The latest rugby news and headlines from Wales and beyond
Ospreys head coach Mark Jones(Image: Huw Evans Picture Agency)
Here are your rugby evening headlines for Friday, April 17.
Ospreys not giving up on slim hopes
The Ospreys are holding out hope they can once again defy the odds to reach the United Rugby Championship play-offs.
Two seasons ago, the Ospreys reached the play-offs despite being given just a two per cent chance of making the top eight ahead of the final weekend.
With four matches to go, their odds – according to the URC’s probability calculator – are the same. 10 points adrift of the play-off places, they likely need to win all of their remaining fixtures and hope results elsewhere go their way.
“We’ve got four games left which we’re excited about and we’re going to attack them and try to finish as strongly as we can,” said Ospreys head coach Mark Jones ahead of their match against the Sharks this weekend.
“We’ll try to get as many wins as we possibly can and extend our season.”
They are turning their attention back to the league, having been knocked out of Europe in contentious fashion after Kieran Hardy’s winning try against Ulster was ruled out for a forward pass.
“We’ve tried our very best to keep both fronts going all season,” said Jones. “We’ve rotated the squad and tried to share the workload with all the travel in the URC.
“Up until a couple of narrow defeats, we’ve done a good job of being right in it.”
READ MORE: WRU chairman Richard Collier-Keywood to step downSaudi Arabia abandon World Cup hosting plans
Saudi Arabia has reportedly abandoned its hopes of hosting the 2035 Rugby World Cup as a result of the Public Investment Fund’s new financial strategy.
Sports minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki al-Faisal confirmed Saudi Arabia’s interest in bidding for the World Cup last year, but the Guardian report that no expression of interest has been submitted to World Rugby – with that unlikely to change before the bidding process closes in October.
A joint Middle East bid from Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates – previously talked up by Asia Rugby – is also reported to have not materialised.
The likes of Argentina, Japan and Spain are believed to be interested in hosting the 2035 World Cup, with World Rugby to determine a preferred bidder next year.
The news comes following PIF’s decision to prioritise projects that can produce a return. LIV Golf is seemingly in danger, following numerous reports that PIF is set to end its support for the breakaway tour.
According to the Guardian’s report, PIF will continue to invest in sport, instead focusing on domestic projects – such as the 2034 football World Cup and the F1 track near Riyadh, which is set to open next year.
While the war in Iran is likely to have had some impact on PIF’s spending plans, it is reported that the decision to step away from hosting a Rugby World Cup was made before the conflict began earlier this year.
In an interview with the state-owned television channel Al Arabiya on Thursday, PIF governor and LIV chair, Yasir al-Rumayyan, confirmed that all its spending projects are being reviewed.
“I can’t tell you I will cancel this investment or get into another investment,” Rumayyan said. “It is a dynamic [situation] with or without war. But, of course, the war would add more pressure to reposition some priorities.”
Shane: Next few weeks can lift Welsh rugby’s mood
Wales legend Shane Williams believes the final few weeks of the season could be crucial to lifting Welsh rugby’s mood amid the ongoing uncertainty.
Heading into the final rounds of the season, it’s still unclear how many professional team Wales will have moving forward, with no clear path forward yet to emerge.
However, with Cardiff in the play-off places and the Ospreys still harbouring slim hopes they can reach the last eight, as well as the Dragons’ European semi-final to come, the former Wales wing believes the next month could bring some positivity to the game in this country.
“These derby games carry even more weight at the moment,” said Premier Sports pundit Williams. “Of course, there are points on the line, but there’s something bigger underneath it all – pride, identity, and a chance to remind people what Welsh rugby is about. We need something to lift the mood.
“My message to rugby supporters is simple – let’s all get behind our teams and get to the games in person if we can to show that support.
“There’s been a lot of noise and debate, especially online – but the best way to support Welsh rugby right now is to show up. It’s been a really difficult period for our game, there’s no getting away from that. But while we all talk about it from the outside, you have to remember the players and coaches and staff are living it day to day dealing with uncertainty.
“They’ve all kept going through a challenging time, and a strong crowd at the Welsh derbies with fans connecting and creating a positive atmosphere – that will makes a huge difference as we round up this season.
“It’s important we don’t lose sight of the human side of all this. The players and staff are giving everything in difficult circumstances, they deserve backing from supporters, stakeholders and everyone involved right across the game in Wales.”
Speaking specifically about his former side Ospreys, Williams added: “The Ospreys have shown real resilience, especially at home in Bridgend. They obviously like playing there as a team. They’ve stayed competitive despite everything going on around them, and that says a lot about the group and the coaching.”
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Munster coach defends new appointment following backlash
Munster head coach Clayton McMillan has defended the Irish province’s decision to appoint Roger Randle as their new attack coach.
Former All Black Randle, who played two uncapped games for New Zealand, has been facing a backlash after an allegation from 1997 emerged following his appointment by Munster.
Randle has always maintained his innocence and the case against him was eventually dropped. But that hasn’t stopped three former Munster players – Billy Holland, Mick O’Driscoll and Killian Keane – from stepping down from Munster’s Professional Game Board.
“I’m well aware of how our supporters and people in the rugby community are feeling about Roger’s appointment,” McMillan told reporters. “I fully respect people will have an opinion, but it’s not an opinion that is shared by me.
“I’ve known Roger for a long time. I think he’s an outstanding human, well loved by family and people that have worked alongside him for a long period of time.
“I’m aware there’s some former players on the PGB that resigned as a result of this decision and like our supporters, I respect that they all have their reasons for why they did that.
“I can’t jump into the minds of other people. I can only speak for the person I know and that I’ve worked alongside.
“As I said before, this is a person who has had an allegation made against him. It didn’t proceed to a legal process, dropped pretty quickly but the stigma of that has remained with him.
“But I admire the way that he has, as a rugby player and a coach and a father, dealt with that challenge.
“He’s played all around the world. He’s coached at the elite level for a long period of time in Italy, France, Japan, New Zealand, Commonwealth Games, Olympic Games – played for the All Blacks.”
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