The latest headlines from Wales and around the world.
Sherratt has been tipped to lead Wales again on the summer tour of Japan(Image: Chris Fairweather/Huw Evans Agency)
These are your evening rugby headlines on Thursday, April 25.
Seven to leave Welsh club
Seven players – including two Wales internationals – will leave the Scarlets at the end of the current season, the region has confirmed. Dwayne Peel’s side will play their final home game of the regular season when they face Leinster in the United Rugby Championship on Saturday, with a special presentation set to be held on the field for departing players following the full-time whistle at Parc y Scarlets.
Wales international Steff Evans, who has made 190 appearances for the region over 11 seasons, is one of those leaving the club. A key member of the squad that won the PRO12 title in 2017, he is currently the joint highest Welsh try-scorer in URC history with his tally of 54 putting him level with teammate Gareth Davies.
As was confirmed last month, another Wales international, Ioan Lloyd, is leaving for Cardiff this summer, while last season’s player’s player Alex Craig is joining Glasgow Warriors following his return to the Scotland squad. 25% OFF DEAL: Sign up to Inside Welsh rugby on Substack to get exclusive news stories and insight from behind the scenes in Welsh rugby.
Flanker-turned-hooker Shaun Evans is also leaving after making 65 appearances for the Scarlets across eight seasons, while fly-half Charlie Titcombe, scrum-half Efan Jones and lock Ed Scragg are all departing after joining the region in 2023.
“It is always a sad time to say goodbye to players who are moving on, but I’d like to thank each one of them for their commitment to the club and the Scarlets badge during their time here,” said Peel.
“A special mention to Steff, who has been a part of the senior squad for more than a decade having come through the age-grade pathway here to become a great Scarlet and one of the leading try-scorers in the competition.
“He has produced many memorable moments, some incredible tries, that our supporters will cherish, especially during the season when we went on to win the league title in Dublin,” the head coach added. “We all wish Steff and everyone else the very best with whatever comes next and I am sure the supporters will show their appreciation on Saturday.”
The Scarlets confirmed that negotiations are ongoing with other members of the squad, with the list of retained players for next season set to be finalised in the coming weeks.
Sherratt ‘an option’ to lead Wales tour
Welsh Rugby Union chief executive Abi Tierney has confirmed that Matt Sherratt is “one of the options” to lead Wales during their tour of Japan this summer.
The search for a new Wales head coach is ongoing, although former Ospreys head coach Steve Tandy has emerged as the clear frontrunner to succeed Warren Gatland in the role. However, with Tandy still under contract as Scotland’s defence coach, it is understood that he is unlikely to be in place for July’s two-Test tour.
Instead, Cardiff boss Sherratt and Harlequins head coach Danny Wilson are expected to take the lead on an interim basis for the tour, after the former took charge of Wales for the latter half of the recent Six Nations campaign.
At a press conference unveiling new WRU director of rugby Dave Reddin on Friday, Tierney stayed tight-lipped on speculation surrounding Tandy but confirmed bringing back Sherratt as an interim coach was still on the table.
“I’m supportive of the head coach process being a rigorous one,” she said, before confirming that the return of the Cardiff coach was “one of the options”.
Meanwhile, Reddin was also quizzed on the hunt for a new head coach and said: “Abi and her team brought me up to speed this week. The long-list of candidates that have been considered and my job is to get into the detail of that.
“It needs to be a rigorous process. That will take a little bit more time so we get the right appointment.”
On the possibility of Tandy taking the job, he added: “I think there were 150 names on the list and he’d definitely be one of them as it’s almost every coach in world rugby. I can’t say anything more than that.”
Beard starts in farewell game
Adam Beard has battled back to fitness in time to bid a home farewell to Ospreys fans as his side take on the Dragons in Swansea on Saturday, with fellow Wales international Dan Lydiate set to play his final game of professional rugby on Welsh soil.
There were doubts over whether lock Beard, who will leave the region at the end of the season, would recover from injury in time to play his final home game before his departure, but comes back into Mark Jones’ starting side for the derby clash.
Meanwhile, Lydiate – who announced on Thursday he will retire at the end of the season and join the Dragons’ coaching team – starts in the back row for the visitors, with Wales U20s wing Harry Rees-Weldon making his debut.
Head coach Filo Tiatia has made seven changes to his side, with centre Joe Westwood and forwards Rhodri Jones, Brodie Coghlan, Chris Coleman and Joe Davies all starting.
“The Dragons are a very physical team, very smart around the contact area, and they’re trying to express themselves with the ball from deeper positions recently,” said Jones.
“Our fanbase has been great since I’ve been at the club. This is our opportunity to give them something to smile about and to also give them a bit of hope, before we head out to South Africa, as to what the end of the season might look like.”
Meanwhile, Tiatia said: “We’re under no illusion of what Ospreys bring, and the style they play. A strong set-piece, very good scrum, their collision work is very good.
“We’ve been working on our discipline and making sure that we don’t give Ospreys opportunities, in our 22. We’re really clear on, the couple areas we need to work on and then try and execute it on Saturday afternoon.”
Ospreys: Jack Walsh; Daniel Kasende, Evardi Boshoff, Keiran Williams, Keelan Giles; Dan Edwards, Kieran Hardy; Gareth Thomas, Dewi Lake, Ben Warren, Will Spencer, Adam Beard, James Ratti, Jac Morgan (capt), Morgan Morse.
Replacements: Sam Parry, Steffan Thomas, Tom Botha, Will Griffiths, Harri Deaves, Reuben Morgan-Williams, Owen Williams, Iestyn Hopkins.
Dragons: Ewan Rosser; Harry Rees-Weldon, Joe Westwood, Aneurin Owen (capt), Jared Rosser; Angus O’Brien, Rhodri Williams; Rhodri Jones, Brodie Coghlan, Chris Coleman, Joe Davies, Ryan Woodman, Shane Lewis-Hughes, Dan Lydiate, Aaron Wainwright.
Replacements: Elliot Dee, Dylan Kelleher-Griffiths, Nathan Evans, Barny Langton-Cryer, George Young, Che Hope, Will Reed, Huw Anderson.
Peel makes four changes as Wales stars return
Dwayne Peel has made four changes to his Scarlets side ahead of their all-important clash with URC leaders Leinster on Saturday.
In a game that could make or break the region’s play-off hopes, fly-half Sam Costelow returns after three months on the sidelines with a shoulder injury while fellow Wales international Johnny Williams also comes back in after overcoming a calf issue.
The other changes see Joe Roberts replace Macs Page in midfield and hooker Ryan Elias come in for Marnus van der Merwe.
Peel’s side are currently in ninth place in the table, just two points off the top eight. However, they have not beaten an Irish opponent in over four years, with Leinster only suffering a single defeat so far this season.
“It is a big week, a big occasion, the last home game of the season against a team who are probably in the best form in world club rugby,” said Peel. “It is a massive challenge, an opportunity and one we are excited about, especially with three games left and things being so tight in the league.
“There is a lot of rugby still to be played and I wouldn’t be surprised if it all goes down to the last week. For us, we have got to be accurate and not allow them to get into the rhythm of their game. We also have to be brave and we have to be bold.”
Scarlets: Blair Murray; Tom Rogers, Joe Roberts, Johnny Williams, Ellis Mee; Sam Costelow, Gareth Davies; Alec Hepburn, Ryan Elias, Henry Thomas, Alex Craig, Sam Lousi, Vaea Fifita, Josh Macleod (capt), Taine Plumtree.
Replacements: Marnus van der Merwe, Louie Trevett, Sam Wainwright, Jac Price, Jarrod Taylor, Archie Hughes, Ioan Lloyd, Macs Page.