![\"British](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/0_JS373072215.jpg\")
British and Irish Lions’ Tomos Williams (Image: PA Wire)<\/p>\nThe latest rugby news stories in the wake of the Lions’ defeat to ArgentinaBritish and Irish Lions’ Tomos Williams (Image: PA Wire)<\/p>\n
Here are the latest rugby headlines on Saturday, June 21.<\/p>\n
Welshman Williams lays down Lions marker<\/p>\n
Tomos Williams laid down an early marker for a place in the Lions Test team after an impressive appearance off the bench against Argentina on Friday night.<\/p>\n
Williams replaced Alex Mitchell in the second half, injecting urgency and moments of class into the Lions play as they initially fought their way back into the match before succumbing to a 28-24 defeat. There were the usual deft touches and a real tempo to everything the Welshman did before a beautiful flat pass on the line sent Tadhg Beirne crashing over for a try.<\/p>\n
Sky Sports pundits Conor Murray and Sam Warburton were both impressed, picking out Williams as one of the players who really impressed on the night. Mitchell’s service had been generally good in the first-half but his box kicking was loose at times. Sign up to Inside Welsh rugby on Substack to get exclusive news stories and insight from behind the scenes in Welsh rugby.<\/a><\/p>\n Warbuton said: “I think Tomos Williams was very good and made an impact. It’s going to be so tight for that number nine jersey.”<\/p>\n Fans on social media backed Williams to force his way into the Test team despite arguably starting the tour behind Ireland’s Jamison Gibson-Park and Mitchell in the pecking order.<\/p>\n One said: “Personally, the one player to shine was Tomos Williams. He scanned everything, raised the tempo, cool, calm and collected. Accuracy and timing of passing. Got to be in the test team.”<\/p>\n Another added: “<\/strong>Tomos Williams\u2019 distribution is catching the eye. He\u2019s already putting his hand up for selection.”<\/p>\n Fellow Welshman Jac Morgan had a solid outing in the seven jersey, with one turnover standing out before being replaced by Henry Pollock early in the second-half.<\/p>\n Van der Merwe not bothered by slurs<\/p>\n Duhan van der Merwe says slurs against his right to play for Scotland and the Lions no longer hurt him, insisting he has worked hard to become a two-time tourist<\/p>\n The South African-born Scotland star is one of the current Lions players who have been targeted by some critics because they were born in different countries. He qualifies for Scotland on residency and has gone on to become the nation’s leading try scorer since moving there from his homeland in 2017.<\/p>\n He faced abuse on the last Lions tour to South Africa, with fans labelling him “Spring-Jock”, while some have again questioned his selection for this year’s trip.<\/p>\n