Here are the latest rugby headings on Monday, April 24.
Anscombe and Lydiate leave Ospreys
Gareth Anscombe and Dan Lydiate have actually validated their time at the Ospreys has actually concerned an end.
Both gamers run out agreement and pulled on the black jersey for the last time at the weekend in the 21-38 defeat to Cardiff at Judgement Day.
Lydiate, 35, has actually been afflicted by major injury in recent years however hinted there was more to come from him after 9 years with the area.
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He composed on Twitter: “My time as an osprey has actually concerned an end 2014-2023 individuals and relationships make a location and the factor I do it all for is my team @Nia_Kate_Lewis thanks for everybody who’s belonged to my journey as an osprey still life in the old bull, fantastic to receive my jersey from @samparry2.”
Anscombe, on the other hand, published a photo on Instagram of him getting his framed Ospreys t-shirt from team-mate Alex Cuthbert with the caption “let’s see what’s next”.
Injuries, once again, reduced Anscombe to simply a handful of looks for the Ospreys this season however there is no questioning the skill he has. French giants Racing 92 have actually been related to his services in the past and an emigrate promises.
‘Something not rather ideal’ with Ospreys
Former Ospreys coach and now appreciated expert Sean Holley feels there’s “something not rather ideal” with the Swansea-based area.
Toby Booth’s guys ended the United Rugby Championship campaign 13th in table, ending the season with an underwhelming 38-21 defeat to Cardiff on Judgement Day.
They might have carried out in Europe however in the league they have actually been poor, with simply 5 wins to reveal for their efforts.
Speaking on Scrum V, Holley said: “It’s rather uncomfortable for me and Hooky [fellow pundit James Hook], we reside in the area, we speak with fans, sponsors, they’re losing them. The design of rugby and the absence of wins is a genuine concern, and there’s something not rather ideal there.”
While they have actually had some big wins in Europe, Holley says that’s not their support.
“They’ve played well in parts, they have. The big win was Montpellier, could not back it up regrettably. Europe’s difficult. It’s not that, it’s your support in the league which table isn’t lying at the minute.”
LEARN MORE: Where each of Wales’ 4 areas stand at end of rough season as uphill struggle to get worse and children bring more pressure
Cardiff gamers get unique send-off
Josh Turnbull was happy to see leaving Cardiff gamers provided a fitting send-off following a perk point win over Ospreys on the last day of the season. The Judgement Day win sufficed for the Blue and Blacks to clinch Heineken Champions Cup certification for next season and raise the Welsh Shield.
Turnbull was pleased to see the game-plan entered into fulfillment however confesses was a psychological end to the campaign.
“We had a real focus from the beginning of the week about what we wanted to go out and do on the field, in terms of the way we wanted to play. We definitely did that in the first half,” said the club captain. “We wished to move a huge, heavy pack around and we did that, and after that we began to produce opportunities from their mistakes or from shift off turnovers. That’s what we got which’s how we capitalised.
“The words from me in advance had to do with ensuring we go and enjoy this celebration and offer kids a good send. I recall at somebody like Rhys Priestland, who I’ve known since I was 15 or 16 , coming through the Scarlets academy together. We made our debut for Scarlets together, we made our debut for Wales together and probably didn’t think we’d end up finishing with Cardiff together.
“Jason Harries, I played in the second row with him at under-12s for Carmarthen District. It’s been one hell of a journey and seeing him sign off in the way he did, putting a performance in, is emotional.
“It’s emotional when you’ve known people like that and you’ve got close to them. You see people like Jarrod, Dillon and Max Llewellyn, boys who have come through the system. I’m probably going to forget someone and kick myself afterwards, but there’s some many players that we wanted to give them a good performance and send off.”
Peel pulls no punches after Scarlets defeat
Dwayne Peel pulled no punches after Scarlets’ disappointing Judgement Day showing on Saturday.
The west Walians were a long way short of their best at the Principality Stadium, as the Dragons claimed a 31-14 victory to sign off their BKT United Rugby Championship campaign.
Peel said: “It was a poor performance, that opening period was littered with inaccuracies and I was disappointed with the energy shown by us. We had opportunities in the second half, but our attack in their 22 was poor as well. We need to be better come Monday.”
Scarlets still have a massive European semi-final to look forward to against Glasgow on Saturday, but Peel refused to use that as an excuse for the sub-par showing in Cardiff.
“I don’t want to use that as an excuse because we need to be tougher than that mentally,” he added. “We have had consistency and steeliness over the last couple of months and we didn’t have it today. We have to look at ourselves, that goes for staff and players. If we are not better against Glasgow we are going to get hurt.
“We will need to look after the ball better, we need to be more clinical when we create opportunities, our set piece didn’t function either. We were sloppy in a lot of areas, the boys know that and are disappointed by that.
“In all aspects we need to raise standards. Don’t take anything away from Dragons, they put us under pressure and finished their chances which is credit to them. Come Monday we have to make sure we come in with a positive mindset and go up a few levels ready for a huge game.”
Wales to take momentum into Italy finale
Wales captain Hannah Jones believes her side will take their second-half momentum from the defeat to France into their Women’s Six Nations finale against Italy next Saturday.
France have set up a Grand Slam decider against England in round five after holding off a Wales fightback to win 39-14 in Grenoble, with two tries coming from Wales’ Georgia Evans and Gwenllian Pyrs in the second half.
Wales need a point from their final match away to Italy to secure a second straight third-placed finish, and a place in the top tier of the new global women’s rugby competition WXV which kicks off later this year.
Skipper Jones said: “We started a bit slow so we can’t start like that again, we came alive in the second half but we have do that from the off. Our pack worked really hard and they deserved those tries. Coming off the back of a good second half performance, we can only gain momentum going into Italy now, so we must regroup and go again next week.”
Wales head coach Ioan Cunningham said: “We gave ourselves too much to do in that first half. When you come somewhere like this, if you don’t start well and go two scores down it’s a tough place to be. But I’m really proud of the effort in the second half, we won that 14-12, we came back really strong but there’s stuff to build on for next week. Italy is going to be a tough challenge and it’s all on next week for that third-spot so it’s going to be a tough week.”
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