{"id":810071,"date":"2026-10-22T06:32:12","date_gmt":"2026-10-22T06:32:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/810071\/"},"modified":"2026-10-22T06:32:12","modified_gmt":"2026-10-22T06:32:12","slug":"welsh-rugby-match-postponed-after-tragedy-and-faletau-world-cup-plan-emerges","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/810071\/","title":{"rendered":"Welsh rugby match postponed after tragedy and Faletau World Cup plan emerges"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>The latest rugby news from Wales and around the world<img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"eager\"  src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/0_JS421704413.jpg\" \/><\/p>\n<p aria-label=\"Taulupe Faletau of Cardiff is tackled by George Hendy of Northampton\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-title__ccyQU\" data-testid=\"caption-title\">Taulupe Faletau of Cardiff is tackled by George Hendy of Northampton(Image: Huw Evans Picture Agency Ltd)<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Here are your rugby evening headlines for Wednesday, October 21.<\/p>\n<p>Welsh rugby match postponed after tragedy<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">A Welsh rugby match has been postponed following the sudden death of RGC player Jack Davies at the age of 24.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">RGC confirmed their home fixture against <a class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walesonline.co.uk\/all-about\/swansea\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Swansea<\/a> on Saturday would not go ahead as a mark of respect <a class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walesonline.co.uk\/sport\/rugby\/rugby-news\/welsh-rugby-player-dies-suddenly-34788692\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">following the devastating news of his passing<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">In a statement posted on X, the club said: &#8220;Following the sad passing of Jack Davies, Saturday\u2019s home fixture against Swansea has been postponed as a mark of respect.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">&#8220;Jack was part of the RGC family, and our thoughts remain firmly with his family, friends and everyone who knew and loved him during this time.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\"><a class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walesonline.co.uk\/sport\/rugby\/rugby-news\/welsh-rugby-mourning-clubs-rally-34789491\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Tributes have poured in from across Welsh rugby following Davies&#8217; death<\/a>, with the Welsh Rugby Union and a host of clubs expressing their condolences.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\"  src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/0_HVBSWv5XcAA8oeqjacksgwar222.jpg\" \/><\/p>\n<p aria-label=\"RGC's Jack Davies has died\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-title__ccyQU\" data-testid=\"caption-title\">RGC&#8217;s Jack Davies has died<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Davies joined Clwb Rygbi Caernarfon at the age of 12 before progressing through the RGC pathway.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">He later studied Physical Education and Sport at <a class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walesonline.co.uk\/all-about\/cardiff\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Cardiff<\/a> Metropolitan University, spending three years at the institution before returning to north Wales and re-joining the senior squads at Caernarfon and RGC in 2023.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">His clubs described his death as a devastating loss, with thoughts across the Welsh rugby community remaining with his family, friends and teammates.<\/p>\n<p>Van Zyl: There&#8217;s a good plan in place for Taulupe Faletau<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Cardiff coach Corniel van Zyl has spoken about the need to manage Taulupe Faletau after <a class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walesonline.co.uk\/sport\/rugby\/rugby-news\/taulupe-faletau-talks-wales-boss-34792773\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Wales head coach Steve Tandy refused to rule the legendary No. 8 out of a fourth World Cup next year<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">The 35-year-old made his first appearance on the weekend since March, looking like he had never been away. However, injuries have hit the two-time Lion hard in recent seasons.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">In his absence, Taine Basham has earned a Wales recall after featuring at No. 8 for the Blue and Blacks.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">&#8220;Look, both of them (Faletau and Basham) need to be managed,&#8221; said van Zyl. &#8220;Toby is obviously in a very specific place in his career.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">&#8220;So, with him, it&#8217;s more valuable to have him in some games, but potentially not all the games. There&#8217;s a good plan in place. Obviously, plans never never work out the way you want, but it is a good plan, I believe, to get as much game time for him to push on and ask questions with the selectors.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">&#8220;Probably this block didn&#8217;t work out the way we wanted. As we know, he was selected for Leinster, but didn&#8217;t play. And then he would have probably not have played the week after that, so it just worked out the other way round, almost. So, hopefully he will be he&#8217;ll be up and ready to go in a week&#8217;s time.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Van Zyl also revealed that versatile back Jacob Beetham is facing a few weeks on the sidelines, after Tandy had namechecked him as a player who had missed out on the autumn squad through injury.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">&#8220;With Jake, unfortunately he got injured in that Leinster game. He went up for high ball, and then just came down in an awkward position. So he&#8217;ll be out for a few weeks. It&#8217;s unfortunate because he was also in really good form.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Maro Itoje in talks over Saracens deal amid France interest<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Maro Itoje is in talks over extending his Saracens contract, with interest from France potentially threatening to bring his England career to an end.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">The England captain&#8217;s current deal expires after next year&#8217;s <a class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walesonline.co.uk\/all-about\/rugby-world-cup\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Rugby World Cup<\/a>, with the second row set to turn 33 by the end of the tournament. To get the latest rugby news from WalesOnline in your search results, <a aria-label=\"click hereLink opens in a new tab.\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/preferences\/source?q=walesonline.co.uk\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">click here<\/a> to add WalesOnline as a preferred source on Google<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Saracens are hopeful of keeping their long-serving captain, but face competition from the French Top 14, where Bordeaux-Begles and Perpignan are reportedly among the clubs monitoring his situation.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">A move overseas would put Itoje&#8217;s international future in doubt, with the Rugby Football Union currently operating a policy of not selecting players based outside England.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Itoje has won 102 England caps since making his debut in the 2016 <a class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walesonline.co.uk\/all-about\/six-nations\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Six Nations<\/a> and has been a central figure for his country throughout the past decade.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">He has spent his entire senior career at Saracens, including remaining with the club during their season in the Championship following their punishment for salary cap breaches.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">The financial strength of French rugby could pose a challenge for Saracens, with the Top 14&#8217;s headline salary cap standing at \u20ac11m (\u00a39.2m), compared with \u00a36.4m in the English Premiership.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">However, Saracens could use their marquee player allowance to help compete with overseas offers, while Itoje would also remain eligible for a central England contract worth around \u00a3150,000 a year if he stays in the domestic game.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">The debate over England&#8217;s overseas selection policy has intensified in recent months, with former captain Courtney Lawes and current leadership group member Ellis Genge among those to call for a change.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Itoje&#8217;s decision could prove significant as England build towards the 2027 World Cup in Australia, with the end of a World Cup cycle traditionally providing an opportunity for international players to consider moves abroad.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The latest rugby news from Wales and around the world Taulupe Faletau of Cardiff is tackled by George&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":810072,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[35],"tags":[5903,101,88685,7168,56,54,55,9015],"class_list":["post-810071","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-rugby","tag-rugby","tag-sports","tag-taulupe-faletau","tag-todays-updates","tag-uk","tag-united-kingdom","tag-unitedkingdom","tag-wales-rugby-team"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/810071","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=810071"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/810071\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/810072"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=810071"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=810071"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=810071"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}