The latest rugby news and headlines from Wales and beyond
Here are your rugby evening headlines for Thursday, June 12
Departing Wales coach lands new job
Leicester Tigers are reportedly set to appoint Mike Forshaw as their new defence coach, with his current deal with the Welsh Rugby Union expiring at the end of this month. The Wigan-born defence coach had previously pointed to his contract ending this summer, with the existing Wales assistants having been in the dark over their futures since the departure of Warren Gatland mid-tournament.
However, the former Great Britain rugby league international was not chosen to tour Japan with Wales this summer, with interim head coach Matt Sherratt choosing to take Gethin Jenkins – who Forshaw had actually replaced in the role in 2023 – instead.
Despite the WRU’s insistence that no decision would be made on any of Gatland’s assistants until a new head coach was appointed, it would appear that Forshaw has taken matters into his own hands.
Having been previously linked with Gallagher Premiership finalists Leicester following the appointment of Geoff Parling, RugbyPass report that the 55-year-old will be coaching at Welford Road next season.
Foreign-born Lions ‘doesn’t sit well’ with Care
Former England scrum-half Danny Care says the selection of the foreign-born players for the British and Irish Lions tour to Australia doesn’t “sit that well” with him.
Andy Farrell has picked a number of players in his squad for this summer who were born elsewhere.
The likes of Bundee Aki, Jamison Gibson-Park, James Lowe and Duhan van der Merwe all qualified for their respective home nations on residency, while some other members of the squad were born in the southern hemisphere, but had family links to qualify – like Mack Hansen and Sione Tuipulotu.
“Whatever I say here, you’re going to get stick. You open yourself up to it,” he told the BBC Rugby Union Weekly podcast.
“It doesn’t sit that well with me that some of these… both your starting wingers are going to be lads that never, ever once in their childhood or even their mid-20s ever dreamt of wearing a red Lions jersey.
“It is what it is, it’s the rules, and why not. If you’re James Lowe or you’re Duhan van der Merwe or you’re [Jamison] Gibson-Park, you go, ‘oh, I’ll play for the Lions, yeah.’
“We’re not going to change it, but it just doesn’t… I think there’s a lot of people that feel the same but can’t say it.”
Wales second-row signs new deal
Wales second-row James Ratti had signed a new deal with the Ospreys.
Having originally come through the Ospreys’ development pathway, he re-joined the club in 2023 after a spell with Cardiff – becoming a mainstay in the team.
His first season back at the Ospreys saw him named players’ player of the season, while he also earned his first Wales cap against South Africa last June.
He has also been included in Wales’ squad for the upcoming tour of Japan.
“The last two years have been great for me since I returned to the Ospreys,” said Ratti. “There’s a great bunch of boys here and we all play for each other, which shines through on a gameday.
“Coming back to my hometown club was an easy decision for me, similarly to signing this new contract, and I’m looking forward to seeing what lies ahead in the future with this team.”
Ospreys head coach Mark Jones added: “Ratti has been incredibly valuable player for us since he made the decision to come back. He’s a real Swiss-army knife in both the respects of where he plays and how he plays.
“Ratti is a real workhorse, his ability to carry and commit multiple defenders in contact adds a real dynamism to how we play and we’re really happy to have him staying with the club. To succeed in our league, you need players like Ratti, that are relentless and reliable.”
Townsend addresses own future
Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend has addressed his own future, having already claimed that defence coach Steve Tandy wouldn’t be taking the Wales head coach job.
Townsend insisted that former Ospreys coach Tandy wouldn’t be going anywhere, but there are also questions over his own future.
The former Scotland fly-half’s contract runs out next year, with another Wales target – Franco Smith – having been touted as a potential successor.
However, Townsend has spoken about his future and the discussions he says must happen.
“If you get more into the year, those discussions would have to happen, whether they’re initiated by my bosses or by myself,” he told BBC Scotland Rugby Podcast.
“I think there’s obviously a lot of discussions around the Six Nations, the reviews of that, where we believe we need to improve, but also the longer-term future, what are the challenges coming up for Scotland and that ties in with the pathway and the longer-term strategy.
“But I feel there’s a lot to be optimistic about with the current group we have, the players that are coming through and the experiences the players had this year. Yes, we’re disappointed we didn’t win more games, but I know the performances that the players are delivering are putting us in positions to beat the best teams in the world and that’s a good foundation to have. The next step is making sure we win those games we put that effort into winning.”
