Here are your rugby headlines for Wednesday, November 15.
WRU chair shocked over ‘Nostradamus’ resignation letter
Welsh Rugby Union chair Richard Collier-Keywood says he was shocked to learn the resignation speech of former board member and Professional Rugby Board chair Amanda Blanc.
Blanc’s leaving speech and resignation letter from 2021 have been included within the impartial overview that discovered points of the WRU tradition sexist, misogynistic, racist and homophobic.
Blanc warned that the Union have been “sitting on a ticking time bomb”. You can learn the total letter and speech right here.
“She predicted the long run that happened and it was true,” stated Collier-Keywood. “It was a Nostradamus second. My largest remorse is Amanda shouldn’t be nonetheless on the board,” stated Collier-Keywood, who was appointed as the primary impartial WRU chair in June 2023. She is a high-quality individual and needed to present so much to Welsh rugby and we have now misplaced out as a result of she is not with us.
“I do not need that to ever be the case once more. I need to appeal to the most effective expertise and it will probably’t be acceptable they do not really feel protected or really feel they cannot contribute to this essential organisation.”
Welsh star’s new coach outlines plan for all times after All Black legend
Rhys Patchell’s new Highlanders attack coach Kenny Lynn has outlined how the Super Rugby outfit will arrange with out All Black legend Aaron Smith.
The New Zealand scrum-half is heading to Japan, that means the Highlanders will change how they play – with an emphasis on attacking off fly-half extra probably. While he namechecked kids Cam Millar and Ajay Faleafaga, new signing Patchell can even profit – with the Wales worldwide more likely to get minute within the 10 and 15 jerseys in New Zealand.
“When you’re putting together a way of attacking, you’ve got to think about the players who do have and what attributes they have,” Lynn stated. “The workforce is altering now with the likes of Aaron leaving. There’s an opportunity to make use of the likes of Folau [Fakatava] in numerous methods in how we attack off No 9, but additionally differ it up, and likewise attack one or two passes just a little bit wider.
“I see a willingness to attack the road, and I simply see guys [Millar and Faleafaga] who will definitely enhance with time. I noticed that with Ajay over the NPC season [with Otago]. Cam simply must get constant time on the sector along with his physique.
“But, certainly with Cam, I see someone who’s a thinker of the game, with a kicking game, but they don’t mind attacking. It means that we can do a little bit more from that point of attack.”
READ MORE: Full findings of damning impartial WRU overview revealed
READ MORE: Welsh rugby’s 36 suggestions in full as WRU decide to implementing all of them
World Rugby publicly reply to allegation
World Rugby have publicly responded after studies that they had admitted in non-public to the All Blacks that Aaron Smith’s disallowed attempt within the World Cup ultimate defeat to South Africa ought to have stood.
The officiating choices from the ultimate in Paris have been criticised in New Zealand, with Wayne Barnes having acquired dying threats within the aftermath of the match. But studies in New Zealand claimed that the game’s governing physique privately conceded that Smith’s rating within the 12-11 defeat shouldn’t have been chalked off.
Smith’s attempt was dominated out for a knock-on behind a lineout, noticed by TMO Tom Foley – resulting in Barnes disallowing the rating. However, the knock-on occurred 4 phases earlier than the attempt – with the TMO solely having the ability to look again two phases for any knock-on within the build-up to a attempt.
However, in response to that assertion, World Rugby issued the next assertion: “As confirmed previous to Rugby World Cup 2023, World Rugby doesn’t publicly touch upon match official choices. We stand by our excellent match official workforce, who performing one of many hardest jobs in skilled sport to an distinctive commonplace.
“As we have seen in recent months, sadly, criticism of match officials can have wide-ranging consequences, including online hate and threats, and we must be mindful of such a human impact.”
Action to be taken in opposition to followers in world first
World Rugby have reportedly change into the primary sports activities governing physique on the planet to take motion in opposition to followers answerable for ‘excessive on-line abuse of referees’, in line with The Telegraph.
It is reported that World Rugby have handed on proof to law-enforcement and authorities businesses, pertaining to round 200 incidents throughout seven nations. The complaints may result in followers being convicted.
World Rugby sought the steerage of Signify Group, an information science and AI firm, all through the event in a bid to assist defend referees, gamers and coaches, by figuring out methods to take motion in opposition to on-line abuse. Abuse in direction of referees specifically was evident through the event, with distinguished official Wayne Barnes having spoken out persistently in regards to the torrent of hate he acquired through the France showpiece.
Signify reportedly monitored 571 gamers and 22 match officers throughout the likes of X and Instagram in 35 languages, together with emojis. The Telegraph cite a supply which stated there was a line which dangers being crossed relating to being important of refereeing performances or choices and hurling abuse.
Referee Wayne Barnes final week informed the BBC: “Threats of sexual violence, threats of claiming we all know the place you reside. It crosses that line. Social media is getting worse and it is the unhappy factor in regards to the sport in the intervening time. It has not been a one-off.
“I’m on social media for quite a few causes. One is to advertise the charitable work I do and to additionally promote officiating and to clarify what a tough job it’s and to humanise it. I make that selection, and with that selection comes the power for folks to ship messages of hate and violence.”
He continued: “If you are a fan at your native rugby membership and also you’re sending vile messages to folks’s households and making threats, why must you be capable to be concerned within the rugby household?”
“The bit I’ve all the time struggled with and can proceed to wrestle with is when that abuse involves my household. I need prosecuting businesses to think about methods of doing that, I need laws of what social media websites can do to stop it and I additionally need governing our bodies to think about what they’ll do.”
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Jonny May cited
Jonny May has been cited for a harmful clearout at a ruck throughout Gloucester’s 27-45 defeat by Bath Rugby on Friday evening. The England wing sat earlier than a disciplinary listening to final evening.
May was beginning his first Gallagher Premiership match of the season, having returned from England’s bronze medal marketing campaign on the Rugby World Cup. However, he was cited for an incident in simply the fourth minute of the sport in opposition to Bath for ‘reckless or harmful play’. The incident occurred when May cleared out a ruck over Santi Carreras following a break down the right-hand facet.
May was first to reach and went straight over his team-mate earlier than showing to hit Bath and England centre Ollie Lawrence, who was upright and never but part of the breakdown, within the face with the highest of his head.
