The latest rugby news stories from wales and beyond
Ellis Genge and Jac Morgan are reunited after their Lions bromance(Image: Ospreys)
Here are your rugby evening headlines for Tuesday, September 9.
Jac Morgan reunited with Lions team-mate
Wales captain Jac Morgan has been reunited with his British and Irish Lions team-mate and new close friend Ellis Genge after the Ospreys trained with Bristol Bears on Tuesday. Morgan, who returned to training this week following the tour of Australia, was pictured hugging the England prop at Bristol’s training base in a social media post by the Ospreys.
With the Ospreys only playing one pre-season friendly ahead of their trip to South Africa later this month, the club have pencilled in training sessions with Bristol and Welsh rivals Cardiff.
Morgan proved a popular figure on this summer’s Lions tour as the squad’s solitary Welshman following Tomos Williams’ injury. Get the latest breaking Welsh rugby news stories sent straight to your inbox with our FREE daily newsletter. Sign up here.
Genge in particular formed a very strong bond with the back-row, even coming up with a new nickname for Morgan as the two hit it off despite being fierce rivals on the pitch.
“The Brynamman Bomber! He’s a legend,” said Genge back in July.
“Everyone asks me that, that’s the first thing they ask me ‘how are you getting on with the boys’ and if you get picked for a team like this, and you’ve been in that environment, and that level for that long, you’ve got to be a good bloke.
“You wouldn’t get too far if you weren’t.
“He’s a legend. I play a lot of cards with him, and my missus is Welsh so I’ve got plenty to talk to him about.
“He’s a top bloke.”
Skelton offers verdict on chances of facing All Blacks
Wallabies lock Will Skelton says it will be logistically tough to return for Australia’s Bledisloe Cup clashes with New Zealand, adding La Rochelle coach Ronan O’Gara will be crucial to the decision.
The second-row had a transformative effect on Australia in the final two Tests of the series with the Lions, before making an impact in the opening Rugby Championship clashes with South Africa.
Skelton has returned to France for the Wallabies’ fixtures with Australia, but there are reports he could be recalled for the final rounds against the All Blacks.
French clubs cannot stop players from playing in the Rugby Championship, but they are allowed to recall players in rest periods between rounds.
And with La Rochelle facing Toulon just six days before the Wallabies’ first clash with the All Blacks at Eden Park, the 33-year-old says he would only be able to join up with his country midweek.
That is far from ideal for Joe Schmidt, although O’Gara – who has already rested Skelton for their opening Top 14 clash with Bordeaux-Begles – could have a big say.
“It’s an ongoing conversation,” Skelton told RugbyPass. “I think with ROG, he’s big on where I’m at physically and mentally. As soon as I came back, we negotiated a rest. So he could have thrown me straight in and played me against Bordeaux at the weekend, but he wanted me to get my body right; we both wanted that. I’ll head into training today as my first day back with the boys.
“Then we have Clermont at home and Toulon next week. The thing is with that, we play Toulon next Sunday, so logistically it’s really tough to get back for that Bledisloe series. You’re getting back on Tuesday, and the game’s not in Australia, it’s in New Zealand.
“[Schmidt] loves guys training Monday and Tuesday, which is fair.”
Wales star’s replacement assessed
Gloucester director of rugby George Skivington has offered up his assessment of Ireland fly-half Ross Byrne, following his debut for the Cherry and Whites.
The former Leinster playmaker has been signed to replace Wales international Gareth Anscombe, who left Kingsholm after one season to head to France.
After Byrne played 40 minutes against Munster in a pre-season friendly, Skivington admitted that he liked what he had seen from the fly-half.
“Ross has been great,” Skivington told GloucestershireLive. “I thought his kicking game today was probably used more than anything else, but that was the nature of the game.
“Munster did a good job at the breakdown and there was a few little timing issues. I thought he got us out of trouble, but he’s been outstanding since he’s come in.
“He’s a very calm, relaxed but focused presence. And I think the boys, the more they play with him, the more they’re going to get used to him. But he knows how to play the game.
“He knows the right options to take and I thought for a first hit out, he did really well.”
Record the lure for England star’s rugby return
Newcastle Red Bulls director of rugby Steve Diamond says the lure of becoming the Gallagher Prem’s leading try-scorer convinced Christian Wade to return to rugby union.
Wade will join Red Bulls in December after his short-term deal with rugby league side Wigan Warriors ends.
The 34-year-old, who has also tried his hand in the NFL, has scored 93 tries for Wasps and Gloucester. That puts him just eight short of current record-holder Chris Ashton.
“I did a bit of homework on Chris and realised he’s a great athlete,” Diamond told BBC Sport.
“With that tag of him just being off the leading try-scorer, I thought it might be worth a phone call.
“I met him a couple of times and he thinks it’s the right thing. I think he’ll be a great addition.”