The latest rugby news from Wales and around the worldPicture shows left to right Richard Collier-Keywood, WRU Chairman, Dave Reddin, WRU Director of Rugby and Elite Performance and Abi Tierney, WRU Chief Executive(Image: Huw Evans Picture Agency Ltd)

Here are your rugby morning headlines for Saturday, September 6.

WRU update on consultation

The Welsh Rugby Union has issued an update on its consultation over controversial proposals to slash the number of professional teams in Wales to just two.

It’s emerged director of rugby and elite performance Dave Reddin has now met with three of the four Welsh regions – Cardiff, Ospreys and Dragons. It’s understood officials will meet with the Scarlets next week.

Of the three involved in discussions so far, the Dragons issued a strong statement on Thursday, slamming Reddin’s two-team proposal and urging the union to change course. Despite that criticism the WRU insist meetings have been “cordial, professional, detailed, informative and engaging”.

The WRU has also issued an open invitation with each team for more meetings.

Alongside the official consultation with stakeholders directly affected by the proposals, the WRU is also gauging the views of fans with its online public survey. It’s now been revealed more than 4,000 people have given their views, so far, including 121 current or former professional players. Sign up to Inside Welsh rugby on Substack to get exclusive news stories and insight from behind the scenes in Welsh rugby.

Reddin said: “We will be keeping our own counsel on the detailed contents of these discussions until the consultation is over as we are very much in listening mode at the moment.

“We continue to evolve our thinking and remain focussed on reaching a resolution that we can take to the WRU Board at the end of October. At that point we expect a public announcement to be made which will define a new and positive future for Welsh rugby.

“In the meantime, we remain committed to an open and fair process and to keeping all parties as informed as possible about our progress, whilst respecting the privacy of the meetings we are undertaking.”

Rebel League suffers major blow

The rebel league being fronted by World Cup winner Mike Tindall, among others, has suffered a setback after its application to World Rugby was deferred.

R360 executives, the Telegraph report, were due to meet with representatives of the sport’s governing body next week to present their vision for their new competition, with a view to launching in September 2026.

But those plans now hang in the balance, the newspaper reports, with it understood that World Rugby has told its council members no vote will take place this month – with the vote being pushed back until June next year.

That would give R360 just three months to put all the necessary plans in place to launch in September 2026, with the same report stating it would require a 75% majority – something which the Telegraph has been told would be unlikely.

A “nuclear option” would be for R360 to go it alone without the green light from World Rugby but that would open a can of worms in terms of insurance, officiating and drug testing, among other factors.

R360 wants for form a new breakaway franchise league to create ‘generational change in rugby’.

It is proposed that 12 new franchise teams, boasting the world’s top rugby talent, will be created, with players reportedly being offered contracts worth up to around $1 million (£740,000) per season.

Wales’ Jac Morgan and Louis Rees-Zammit have been targeted by the league.

Australia beat Pumas at the death

The Wallabies scored a last-minute try against Argentina to secure a dramatic 28-24 win in The Rugby Championship.

Argentina and Australia had both produced shock results in the opening two rounds, with Los Pumas defeating the All Blacks on match day two, and Australia beating South Africa in Johannesburg for the first time in over 60 years.

On match day three, it was the battle of the underdogs at Queensland Country Bank Stadium in Townsville.

Twenty-four-year-old prop Angus Bell crossed the whitewash in the 86th minute of the game to bag Joe Schmidt a second win in three games. Fly-half James O’Connor bagged the extras from the tee to cap it off.

Skipper Harry Wilson made the all-important call to deny multiple penalties in the closing stages as Australia chased victory, along with valuable World Rugby ranking points.

A successful penalty attempt would have simply drawn the game, but Wilson had the courage to chase five points.

“There was obviously a lot happening there and I guess full credit to the team,” he said after the game.

“We could have gone for goal there and taken the draw. It was a tough game, but everyone believed that we could finish the job and the boys wanted to win a game as well, as a group on the field, everyone sort of feeling the moment.

“And the crowd was 25,000 people pleading for us to tap it and try and win the game. And that really probably was the difference in the choice at the end.”

Inquest into England star’s death to conclude

By Tom Wilkinson, PA

A date has been set to conclude the inquest into the death of a former England rugby player whose car was swept away when he tried to drive across a ford during a storm.

Tom Voyce, 43, died while trying to cross the River Aln in Northumberland in his Toyota Hilux in December as Storm Darragh passed through the UK.

His body was found days later in deep water following a major search.

At an inquest opening in January, it was said that his unoccupied car was found submerged in 7ft of water, having been swept downstream from the ford at Abberwick.

The inquest will conclude on September 22 at County Hall, Morpeth.

After his death, Mr Voyce’s widow said in a statement: “Absolutely devastated and heartbroken doesn’t even describe how we feel.”

The couple, who had a son, Oscar, moved to Northumberland where Mr Voyce set up a business, having previously worked in banking after he retired from rugby.

Former teammates expressed their shock and sadness when he went missing, including messages from World Cup winners Matt Dawson and Lawrence Dallaglio.

Mr Voyce started his senior playing career at Bath, then spent six years with Wasps where he helped them win European and domestic titles, before leaving to join Gloucester in 2009.

He won nine caps for England and made 220 Premiership appearances before retiring in May 2013.

Wales defeat would mean record low

Wales Women may be out of the Rugby World Cup after the first two matches but the final match against Fiji is far from a dead rubber.

That’s because defeat would see Wales fall to 12th in the World rankings and mark a new record low for the team which has now been professional for three years.

Sean Lynn’s side are desperate to take something away from another disappointing campaign, having entered the tournament ranked ninth in the world.

Wales were better against Canada after a dreadful opening performance in a heavy defeat to Scotland, but were still beaten 42-0 by the Canadians.

The Welsh players have been forced to speak out this week after personal criticism aimed at back rower Georgia Evans’ appearance.

Evans released a defiant statement on social media in a firm message to her critics that she will change for no-one.

Lynn says they want to salvage some pride tomorrow afternoon.

“We want to make sure that we’re finishing the tournament on a high,” said Wales boss Lynn.

“It looks like both teams are going to throw the kitchen sink at each other. It’s going to be a brilliant battle and I’m hoping we come out on top, but I’ve asked the girls to come off [the pitch] crawling.

“I thought they [Fiji] put in a really strong performance against Scotland.

“They’re very exciting when they’ve got the ball in hand, and it’s just making sure that when we’ve got the ball, we’re looking after it, going through the phases and testing them in defence as well.”