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Dan Cole of Leicester Tigers looks dejected as he walks off the pitch(Image: 2025 Getty Images)
These are your latest rugby headlines on Monday, June 16
Devastated Davies has ‘no words’
Sam Davies says he has “no words” after experiencing play-off heartbreak with Grenoble again, with a narrow defeat to Perpignan on Saturday consigning his side to another season in the second tier of French rugby. Having suffered a shock loss to Montauban in the Pro D2 play-off final last week, the Welsh fly-half’s side had a chance were given another opportunity to win promotion as they took on Perpignan – who finished 13th in the Top 14 – in an ‘Access Match’ play-off.
However, there was to be more heartbreak for Davies’ side as they fell to a 13-11 defeat to the top-flight side, meaning they will play in the Pro D2 again next season even after finishing top of the league during the regular campaign.
The eight-cap Wales international, who made the move to France in 2023, has had another remarkable season for Grenoble, lighting up the league with a series of standout performances. Sign up to Inside Welsh rugby on Substack to get exclusive news stories and insight from behind the scenes in Welsh rugby.
But it is another crushing disappointment for the 31-year-old, having also lost out in the Access Match last year, at the end of his first season with the French side.
Remarkably, it is the third time in as many seasons that Grenoble have suffered double play-off heartbreak, with the frustration and disappointment etched on the faces of the players when the full-time whistle sounded on Saturday.
And Davies has now taken to Instagram to share a short but defiant message, as he expressed his disappointment as well as his desire to take his side to the top of French rugby one day.
“No words for right now,” he wrote, as he shared a photo of himself in action against Perpignan. “We will be back!”
England star yellow card an ’embarrassment to the game’
Retiring prop Dan Cole admitted it will be tough not to rue the “what ifs” after his rugby career ended in the sin bin during Saturday’s 23-21 Premiership final loss to Bath at the Allianz Stadium.
Bath clung on after two late Leicester tries dialled up the drama at Twickenham, where Johann van Graan’s men clinched their first Premiership title in 29 years and an historic treble.
Cole – who made over 340 appearances for his boyhood club Leicester – was controversially sin-binned in the 69th minute for a charge down on Finn Russell, allowing the Scot to slot in three crucial points, though a rare penalty miss from South African World Cup winner Handre Pollard earlier in the half might have also altered the outcome.
Leicester coach Michael Cheika was fuming about the Cole decision, and the refereeing of Karl Dickson in general, saying: “[I was] just upset with the decisions on the field. The scrum we were dominating – obvious ones, not 50-50s. The scrum we were dominating completely. A couple of head knocks, a couple of balls where we could have got penalties there easily.
“[We had] two men in the bin, [and] the second one [was] for nothing, really. It is embarrassing for the game that a player goes off for that. I’m allowed to be angry, but I got over it and am happy to accept the result now and get on with the next thing.”
Cole said: “It’s not about me, but did I think the end of my career would go out on a charge down, end up in the sin bin? No.
“Yeah, it’s tough to say that penalty leads to us losing the game, so it’s one of those.
“You spend all your career thinking ‘what if?’ and it will be one of those, but I say, you actually look at the effort we put in as a team, as a group of players, as a squad, considering 12 months ago we were eighth and couldn’t buy a win, and now you look at this, we’ve come together, Cheiks (Michael Cheika) has forged us in one direction, we’ve overcome some tough times.
“You don’t get the fairy-tale ending, but actually to be part of something, you can go into that room in 10 years’ time and meet the guys, look them in the eye and go, ‘be proud of your efforts’, and that’s what it comes down to.”
Cole is the second-most capped England men’s player with 118, behind Leicester team-mate Ben Youngs, who has 127 and has also called time on his career.
Stars fly in to join Lions squad
Andy Farrell is set to receive a boost today with several missing players expected to fly in to Dublin and finally join up with the rest of the British & Irish Lions squad.
The Lions get their action-packed summer under way on Friday as they take on Argentina in their first warm-up match before flying out to Australia, having been training in Portugal last week.
However, the first week of training was done with 16 members of the 38-man squad missing as they prepared for the finals of the United Rugby Championship and Gallagher Premiership.
Farrell is set to welcome some key members back to his squad from today
Despite not being named in Farrell’s squad, England duo Jamie George and Asher Opoku-Fordjour flew out to Portugal after being called in to plug gaps in training.
However, at least some of those 16 absent members are set to join up with the squad later today, with Scotland star Finn Russell among them having won the Gallagher Premiership title with Bath on Saturday.
“I’m flying on Monday,” he said after beating Leicester in a dramatic final at the Allianz Stadium, Twickenham. “I’ve not won much in my career, the last time I won a title like this was 10 years ago, so I’m going to make sure I enjoy it.
On joining the Lions squad, Russell added: “I’m looking forward to the challenge that comes. Everyone is fighting for these Test spots, and then it’s not just getting a Test, it’s winning them. Every session and game before that counts.
“It’s been in the back of my mind since I was named, but we’ve had trophies to win with Bath which we’ve gone and done – but the focus from tomorrow is the Lions. How do I get myself ready for what’s coming?
“When you get there, it’s the best of the best, so you have to be on it every day and take your chance when it comes.”
Scarlets star edges closer to dream
Scarlets hooker Marnus van der Merwe is edging closer to winning his first cap for South Africa after surviving Rassie Erasmus’ squad cut over the weekend.
The Springboks boss has released 11 players from his initial 55-man squad and brought in just one – Edinburgh prop Boan Venter – ahead of his side’s summer international fixtures.
Venter has been drafted in following injuries to front row options Gerhard Steenekamp and Ntuthuko Mchunu, while centre Lukhanyo Am, utility forward Pieter-Steph du Toit, and No.8s Cameron Hanekom and Juarno Augustus have all also been released due to injury.
Another five players – Jaden Hendrikse, Jordan Hendrikse, Quan Horn, Renzo du Plessis and Ntokozo Makhaza – have also returned to their respective club sides.
However, van der Merwe has survived the cull and is now hoping to make his first international appearance after a fine campaign for Dwayne Peel’s side saw him named in the URC Team of the Season.
“Our first week of training went well, and it offered us a chance to assess our depth and measure the level at which the players are currently, with an eye on the international season,” said Erasmus. “We also took stock of the injuries and determined in which positions we needed cover, as well as those in which we have sufficient cover.
“There are a number of players out with long-term injuries, while others are set to return from injury in the next few weeks or months, so they will complete their rehabilitation at their clubs and franchises.
“In terms of the other players released, we feel we have good cover in those positions at this stage, but they are all on standby to join us at any time if we need to call on them.”
It comes after 28-year-old van der Merwe told the Scarlets that he dreamt of representing the Springboks on the international stage.
“I think as a child, any South African watching the game, with the Springboks doing well, everyone wants to play for that team, just like people in Wales who grew up watching their team,” he said.
“So everyone wants to play for their nation. It’s definitely a thing I am going for, but I focus on the next thing which is helping the Scarlets where I can. Then, through that, I hope the Springbok coaches can see what I bring and see that I have the talent to be there.
“My goal is to get into international rugby. Everyone hopes for that. I just go out and play the best I can every single day. Hopefully that’s enough.”