The latest rugby news and headlines from Wales and beyond
Louis Rees-Zammit goes off in the first half and did not reappear in the second period(Image: PA Wire)
Here are your rugby morning headlines for Saturday, January 3.
Rees-Zammit stood down during match
Louis Rees-Zammit failed to appear in the second-half of Bristol Bears’ narrow win over Sale Sharks on Friday night after feeling too unwell following a head injury.
The Wales winger left the field late in the first-half to undergo a HIA, which he reportedly passed. However, he felt too unwell from the severity of the blow to come back out in the second period and was stood down to be replaced by Matias Moroni when the players came back out.
He will now be monitored ahead of European matches over the next couple of weeks, following which the Wales Six Nations squad will be announced.
The 19-17 win meant Bristol went top of the Gallagher Prem. They were never ahead until the 73rd minute with a yellow card in the 70th minute for Sale centre Rekeiti Ma’asi White proving decisive.
Kalaveti Ravouvou, Joe Owen and Moroni were on Bristol’s try-scoring sheet with Tom Jordan and James Williams each kicking a conversion.
Tom O’Flaherty and Ernest van Rhyn crossed for Sale with George Ford converting both and adding a penalty.
Coach Pat Lam said: “We set out that was effectively to be a final and that we needed to win it to be top of the table as Sale are our bogey team and always seem to be up for this fixture.
“We knew Sale would be very physical and we had to stay in the fight especially when we lost Aidan Boshoff in the warm-up and then Lovejoy (Chawatama) and Zam (Louis Rees-Zammit) in the first half.
“We continue to be decimated by injuries and have had to endure that all season so we had to fight for every moment today.
“I thought we were hard done by in the first half as a few decisions went against us but we could see they were beginning to tire and were able to carve them up for the winner.
“With this win, we’ve put ourselves in a good place in the league.”
Gloucester in trouble ahead of Morgan and Lake arrivals
Jac Morgan and Dewi Lake’s new club Gloucester hit a new low as they lost 25-19 to basement boys Newcastle Red Bulls on Friday night. It was Newcastle’s first league win since 2024 and means they now have the same record as the Cherry and Whites this season of just one win in nine games.
Head coach George Skivington finds himself under huge pressure heading into the second half of the season, with Newcastle showing clear signs of improvement and Gloucester floundering amid injury problems. They will be desperate for their new recruits to arrive next season, with big changes expected behind the scenes.
A new director of rugby is reported to be on his way above Skivington, while other changes to the coaching structure are also expected to be announced.
Skivington said: “Same story as the last couple of weeks in terms of attack, we made a lot of line-breaks, didn’t finish enough of them off.
“Especially in the first half we had a couple of good opportunities down that far channel and dropped the ball. Little connections at the end.
“I can’t really go at the lads for the way they’re attacking. Combinations they’re playing at have changed every week this season.
“We’ve got a handful of 18-year-olds out there, a couple of nines who’ve never played in the Prem, a hooker who turned up on Monday.
“It is what it is. They are playing with endeavour, working hard, it’s just those connections aren’t what they were last year at the moment.”
England handed Six Nations boost
England have been handed a Six Nations injury boost, with Sale duo Tom Roebuck and Ben Curry tracking well to make the start of the tournament.
Steve Borthwick’s side open the tournament against Wales on February 7. Wing Roebuck broke a toe against New Zealand in November, while Curry has been struggling with a hamstring problem.
But Sale director of rugby Alex Sanderson says both could feature in the Six Nations.
“If Tom makes it before the Six Nations – and he could – then that would be early,” said Sanderson. “Ben Curry is looking towards (being fit for) the Six Nations and if we push them both through then it could be the Northampton game (January 24).
“I have had two missed calls from Steve Borthwick and I have to see what his plans are. It is probably England’s call because they are both EPS players and if they think it is beneficial they could play against Saints or they could just go straight into camp with England.”