tries.
“Today is a big moment because when these thunderbolts come along – which they have in previous seasons – it is how you respond to it which defines the rest of the season,” Saracens rugby director McCall said.
“The experience is ugly and horrible, to be honest, but it is how you respond to something like that happening which can make or break your season.”
Leicester held by Harlequins in big-game thriller
A late Dan Cole try and a touchline conversion from Handre Pollard saw Leicester Tigers draw 34-34 with Harlequins in front of a sell-out crowd at Twickenham.
There was plenty of Welsh representation with tighthead prop Dillon Lewis and outside-half Dillon Lewis coming on as replacements for Harlequins, while loosehead prop Nicky Smith started for Leicester. But arguably the standout player was Welsh-qualified backrower Olly Cracknell who finished the game as top carrier with 16.
Ollie Hassell-Collins – who will qualify to represent Wales in 2026 – Solomone Kata, Freddie Steward and Cole scored Leicester’s tries. Jack Walker, Cadan Murley (twice) and Luke Northmore crossed for Harlequins.
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Author : rugby-247
Publish date : 2024-12-29 08:52:18
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