Here are your rugby evening headlines for Friday, January 10.
Wales wing set for debut in much-changed side
Regan Grace will makes his Cardiff debut on Saturday at Perpignan in the Challenge Cup, as the Blue and Blacks make nine changes for the trip to France.
The former rugby league star signed for Cardiff from Bath earlier this week, bolstering their depleted wing stocks. He starts alongside Tom Bowen and Cameron Winnett in the back-three, with Cardiff’s only other fit winger – Josh Adams – given a break.
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Beyond Winnett, it’s an all-new backline from the one that started against the Ospreys on New Year’s Day. Rory Jennings partners Rey Lee-Lo in midfield, while Tinus de Beer starts alongside Aled Davies at half-back.
Wales number eight Mackenzie Martin is back and set to appear off the bench, having not played for Cardiff since October. Prop Rhys Barratt will make his first start for the Arms Park club.
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Cardiff currently lie third in Pool 1 on six points, having lost on their previous trip to France against Lyon before beating South African outfit Cheetahs the following week.
“We’re heading there with a really positive mindset, aiming to secure the win – that’s our focus,” said Cardiff coach Matt Sherratt. “Our objective is to secure a home game for the knockouts, but beyond that, it’s about continuing to build and grow the squad.
“Playing in France is unlike anywhere else. The pre-match experience feels almost like a carnival, with the rugby match at the heart of it. It’s something the players really look forward to.”
Perpignan: Tommaso Allan; Tavite Veredamu, Job Poulet, Jeronimo de la Fuente (capt) Seta Toganiyadrava; Jake McIntyre, Gela Aprasidze, Giorgi Beria, Victor Montgaillard, Nemo Roelofse, Marvin Orie, Mathieu Tanguy, Noe Della Schiava, Alessandro Ortombina,Lucas Velarte
Replacements: Seilala Lam, Bruce Devaux, Akato Fakatika, Tristan Labouteley, Patrick Sobela, Tom Ecochard, Antoine Aucagne, Apisai Naqalevu
Cardiff: Cam Winnett; Regan Grace, Rey Lee-Lo, Rory Jennings, Tom Bowen; Tinus de Beer, Aled Davies; Rhys Barratt, Evan Lloyd, Kieron Assiratti, Josh McNally, Teddy Williams (capt), Alex Mann, Dan Thomas, Alun Lawrence.
Replacements: Daf Hughes, Danny Southworth, Will Davies-King, Seb Davies, Mackenzie Martin, Johan Mulder, Ben Thomas, Jacob Beetham.
England star denies cheating to get Test team-mate sin-binned
By PA Sport Staff
Ollie Lawrence denies that he cheated to get Alex Mitchell sin-binned in Bath’s Gallagher Premiership defeat at Northampton on Sunday.
The England centre was the subject of an outcry on social media after he crumbled to the ground following a clash of heads with his international team-mate at Franklin’s Gardens.
Referee Anthony Woodthorpe reviewed the decision and showed Mitchell a yellow card, drawing a smile from Lawrence.
Lawrence apologised at the time on social media in case “my actions today offended anyone”, but he insists did not take a dive.
“We collided head on head. It wasn’t bad enough probably for me to go down in the way that I did,” he said in a video posted on his TikTok account.
“I probably could have carried on running and allowed the ref to pull it back afterwards if he thought there was foul play.
“But in that moment, whether my judgement was clouded or not, I felt like it was head on head so I went down. I was completely entitled to. I didn’t cheat the system, I didn’t dive.
“For our own safety, if there’s a head collision you’re allowed to go down and the ref can review it.
“A lot of fans weren’t happy with that, that’s fair enough and I understand your perspective.
“I apologised online and I said if you took offence to what I did then I am sorry, but I didn’t cheat, which is what a lot of people thought I was doing, and I didn’t dive.
“People said I brought the game into disrepute and I’d argue that I didn’t, I just went by the letter of the law.”
Lawrence also explained the smile that was shown on the big screen at Northampton.
“In terms of my reaction, I do smile after I make a mistake. It’s something I’ve done my whole career. It’s just my way of getting over it,” he said.
“There was no wry smile, or a wink, or whatever people think they saw. That’s just me cracking on.”
Wales hopeful not picked despite avoiding long ban
James Fender won’t feature for the Ospreys in their Challenge Cup clash with Newcastle Falcons on Saturday, despite being available for selection after avoiding a lengthy ban.
The second-row, who will be harbouring hopes of sneaking into Warren Gatland’s Six Nations squad on Monday, was sent off against Cardiff on New Year’s Day, but was only hit with a two-match ban.
That was reduced to one, with last weekend’s Super Rygbi Cymru clash between Swansea and Cardiff deemed as the fixture he should miss.
Despite that, Fender doesn’t feature against the Gallagher Premiership club, with Will Griffiths and Will Spencer picked in the second-row.
Jac Morgan captains the Ospreys, who will be looking to continue the unbeaten start to life under new head coach Mark Jones. Elsewhere, Jack Walsh replaces the unavailable Max Nagy at full-back, with wing Dan Kasende the only other change in the backline.
In the pack, Rhys Henry replaces Tom Botha at tight-head prop.
The Ospreys currently sit in fifth place in Pool 2, the lowest of three sides on five points. Having started their European campaign with a win over the Lions at home, their last outing in the competition was a record defeat away to Montpellier that resulted in Toby Booth’s early departure as head coach.
However, the Ospreys – who reached the quarter-finals last season – have remained unbeaten since former Wales wing Jones took over – beating the Scarlets before drawing with Cardiff.
Their opponents this weekend are currently pointless in the Challenge Cup, having lost to Pau and the Dragons, while they have also lost heavily in the Premiership in recent weeks.
“Newcastle are a dangerous side and despite results so far, they will still be looking at this competition with a view to qualifying,” said Ospreys boss Jones.
“We’ve gone well in EPCR competitions in recent years, and we’re aiming to continue that by picking up a win this week and putting ourselves in the best position possible to qualify for the knockout stages.”
Ospreys: Jack Walsh; Dan Kasende, Owen Watkin, Keiran Williams, Keelan Giles; Dan Edwards, Reuben Morgan-Williams; Gareth Thomas, Sam Parry, Rhys Henry, Will Spencer, Will Griffiths, Jac Morgan (capt), Justin Tipuric, Morgan Morris.
Replacements: Lewis Lloyd, Garyn Phillips, Tom Botha, James Ratti, Morgan Morse, Kieran Hardy, Evardi Boshoff, Harri Houston.
Newcastle Falcons: Louis Brown; Max Pepper, Oli Spencer, Connor Doherty, Nathan Greenwood; Kieran Wilkinson, James Elliott; Micky Rewcastle, Ollie Fletcher, Callum Hancock, John Hawkins, Adam Scott, Philip van der Walt (capt), Josh Bainbridge, Ollie Leatherbarrow.
Replacements: Bryan Byrne, Connor Hancock, Murray McCallum, Finn Baker, Reuben Parsons, Hugh O’Sullivan, Jack Metcalf, Rhys Beeckmans.
Young Welsh centre set for first start after serious injury
Young Dragons centre Harri Ackerman will make his first start for the club since a serious leg injury in Sunday’s Challenge Cup game against Pau.
The 20-year-old had surgery for a double fracture to his tibia and fibula suffered while captaining Wales U20s against France in March.
Ackerman is one of seven changes for the clash at Rodney Parade, with midfield partner Joe Westwood another new face following the New Year’s Day defeat to the Scarlets.
Scrum-half Che Hope is the only change in the backline from that loss in Llanelli. In the pack, Wales hooker Elliot Dee returns to start, with tighthead Chris Coleman and lock Barny Langton-Cryer also starting – the latter for the first time in a Dragons jersey.
In the back-row, Taine Basham moves to No. 8 to hand openside George Young his first start of the season.
In the back row Taine Basham switches to number eight to allow George Young to make his first start of the season at open-side flanker.
The Dragons are currently third in Pool 2 after recovering from a narrow home loss to Montpellier with an impressive away win at Newcastle.
They are the United Rugby Championship’s basement club, having not won since the opening round.
“Section Paloise (Pau) are a good side with great depth to the squad,” said Dragons interim head coach Filo Tiatia. “They have a power game with strong athletes across the board from their back row, midfield and an athletic back three. They are a threat.
“We’ve watched a lot of their games, reviewed them, and they are going to be a good contest.
“There are a few players we need to stop and it is a challenge and fixture we are all really looking forward to.”
Dragons: Cai Evans; Rio Dyer, Joe Westwood, Harri Ackerman, Jared Rosser; Angus O’Brien (capt), Che Hope; Rodrigo Martinez, Elliot Dee, Chris Coleman, Joe Davies, Barny Langton-Cryer, Shane Lewis-Hughes, George Young, Taine Basham.
Replacements: James Benjamin, Dylan Kelleher-Griffiths, Dmitri Arhip, George Nott, Dan Lydiate, Morgan Lloyd, Lloyd Evans, Ewan Rosser
Pau: Clément Mondinat; Theo Attissogbe, Eliott Roudil (capt), Fabien Brau-Boirie, Gregoire Arfeuil; Axel Desperes, Dan Robson; Remi Seneca, Romain Ruffenach, Jon Zabala Arrieta, Hugo Auradou, Jimi Maximin, Mehdi Tlili, Reece Hewat, Thibaut Hamonou.
Replacements: Dan Jooste, Daniel Bibi Biziwu, Harry Williams, Remi Picquette, Loic Credoz, Thomas Souverbie, Quentin Valentino, Jack Maddocks.