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Dejected Wales react after conceding the sixth try against Argentina(Image: 2025 Getty Images)
Here are your rugby headlines for Tuesday, November 11.
‘Fooled’ England star issues Wales warning
Japan boss Eddie Jones will “smell blood” against Wales this weekend, according to his former England player Danny Care. The former England scrum-half was taken aback by the scale of the loss to Argentina on Sunday, admitting he had been “fooled” by the sense of renewed optimism under Steve Tandy.
Wales were mauled by the Pumas at the weekend, suffering a 52-28 defeat at the Principality Stadium in the first match of the Tandy era. And ex-Harlequins scrum-half Care believes Jones will be licking his lips ahead of the clash against Wales in Cardiff this Saturday.
“Eddie will smell blood,” Care said on Rugby Union Weekly. “Eddie will fancy that.
“He has had his say on Wales before. He won’t mind stirring the pot this week. I don’t think he will care about hurting Wales fans even more.
“He will be revving the Japan boys up to put the foot on the throat.”
While Care, like many Wales fans, went into the game expectant, such was the feeling ahead of the dawn of the new era, he believes the game served as a huge reality check to Tandy and Welsh rugby supporters.
“Shipping 50 at home in your first game is as big a reality check as you are going to get,” he added.
“Maybe I was fooled into a bit of hopeful thinking, new regime, fresh impetus, Louis Rees-Zammit coming back… can Wales get back?
“But then 50 points at home! Some of the tries were brilliant. But for Wales that is a tough one to come back from.
“If you are going to lose, lose in a really tight match. Too many fundamentals of international rugby were wrong for me.
“They are too easy to score against, not too much of a threat – a bit better in attack – but if you play against Argentina you have to put points on them.
“And you have to stop them. In the simplest possible way, you cannot let them score that many points.”
Tributes to popular Welsh rugby figure
Welsh rugby is in mourning after the death of popular Gwent rugby player Geraint Gladwyn over the weekend.
Gladwyn played for Newbridge, Abertillery, Cross Keys and Ynysddu during a fine club career and was a well-known and admired figure.
The Dragons said in a statement: “Everyone at Dragons RFC is deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Geraint Gladwyn. A big figure in Gwent rugby who featured prominently for Ynysddu, Abertillery, Newbridge & Cross Keys. All our thoughts are with his family and friends at this very sad time.”
Newbridge RFC added: “Newbridge RFC have to report some really, really shocking and bad news this morning in that our former player, Geraint Gladwyn, has suddenly and sadly passed away overnight. He was suddenly taken ill in the last few days and has been in hospital but unfortunately lost his fight.
“Geraint was a fantastic back rower for us during the time he spent at the Club and we are sure that everyone will join with us in sending our condolences to Geraint’s family at this incredibly sad time.”
Cross Keys RFC said: “All at Keys were saddened to hear of the passing of Geraint Gladwyn. Geraint was a proud former Key, a big character both on and off the field, and a respected figure across Gwent.
“Our thoughts and condolences go out to his family and friends at this very sad time.”
England sweat on Freeman and Chessum ahead of All Blacks
By Duncan Bech, PA Rugby Union Correspondent
England are sweating on the fitness of Tommy Freeman and Ollie Chessum after the British and Irish Lions duo emerged as doubts for Saturday’s clash with New Zealand.
Both players sustained injuries in last weekend’s 38-18 victory over Fiji, forcing them to miss Monday’s practice session and placing uncertainty over their ability to train this week.
Freeman was replaced in the 67th minute of England’s ninth successive Test win because of a hamstring strain, resulting in Henry Arundell’s try-scoring cameo off the bench.
Chessum was also unable to finish the match due to a foot problem and the second row was seen using crutches at the squad’s Surrey base on Monday.
Head coach Steve Borthwick therefore faces the prospect of losing two certain starters for the visit of the All Blacks to Allianz Stadium in the main event of the autumn’s four fixtures.
If Freeman is ruled out, England can call on Tom Roebuck following his recovery from the ankle ligament damage that forced him to miss out against Fiji, with Arundell an option to provide bench cover once again.
Should Chessum fail to receive the green light, Maro Itoje and Alex Coles will form the second row with Chandler Cunningham-South the likely replacement lock.
England hope to name their team on Tuesday but the uncertainty over Freeman and Chessum, who were both Test starters on the Lions tour to Australia during the summer, means the announcement may be delayed until Thursday.
Adding to the possibilities at full-back is Elliot Daly’s return to full training after being given the all-clear over his fractured forearm by a specialist.
However, Daly has not played since suffering the injury for the Lions against the Queensland Reds on July 2, ending what was shaping up to be a successful tour for the versatile Saracens veteran.
Freddie Steward started at full-back for the autumn opener against Australia before Borthwick turned to Marcus Smith for the showdown with Fiji.
“Elliot’s a quality player, he a great leader and has great experience. He’s a great bloke off the field as well, really funny, but he’s a great leader, great experience,” scrum-half Alex Mitchell said of his Lions team-mate.
“He’s shown that he can play full-back, anywhere in the back three and in the centres – and you have to be a real classy individual to be able to do that.
“He’s proved that time and time again and to have that extra pair of eyes at the back is always helpful, as well as his kicking game.”
England have lost their last three matches against New Zealand and flanker Sam Underhill has warned his team-mates that they can not afford to switch off for a moment against the side ranked second in the world.
“You have to be alive to everything,” Underhill said. “As a team they are incredibly good decision makers and they take advantage of teams that are slow to react to things.
“I have played them four times now and the physical intensity is very high and the game is very fast.”
New Wales player the toast of RGC
By Carl Field
Olly Cracknell’s long-awaited Wales debut on Sunday was toasted by his former club Rygbi Gogledd Cymru (RGC).
Almost 12 years after arriving in Colwyn Bay to play for RGC between 2013-14, where his impressive displays first earned him Wales U20 honours, Leicester Tigers back rower Cracknell came on as a 55th minute replacement for captain Jac Morgan against Argentina at Principality Stadium.
Aged 31 years and 166 days old, Cracknell became the fifth oldest senior debut for Wales in the pro era. It also came almost nine years after he had previously been named in the Wales senior squad for the 2017 Six Nations as an Ospreys player, but didn’t feature.
Having not been named in the original autumn series squad, Cracknell was called up by new Wales head coach Steve Tandy as a replacement for the injured Taulupe Faletau.
In making his bow, Cracknell follows in the footsteps of hooker Bradley Roberts who in November 2021 became the first former RGC player to win a senior cap for Wales.
“It’s amazing, you know, seeing another former RGC player getting his full Welsh cap,” said RGC general manager Alun Pritchard.
“From what everyone tells me, he’s a really, really nice guy; abrasive on the pitch, but worked really hard. If you combine that raw talent and the will to work as hard as he did, then you’re always going to progress.
“Obviously that’s carried him through Ospreys, London Irish and Leicester and now one’s on the international scene and, if I’m honest, I think he should have probably been there a bit earlier.”
Meanwhile although he didn’t make the cut for the matchday 23, RGC were also proud to see another of their former players, uncapped hooker Brodie Coghlan, named in the squad for the autumn series.
The 24-year-old joined RGC in 2021 and made a strong impression at Parc Eirias before returning south and back to the Dragons.
“A lot of his development was with us,” added Pritchard.
“So to see both of those boys in the Welsh squad, we’re over the moon. I think it proves that we can develop players, through our pathway, and hopefully there will be many more to come in the future as well.
“The pathway isn’t always as clear I’d say for players, but there is a pathway there, and if they work hard and continue to develop, then they can make it.”
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