The latest headlines from Wales and around the world
16:42, 01 Aug 2025Updated 16:59, 01 Aug 2025
Jac Morgan (Image: Getty Images)
These are your evening rugby headlines on Friday, August 1.
Wales and Lions star emerges as prime target for new rebel league
Jac Morgan has emerged as a major target for rugby’s new controversial rebel league R360, along with a host of French clubs. The 25-year-old’s stock has risen considerably this summer for the part he has played in the British & Irish Lions’ Test series victory over Australia. Morgan’s contract with the Ospreys expires at the end of the upcoming season and, according to RugbyPass, he is a target for the potential new rugby breakaway franchise league that wants to create ‘generational change in rugby’.
It is being fronted by England World Cup winner Mike Tindall, former Bath director of rugby Stuart Hooper and agent Mark Spoors, among others. The idea is to create 12 new franchise teams, with the best players in the world like Antoine Dupont prime targets.
The league has set a deadline of September to sign up 200 players, with the first season expected to run between September and December 2026 with just eight games in total to begin with.
R360 also plans to give players 12 weeks off per year and fund two family trips per year to join the players in whatever part of the world they are based in with Tokyo, London, Dubai, Cape Town, Boston and Miami being mooted.
As reported by WalesOnline on Tuesday a handful of Welsh players have already signed pre-contracts. RugbyPass are also reporting Morgan is being offered to Top 14 sides for a move in July 2026.
Lions star missing from training
Tommy Freeman has withdrawn from training on the eve of the British & Irish Lions’ third Test against Australia in Sydney tomorrow.
The England wing started the first two Tests which the Lions won to clinch their first series victory since 2013 but they are aiming for a clean sweep. Freeman withdrew from training due to his overall workload on the tour but the Lions have played down an concern over his fitness for tomorrow’s final Test match.
However, the BBC has reported that the 24-year-old is understood to be “touch and go” for the final Test and Andy Farrell may well be forced into making a late change.
If Freeman was to pull out, Irish wings James Lowe and Mack Hansen, along with Scotland’s Duhan van der Merwe would be potential replacements. Sign up to Inside Welsh rugby on Substack to get exclusive news stories and insight from behind the scenes in Welsh rugby.
“The job isn’t done in any shape or form. We’ve got a really motivated group that have set their stall out,” said Lions forwards coach John Dalziel as he looked ahead to the match.
“There’s only one way that we want this to end and that’s to go unbeaten and to try and win 3-0. We don’t want anything to derail it.
“We know it is going to be incredibly hard work and Australia showed that last week. They are a good side and they are going to be good again. They are going to be motivated playing here.
“We’ve got to find that energy and go again, getting that performance that we all want.
“There is still a performance in us. We’ve had 40 minutes in both of the Tests so we want to give our supporters and everyone watching at home a full 80 minutes and show what the Lions are about.”
Former England star joins RGC in coaching support role
Former England full-back Jon Callard has joined Super Rygbi Cymru outfit RGC in a coaching support role.
The 59-year-old won five caps for England between 1993-95, while he was also a key member of the Bath side which dominated English rugby in the late 1980s and 1990s.
He amassed 2,087 points for the West Country giants and helped them win the Heineken Cup in 1998.
Callard, who grew up near Newport, has previously held coaching roles at Bath and Leeds, while he has also worked with the senior England team. Join WalesOnline Rugby’s WhatsApp Channel here to get the breaking news sent straight to your phone for free
He has now joined RGC where he will support both the senior side and the senior academy for the upcoming SRC season.
“Jon has coached at Bath, England Academy and Leeds Tykes,” said RGC’s general manager Alun Pritchard.
“He is supporting the coaching of the RGC Senior Academy and SRC team, where his experience and insight will be invaluable as we continue to develop and invest in the next generation of north Wales rugby talent.”