The latest headlines from Wales and around the world
These are your evening rugby headlines on Tuesday, June 24.
Biggar confirms it’s all over
Former Wales international fly-half Dan Biggar has signalled the end of his glittering rugby career as he called “full-time” on his playing days.
The 35-year-old announced in April that he would be hanging up his boots for good at the end of the season, having continued to play for club side Toulon after bowing out from Test rugby following the 2023 Rugby World Cup.
Biggar – who also represented Ospreys and Northampton Saints at club level – won 112 caps for Wales in a 15-year international career, becoming his country’s most-capped fly-half. Sign up to Inside Welsh rugby on Substack to get exclusive news stories and insight from behind the scenes in Welsh rugby.
He also helped guide Wales to three Six Nations titles and played at three World Cups, reaching the semi-finals in 2019.
After Toulon were knocked out of the Top 14 play-offs by Bordeaux-Begles on Saturday, Biggar has confirmed that is now all over for him, with a full-time move into the media awaiting him.
Taking to Instagram, the Gorseinon product shared a photo of himself looking out over the empty field at Toulon’s Stade Mayol and wrote: “Full-time. Grateful for every moment and ready for what’s next.”
A number of rugby stars from Wales and beyond rushed to congratulate Biggar on a stellar career, with another France-based Welsh fly-half, Sam Davies, writing: “Pleasure learning from you and nipping at your heels for a couple of years pal!
“Thanks for teaching me all you did.. catch you soon for a [beer] in France. Enjoy retirement and what comes next old boy.”
Wales star Josh Adams wrote: “Dan you well and truly are the MAN,” while Ben White and Melvyn Jaminet both hailed him as a “legend” of the game.
Meanwhile, South Africa icon Bryan Habana added: “Some shift you put in mate!! Bonne chance pour la prochaine vie [Good luck for the next life]”
Announcing his decision to retire earlier this year, Biggar said: “To have represented my country once was a dream come true, but to have done it 112 times was beyond my wildest dreams.
“While it came with its unique pressures, playing number 10 for Wales was the best job in the world, and I am proud to have done that more than any other player. I can’t wait to watch the next generation of Welsh tens do their thing in that famous shirt.”
Lions star defends teammates
Finn Russell has defended his foreign-born British & Irish Lions teammates after their selection in Andy Farrrell’s squad was criticised by some of the game’s’ big names. Wallabies head coach Joe Schmidt is among those to have highlighted the ancestry of some members of the touring squad, with former England star Danny Care and five-time Lions tourist Willie John McBride admitting they were uncomfortable with that aspect of the selections.
Eight of the Lions’ 38-man squad were born, raised and schooled in the southern hemisphere before making the move north, and have since qualified for England, Scotland and Ireland on different grounds. Sign up to Inside Welsh rugby on Substack to get exclusive news stories and insight from behind the scenes in Welsh rugby.
Ireland stars Bundee Aki, James Lowe and Jamison Gibson-Park all qualify for their nations on residence grounds, as do Scotland duo Duhan van der Merwe and Pierre Schoeman.
Meanwhile, Scotland’s Sione Tuipulotu and Ireland’s Finlay Bealham and Mack Hansen have always been eligible to play for the Lions due to where their parents or grandparents were born.
Schmidt has referred to Aki and Tuipulotu as a “southern hemisphere centre pairing” while Care admitted the selection of foreign-born players “doesn’t sit well” with him and McBride said it was the one thing that “bothered” him about the squad.
However, Russell says he has “no issues” with where some of his new teammates hail from originally, adding that they are deserving of their place in the touring squad regardless.
“For me, as a Scot, I have no issues with them being born in New Zealand or Australia,” the fly-half told BBC Sport.
“Everyone has their different background and different path into rugby and where we are now.
“These boys definitely deserve their spot in the team.”
Scarlets star to achieve dream
Scarlets hooker Marnus van der Merwe is set to realise his dream of representing South Africa on the international stage after being named in Rassie Erasmus’ matchday squad to take on the Barbarians this weekend.
While the showdown in Cape Town on Saturday is an non-capped match, the 28-year-old will pull on the famous Springboks jersey for the first time after a hugely impressive campaign for the Welsh region saw him named in the URC Team of the Season.
Van der Merwe, who has been named among the replacements, is one of four uncapped players included in the matchday squad, with prop Asenathi Ntlabakanye and flanker Vincent Tshituka making the starting lineup and fellow front rower Neethling Fouche also on the bench.
It comes after the Scarlets man said he dreamt of representing the Springbok, explaining: “I think as a child, any South African watching the game, with the Springboks doing well, everyone wants to play for that team, just like people in Wales who grew up watching their team,” he said.
“So everyone wants to play for their nation. It’s definitely a thing I am going for, but I focus on the next thing which is helping the Scarlets where I can. Then, through that, I hope the Springbok coaches can see what I bring and see that I have the talent to be there.
“My goal is to get into international rugby. Everyone hopes for that. I just go out and play the best I can every single day. Hopefully that’s enough.”
After selecting the four uncapped players in his matchday side, Erasmus said: “They have all slotted into our systems really well and have a good understanding of what we want to do in this match, while it also presents us with a fantastic opportunity to see how they measure up against a handful of experienced players in the Barbarians team.
“This may not be an official Test match, but we are approaching it as such, and a good result will hopefully set us on course for an exciting season.
“Asenathi, Vincent, Neethling, and Marnus have all been impressive at training and for their respective franchises this season, and we hope to see them replicate those quality performances in this match.”
Barbarians confirm blockbuster squad
The Barbarians have also confirmed their blockbuster squad for their clash with South Africa in at DHL Stadium this weekend, with New Zealand dominating the numbers.
Robbie Deans has named a 23-man squad littered with international experience, with 18 of those involved holding Test caps and the likes of Ireland centurions Cian Healy, Peter O’Mahony and Conor Murray all on board.
The Irish trio were the first names confirmed for the fixture earlier this year and they have since been joined by former All Blacks captain Sam Cane and six other New Zealand internationals, namely Shannon Frizell, Hoskins Sotutu, Tawera Kerr-Barlow, Peter Umaga-Jensen, Leicester Fainga’anuku and Mark Tele’a.
England internationals Joe Marchant, David Ribbans and Will Collier are also involved, alongside France’s Melvyn Jaminet, Camille Chat and Hassane Kolingar; Uruguay’s Santiago Arata Perrone; and Samoa’s Paul Alo-Emile.
Former Junior Springbok Ruben van Heerden is the lone South African in the squad, while Ricky Riccitelli, Josh Beehre, Lachlan Boshier and Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens complete the numbers
Deans will announce his matchday squad to face South Africa on Thursday afternoon.
Barbarians squad in full:
Forwards: Sam Cane, Peter O’Mahony, Cian Healy, Shannon Frizell, Hoskins Sotutu, Ricky Riccitelli, Ruben van Heerden, Camille Chat, Will Collier, Hassane Kolingar, Josh Beehre, Paul Alo-Emile, David Ribbans, Lachlan Boshier.
Backs: Mark Tele’a, Tawera Kerr-Barlow, Peter Umaga-Jensen, Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens, Santiago Arata, Josh Jacomb, Leicester Faingaʻanuku, Joe Marchant.
