The latest rugby news stories from wales and beyond
07:46, 18 Apr 2026Updated 10:05, 18 Apr 2026
The Ospreys owners have been in talks to buy Cardiff but the deal is on the verge of falling through(Image: Huw Evans Picture Agency Ltd)
Here are your rugby morning headlines for Saturday, April 18.
WRU and Y11 talks as deal heads south
The Welsh Rugby Union and Y11 will hold last-ditch talks over the coming days as the Ospreys owners’ bid to buy Cardiff looks like collapsing.
The extended exclusivity period for negotiating an agreement ends on Wednesday, with it currently looking like the most controversial proposed deal in Welsh rugby will not happen.
Union and Y11 bosses will talk further over the next few days, but the current expectation is the union will continue to own the capital city club moving forward.
WalesOnline exclusively revealed on Friday the deal looks off as things stand, casting the future landscape of Welsh rugby into further doubt.
The WRU took ownership of Cardiff Rugby a year ago after the club entered administration. Its intention was to find a buyer for the club but some board members feel it would be best if the governing body continued to own the capital city club.
As for Y11, it remains unclear what their long-term plans are in Welsh rugby beyond next season.
Welsh pair’s new boss reveals plan for success
New Gloucester technical director Chris Boyd say the Gallagher Prem will look to bring through more young players, as well as Welsh talent from across the border, to bring long-term success to the club.
The Cherry and Whites are losing Wales scrum-half Tomos Williams this summer, but will be boosted by the signings of Welsh captains Jac Morgan and Dewi Lake.
While those two Wales internationals will improve Gloucester’s chances under Boyd in the short-term, the former Northampton director of rugby believes there’s more young Welsh talent to be found – as well as budding players in Gloucestershire.
Hartpury College has become a hotbed for Welsh players seeking education in England – with the likes of Alex Cuthbert and Louis Rees-Zammit attending in the past.
“The focus really, because I think it’s the only way to be sustainable, is that we want to aim to bring in and promote our own youngsters,” Boyd told TNT Sports.
“We’ve got a great geographical area. We’ve got a good connection to Wales at the moment.
“I think, for us, first prize is to find our own boys and grow and develop them to be prevalently linked to Gloucester.”
Dragons ‘taught a lesson’ by clinical Bulls
Dragons captain Harrison Keddie said the Welsh side were taught a lesson in being clinical after play-off chasing Bulls put them to the sword in Newport.
The Dragons only trailed by five points at half-time, with the Bulls taking until the hour-mark to seal the bonus point. However, three tries in the final five minutes made the scoreline considerably more one-sided – finishing 47-7.
“They’re a really clinical team, especially when you allow them entries into your 22,” Keddie told S4C. “That’s when they thrive.
“We spoke about if you let them have their first three or four phases with momentum, it’s really hard to get the ball back off them because they’re really good at playing on top.
“I think errors around our discipline and our tackle selection in the first three or four phases, we allowed them to get on top and we couldn’t wrestle it back in those 20 minutes.
“It probably taught us a bit of a lesson about being clinical. We had chances in both halves to come away with points and we probably weren’t quite on it.
“They got on top of us in that area of converting opportunities in the 22.”
Dragons head coach Filo Tiatia was also left to rue the Dragons’ inability to apply consistent pressure on their South African opponents.
“We conceded 15 penalties and 12 turnovers, couldn’t apply pressure and left a lot of points on the field. There were good moments when we applied pressure, we just didn’t do it enough.
“We’ve got to go again and we’ve got to be better. How we shift forward for next week is really important and after watching that game there might be a few changes.”
Pat Lam focused on play-off tilt as Bristol thrash Gloucester to stay in mix
By Press Association Sport Staff
Pat Lam reflected on a case of mission accomplished after his Bristol team remained firmly in Gallagher Prem play-off contention by crushing Gloucester 53-12 at Ashton Gate.
The bonus-point success left Bristol hovering just outside the top-four as they contest those positions alongside Northampton, Bath, Leicester and Exeter.
A third league defeat on the bounce following losses to Leicester and Harlequins would have realistically ended their hopes, but Bristol delivered an emphatic response.
They face bottom club Newcastle next, before hosting Saracens and rugby director Lam was delighted with how his players got the job done.
“I am pleased. The only outcome we needed was five points tonight and we focused on the process of doing it,” Lam told TNT Sports.
“It’s all about Newcastle now. We have always found it really difficult up there. If you are loose against them, you will get punished.
“We are not taking this for granted. It is going to be a massive occasion and that’s what our focus is.”
Bristol’s England prop Ellis Genge added: “We left ourselves with a little bit of work to do after the last two fixtures, but we spoke about giving it our all and being committed, and I think the boys showed that tonight.
“A team like us that moves the ball so well, sometimes you can get a bit carried away. We said about winning the collisions today and I am delighted.
“We’ve had some honest conversations. We probably took our eye off the ball a little bit after having plenty of momentum before the Six Nations.
“We’ve doubled down on being direct and working off the ball and then you can get an edge and pull teams about. It is a pleasure being part of a team when we are playing like that.”
Gloucester saw three players receive yellow cards during the first half and Bristol ruthlessly punished them with a try double from wing Kalaveti Ravouvou, while Kieran Marmion and Fitz Harding also crossed, in addition to a penalty try.
Fly-half Tom Jordan then touched down early in the second period, along with hooker Gabriel Oghre. Centre James Williams kicked five conversions and Jordan landed two late penalties.
Gloucester managed scores for full-back George Barton and flanker Deian Gwynne, plus a Barton conversion, but they were a distant second-best, slumping to an 11th Prem defeat of the season in 13 starts as Bristol claimed a record victory in the fixture.