Here are the latest rugby headings on Friday, April 7.
Urios: Scarlets favourites tonight
The Scarlets will have history, form – and perhaps even referee Wayne Barnes – in their favour when they host Clermont Auvergne on Friday, according to the French club’s head coach Christophe Urios.
Clermont might have won away at Bristol in the last 16 of the European Challenge Cup, however Urios reckons his group’s quarter-final tie at Parc y Scarlets will be much harder.
The match referee is Barnes, the Englishman who is extensively considered as the world’s finest, however not an authorities Urios reckons his group actually comprehend.
REGISTER: Get the latest unique stories and breaking rugby headings sent directly to your inbox free of charge with our everyday newsletter
“Once again, we will not be favourites,” said Urios, expecting a match which is being relayed live on S4C. “We play far from home, versus a group that has a long series of home successes – with noteworthy persuading triumphes versus South African provinces – and with an English referee to whom we will need to adjust. Winning a European match far from home is made complex.
“The Scarlets are among those groups that have a genuine cumulative spirit and they can making people thrive and emerge within that group. It would be a trap to think that what awaits us with the Scarlets will be simpler than we dealt with in Bristol. The Scarlets bring the pride of Welsh rugby and Welsh rugby is not in as bad a state as we are led to think.
“Away from home, we require a great deal of uniformity and a strong cumulative. The success versus Bristol has actually provided us self-confidence that has actually enabled us to work well, however we understand it will likewise be extremely difficult versus a Scarlets group that has a cumulative strength.”
Clermont have actually won the Challenge Cup 3 times – in 1999, 2007 and 2019 – however they are not the force of old. They presently lay 10th in the French Top 14 with simply 9 triumphes in 21 league matches up until now this season and they fell from the Heineken Champions Cup to the 2nd tier Challenge Cup after completing ninth in Pool B following 3 succeeding beats. They did, nevertheless, awaken themselves to come from behind and win 33-26 at Bristol Bears in the round of 16 to make their journey to Llanelli.
Scarlets head coach Dwayne Peel said: “Clermont have an enormous history in European rugby and have some quality, star names. That is what it is everything about, a huge group, a huge crowd, it is a difficulty we are all thrilled about. It will be an excellent celebration.”
Scarlets v Clermont will be relayed live on S4C on Friday night from 7.55pm.
Dai Young quotes for Cardiff European semi-final
Dai Young has actually cautioned that Cardiff need to be at the extremely leading of their video game when they take a trip to Treviso for Saturday’s Challenge Cup quarter-final.
The Blue and Blacks booked their location in the last 8 after triumphing in an awesome round of 16 clash versus Sale Sharks recently. But Young is totally familiar with the dangers postured by a strong Benetton clothing who have actually already fallen the similarity Ulster, Glasgow, Scarlets, Connacht and Stade Francais at home this season.
“If you look at some of the wins they’ve had at home, they’ve beaten some of the best teams there. They’re a quality team and we know that to our cost last year, where we went out there and got our pants pulled down,” discusses the director of rugby.
“They’re a wonderful group who play some excellent running rugby and we’ve got to make certain we’re someplace near our finest. If we’re not then we don’t win – it’s as basic as that.
“Last year’s loss has actually got to hurt a bit, due to the fact that if not then we’re in the incorrect video game. We’ve taken a look at those locations we didn’t solve and the locations we require to solve.
“But that game was as much about us as it was about them. It was certainly a game too far for us and we went there and didn’t compete in any area. We were second best and looked a team that was low on energy and it was a game too far.
“That’s not the case this season, going into it now, but we know we’re going to have to be at our best because they play really good rugby. If you’re not on your mettle defensively, if you don’t win collisions, if you don’t win the gain-line and they start getting quick ball, then they can throw it about and score tries. They’re scored a lot of tries at home.”
Young also believes there is plenty of motivation heading into Saturday’s encounter, as the squad target a third European crown for the club.
The former Wales prop added: “The big thing we’ve talked about this week is that unfortunately best across the regions, there’s lot of boys that are moving on and Cardiff is no different. A lot of these players have been together for a long time, so there’s a lot of emotion there. They want to try and do something together and this is probably the last opportunity this current group has to try and achieve something.”
Dee bids to banish injury woes
Wales and Dragons hooker Elliot Dee is determined to put the injury frustrations of the last 18 months behind him after signing a new deal with his home club.
He joined the likes of Harrison Keddie, Jack Dixon, Joe Davies, Lloyd Fairbrother, Ollie Griffiths and Ashton Hewitt in agreeing new contracts with the Men of Gwent last week.
The 29-year-old – a product of the Dragons academy system – has already clocked up an impressive 142 games since his senior debut back in 2016 to stand 13th in the all-time appearance maker charts. But the Wales international hooker concedes it has been a difficult time with injuries over the last two campaigns – with the front row restricted to 10 appearances this season.
Dee is now eager to now put that behind him and look forward with renewed determination to achieve under Dai Flanagan.
“It’s been a tough 18 months with a lot of niggles, and I haven’t been able to hit my stride,” he said. “I am happy with where we are at the Dragons and I enjoy going to work again, and I am proud to wear the jersey. I think the most games I’ve strung together over the past two seasons is five, that’s not enough to find form.
“I still feel I’ve got a lot to offer in a Dragons jersey with a lot of milestones to hit. I want to keep playing with the boys that I came through with and see some good times.”
“The contract is definitely a weight off my shoulders,” he added. “It’s been a long time and a lot of uncertainty; I don’t just have me to think about now but a young family. There is nothing better than playing for your home club that means a lot to you, so I intend to give it my all for the next two seasons and then hopefully go again.”
The Dragons are currently licking their wounds after shipping 70 points against Glasgow last weekend. Dee says the result is still stinging, emphasising those sorts of scorelines should not be happening at this level.
“We are pretty upset with the performance. There were patches where we scored tries but that is one of the first times this season where we have been out there and felt totally outclassed,” said Dee.
“Fair play to them, they showed why they are one of the best teams in our league and that performance from us has probably been coming after the tough times in Welsh rugby. We’ve got to stick together and get ourselves out of a big, big hole.”
He added: “There needs to be a lot of work in pre-season to try to catch up with the rest. There is no question about effort, we give our all every time that we pull the jersey on, we fly into everything.
“I am still so proud to be part of this group and represent my home region however we need to get better. That’s brutally honest, we can’t have losses like that happening.
“As players, there is a lot of accountability on us for falling away from other nations in the league. We don’t want to be coming up to places like Glasgow and losing heavily.
“We want to fight our way up the table. Nobody goes to work to do a rubbish job, we all want to win and we have the right environment now. We just have to knuckle down and get it right.”
Steyn’s World Cup in the balance
South Africa star Francois Steyn’s World Cup hopes hang in the balance after the veteran underwent surgery on a knee problem.
The veteran, who is aiming to play in his fourth World Cup, sustained the damage in the Cheetahs’ 32-7 Currie Cup win over the Bulls in Bloemfontein late last month.
The injury has now been revealed as worse than first feared.
Cheetahs coach Hawies Fourie said: “He’ll be out for about two to three months.
“Frans had a scope on his knee and the prognosis was worse than the doctor initially thought. It will be a substantial period on the sidelines. Our medical team believes it will be for most of the Currie Cup anyway.”
“It’s a bit of a blow to his hopes, he really wanted to go for the World Cup,” Fourie added.
“He’s worked actually hard since the start of the year after his previous injury, [and] dropped quite a bit of weight. It’s a huge setback for him, hopefully he’ll recover soon and maybe there’s still a bit of a door open for him, but we don’t have actually contact with the Bok coaches presently.
“We’ll see how it goes, but he needs to recover and get on the field again first.”
FIND OUT MORE:
