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Sam Costelow has suffered a fresh setback
These are your latest rugby headlines on Thursday, March 26.
Wales star suffers fresh injury blow
Wales and Scarlets fly-half Sam Costelow has suffered a fresh setback weeks after seeing his Six Nations campaign wrecked by an ankle injury.
After missing the opening two rounds of the tournament, the 25-year-old started inthe 10 jersey against Scotland in Cardiff and delivered a fine performance, pulling the strings as a revitalised Welsh side ran their opponents close.
However, he was forced off the pitch shortly before the hour mark at the Principality Stadium after injuring his ankle and, while he was not released from Steve Tandy’s squad, missed Wales’ remaining games against Ireland and Italy.
Now, Costelow has been ruled out of the Scarlets’ clash with Leinster in the United Rugby Championship on Friday after hurting his ankle again.
Hookers Ryan Elias and Marnus van der Merwe are also unavailable as they go through concussion protocols.
Ospreys chief speaks out on St Helen’s move
Ospreys CEO Lance Bradley has hailed the move to St Helen’s as an ‘important step’ for the region, in his first public statement for weeks.
Bradley has recently stepped away from the spotlight amid accusations from Swansea Council he confirmed in a meeting “there would not be a professional regional Ospreys team playing at St Helens” in the long term under plans for owners Y11 to buy Cardiff. Bradley insists he has not made any statements on the the future of the Ospreys beyond 2027. You can read the minutes released by the council here.
Since new of the Y11 deal broke and the war of words with Swansea Council began, Bradley has largely been conspicuous by his absence from mainstream and social media, having previously engaged with supporters on a regular basis. The CEO has been subjected to abuse over his handling of the current situation, with many supporters believing his position untenable.
However, Tuesday’s surprise announcement of a new joint plan between Swansea Council and the Ospreys to plough ahead with the redevelopment of St Helen’s despite the uncertainty represents a new twist in the saga. While long-time Ospreys director Rob Davies was used as the public Ospreys voice for that big announcement, Bradley has also now released a statement after the proposal was given the go-ahead on Wednesday.
The current home of Swansea RFC is set to become the home of the Ospreys from next season, in a move they hope will also turn St Helen’s into a central hub for community rugby, increasing access for schools, local clubs and Swansea University.
“This is an important step for the Ospreys as we continue to establish ourselves as the heart of the community,” Bradley said in a statement.
“St Helen’s gives us the platform to grow, from the matchday experience through to new commercial opportunities and deeper connections with our supporters and partners. It’s a hugely exciting moment for the club.”
What this all means for the future remains unclear, with Swansea Council still pursuing legal action to stop the WRU deal with Y11, whose intentions going forward remain unclear.
Under the new plan, St Helen’s will host Ospreys fixtures from next season, while also being used throughout the week by Swansea RFC, schools, clubs and community groups, supporting the growth of the game at every level.
The Ospreys will also expand their community programme as part of the agreement, delivering more opportunities for young players and strengthening the pathway from grassroots rugby through to the professional game.
The agreement will see Swansea RFC return to the stadium for the 2026/27 season, marking the 150th anniversary of St Helen’s as their historic home.
Lynn – We know we need to improve
Wales head coach Sean Lynn says this year’s Women’s Six Nations represents a fresh start for his side.
Lynn has named nine uncapped players in his 38-strong squad, and has also assembled his own backroom staff as he bids to improve on last year’s desperately disappointing campaign, which yielded five defeats from five.
“This is a new cycle for us,” he told the BBC.
“I’m very excited, we’ve got a blend of senior players, some fresh faces, fresh voices and the squad is looking much more competitive.
“We know we need to improve, and we’re bringing in individuals we feel could be making that difference
“It’s new voices, new faces and big energy.
“What we’re going after is that consistency, every coach who’s coming in is making sure that we are following the process.
“I want us to be more hard-working, competitive, and when you’re in those competitive games and you find those winning moments, those game-changing moments, that’s where I feel this team can grow.”