Here are the latest rugby headings on Saturday, May 20.
Wales internationals stunned by Alun Wyn and Tipuric news
Wales internationals James Hook and Ian Gough confess they were both shocked by the news that Alun Wyn Jones and Justin Tipuric have actually both retired from worldwide rugby, simply 4 months from the Rugby World Cup.
Ospreys lock Jones, 37, said he makes his choice to end 17 years in the worldwide arena following “continuous discussion with the training staff and the WRU”. His profession saw him play a record 158 times for Wales and in 12 Tests for the Lions over 4 trips in 2009, 2013, 2017 and 2021, making him world rugby’s record cap holder. He won 3 Grand Slams and 5 Six Nations titles with Wales.
Wales back-row preferred Tipuric, 33, has actually not offered a particular factor for his choice besides stating “now appears the correct time to step away”, and will continue to bet the Ospreys. He bet Wales on 93 events over 12 years and was a three-time traveler with the Lions. He had actually missed out on the last month of the routine domestic season with a foot injury sustained throughout Ospreys’ Champions Cup defeat at Saracens in April.
“I was actually stunned, like a great deal of individuals, specifically both on the very same day – that’s a great deal of caps and experience retired in the space of an hour,” previous Wales fly-half James Hook informed BBC Radio Wales.
“It makes you believe, did they have the heads-up that they weren’t going to make it and encouraged to retire now to save putting their bodies through the gruelling camps of Switzerland and Turkey? It does make you believe.
“Maybe Gatland understood now that he simply wasn’t going to take them to the World Cup, and why let them go through those sort of gruelling camps and after that drop them? They can head out by themselves terms, if you like. I’m sure it’ll come out ultimately.
“Whichever method you take a look at it, it’s a great deal of caps and experience preceded the World Cup. But at the very same time it’s a chance for children.”
Former Wales lock Ian Gough said: “I’m a bit gutted. Obviously he has his factors and those factors most likely have not been publicised yet. I’d have actually liked to have actually seen him in this World Cup and get 5 World Cups and complement a fantastic profession.
“I saw him come through as an abundant bouncer around the training location, eager as mustard. Seeing him establish and develop into the captain and warrior that he ended up being over his profession.
“I believe he might still bring a lot to that team. It was a shock, and I’m still in shock, as I wager the remainder of the country are.
“Tipuric is bring that injury and I can comprehend that a person a bit more, despite the fact that that was a shock too. They’re 2 outright class gamers. There’s constantly great deals of good 7s in Wales, there constantly has actually been, however Tipuric simply had that additional quality.”
Toulon too helpful for Glasgow in Challenge Cup last
Toulon won the European Challenge Cup at the 5th time of asking thanks to an overwhelming 43-19 win over Glasgow Warriors on Friday.
The French club had actually formerly lost 4 Challenge Cup finals out of 4, however travelled to a 21-0 first-half lead versus the Scots to leave the Warriors with excessive of a mountain to climb up at the Aviva Stadium. They hit Glasgow for 6 with 3 shots in each half as they reduced to success.
Three second-half shots from Glasgow were insufficient to stop Toulon making it 5th time lucky.
Glasgow began the 2nd half encouragingly, however their failure to turn pressure into points cost them a lot. It was not till their 11th attack into the Toulon 22 that they handled to break their duck which came through a shot from skipper Kyle Steyn in the 55th minute from a cool moved down the blindside of a line-out. Glasgow made some respectability with later shots from Sebastian Cancelliere and Steyn, however it was never ever going to suffice.
Biggar required off
Wales fly-half Dan Biggar had actually begun the last however was required off with a head injury after just 4 minutes.
Confirmation that he had actually stopped working a head injury evaluation followed and he played no more part in the last, however was seen in the thick of events when Toulon later on lifted the prize.
Toulon rapidly recuperated from the loss of Biggar and 2 minutes later on, with Ihaia West on to change the Welshman, prominent scrum-half Baptiste Serin produced a minute of magic to get the scoreboard moving. After taking the ball from a ruck on the Glasgow 22 he dabbed the ball through the protective line, regathered and simply handled to touch down regardless of the efforts of Ollie Smith to turn him on his back over the line.
The scrum-half included the additionals and after that selected 39-year-old Italian legend Sergio Parisse for a shot at the posts after more pressure from the Top 14 attire after Glasgow had actually lost a line-out. Serin included the additionals and after that got the 3rd shot after 25 minutes. Glasgow lost another line out on their 10-metre line and Toulon skipper Charles Ollivon drove on.
Toulon’s Australian centre Duncan Paia’Aua likewise went off for another HIA in the 32nd minute, and after that they lost scrum-half Serin in the last relocation of the opening 40 minutes with a left knee injury that needed a 3rd modification to their drawing back department. There was a 4th modification at the start o the 2nd half when Mathieu Bastareaud came on to change wing Gabin Villiers, who likewise stopped working an HIA. By then, however, Serin has actually triggered his side into life with 2 attempts as they sped into a 21-0 period lead.
Parisse in legendary send-off
Toulon’s win implied retiring Italian number 8 Sergio Parisse was offered a title-winning send-off. The 39-year-old legend scored in between 2 Baptise Serin attempts as the French side travelled to a 21-0 lead at the break.
Parisse made 142 Italy caps, went to 5 World Cups, won 2 Challenge Cups and 2 French Top 14 titles, and bailed out with the flag of his precious Italy curtained around him throughout the post-match events.
“It implies a lot,” Parisse informed BT Sport after Toulon’s 43-19 win. “It’s tough to put some words on feelings.
“It’s helpful for the group, for me personally, it is very important – I attempt to take pleasure in every minute with the group, and I’m actually happy since I believe we actually should have the win.
“I’m Italian, so I’m psychological in whatever I do. Tonight it had to do with simply attempting to take pleasure in, and simply happy to have fun with this group, and happy to complete my profession with Toulon. Just enjoy it, and have a good night in Dublin with the young boys.”
Hanrahan leaves Dragons
Dragons’ Irish fly-half JJ Hanrahan is leaving Rodney Parade to sign up with Connacht.
The Dragons state they have actually selected to “help assist in” a chance to go back to his homeland “thinking about the existing environment in Welsh rugby” with playing budget plans and gamer incomes being driven below next season.
The 30-year-old made 15 looks in 2022-23 after showing up from French side Clermont Auvergne. He will join his brand-new club for pre-season in June.
Dragons head coach Dai Flanagan said: “We thank JJ for the devotion and professionalism he has actually revealed throughout his time at the club. An chance for JJ to go back to Ireland has actually occurred and, following discussions with him and thinking about the existing environment in Welsh rugby, we have actually selected as a club to help assist in that relocation. JJ will leave us with our best longs for the future and we anticipate enjoying him back in action in the URC.”
Hanrahan said: “I’ve really enjoyed my time at Dragons RFC and especially playing in front of the Dragons fans, albeit a lot shorter time than initially planned. I feel like I have made good friends with a great bunch of men at Dragons, and I really do wish the team all the very best for the future. Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has helped my wife and I throughout our time in Wales and at Dragons.”
Hanrahan joins Wales fly-half Sam Davies in leaving Dragons. Wales prop Rob Evans, lock Huw Taylor, back-row pair Ben Fry and Lennon Greggains and utility back Ioan Davies have also left, while Wales back row Ross Moriarty has joined Brive and lock Will Rowlands will also be in France next season.
Challenge Cup final loss a bitter pill to swallow for Glasgow
By PA Sport Staff
Captain Kyle Steyn admitted Glasgow Warriors will take some time to recover from the disappointment of failure on two fronts after they were beaten 43-19 to Toulon in the final of the EPCR Challenge Cup at the Aviva Stadium. The defeat in Dublin came on the back of bowing out of the BKT United Rugby Championship in the quarter-finals after they slipped up against Munster at their Scotstoun fortress.
Tom Jordan’s sending off proved costly as the Warriors surrendered a 17-match unbeaten run at home when the Irish province prevailed 14-5 earlier this month. And in Dublin, Steyn scored two tries and Sebastian Cancelliere also crossed but the game was essentially lost in the first half when the Warriors went into the interval 21-0 in arrears. Toulon scored three tries in each half and were always in control to win the Challenge Cup for the first time.
“It’s disappointing and a pretty tough one to process,” Steyn said. “We weren’t where we needed to be in the first 20 minutes, but credit to Toulon – we were too soft. To come this far, and progress the way we have, and then to come unstuck in two play-off games will take some time to get over.
“We had enough belief that we could get this done. I thought there were lessons we could have learned against Munster that would have put us in a position to win this, but we didn’t react enough to them. I’m proud of the way the boys kept on fighting. We created chances, but in play-off rugby you have to take your chances. At the start of the season we said we wanted to play rugby in a way that inspired people to follow us and support us and with the number of people following us in Dublin it felt as though we had done that to some degree.”
Toulon’s victory earned them a ticket into next season’s Heineken Champions Cup – a competition they won three years in a row between 2013-2015.
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