The latest headlines from Wales and around the world.
These are your evening rugby headlines on Sunday, May 18.
Morgan flies in for Lions meeting
Wales captain Jac Morgan was a late arrival as he flew in from South Africa to meet up with his new British & Irish Lions teammates for the first time.
Andy Farrell’s 38-man squad assembled in south-west London on Sunday morning to kick-off a two day gathering designed to aid team bonding as well as tick off administrative jobs such as taking head shots, collecting kit and filming content, as well as getting fitted out in new suits.
Players from England, Ireland and Scotland all arrived at the hotel in Richmond in the morning and started the day chatting to each other over coffees in the car park as they waited for more to arrive, with scrum-half Tomos Williams the sole Welshman in attendance for much of the day.
However, Morgan arrived on Sunday evening ahead of the second day of the gathering, having been out in South Africa with the Ospreys. Sign up to Inside Welsh rugby on Substack to get exclusive news stories and insight from behind the scenes in Welsh rugby
While he was not included in the squad for their narrow defeat to the Lions on Saturday, he had flown out with Mark Jones’ side earlier in the month and captained the team on his 50th appearance against the Sharks in Durban.
Together, Morgan and Williams make up the Welsh contingent on this year’s Lions tour, with head coach Farrell selecting the lowest number of tourists from Wales in nearly 90 years.
The Wales skipper discovered he had been named in the squad while on the flight out to South Africa and, once he landed, described it as a “massive honour” and the “pinnacle” of his rugby career.
“It was a bit nerve-racking just waiting to land,” he said. “When I found out, it was a little bit emotional. Everyone was clapping and cheering and, as soon as we got off the plane, everyone was coming over and congratulating me. That was quite emotional.
“Everything you do, you work hard with each other as a group, so to be able to share that with all the boys was pretty special,” he added. “It’s a massive honour to be picked for the Lions and a proud moment for myself and my family with everything they have done and sacrificed over the years to help me get to this position. I have spoken to them and they are really happy.
“Growing up and watching all the players from different countries who have played together for the Lions in the past, it’s the pinnacle of their career being able to be selected. So I am pretty chuffed and really grateful. I am lost for words in a way. It’s surreal.”
Owens: We have to stop this
Former Wales captain Ken Owens has given his take on the latest Welsh Rugby Union statement, saying “we have to stop this”.
The legendary hooker – who represented the Scarlets on 274 occasions and won 96 international caps for Wales and the British & Irish Lions before retiring last year – was no stranger to the political side of Welsh rugby as a player, playing a pivotal role in the contract dispute between Warren Gatland’s squad and the WRU during the 2023 Six Nations.
However, with, as WalesOnline understands, regions being told by the union that one must now be cut, Owens is less than impressed with “another negative story” emerging from off the field.
Speaking to S4C while on punditry duty for Newport’s Super Rygbi Cymru win over Ebbw Vale, the former front rower said: “It’s a fantastic day here today and again we’re here talking about the politics in Welsh rugby.
“We don’t know all the reasons why the Scarlets and the Ospreys haven’t signed the [PRA] agreement but it’s just another negative story about the game.
“We hope there’s a plan moving forward,” he added. “You have to think about the players and the staff, how it’s going to affect them.
“I know that the players’ union is in talks with the regions and the WRU to make sure they know what’s going on, but we have to stop this. We have to work together to move forward with rugby in Wales.”
WRU accused of ‘lack of respect’
The Ospreys’ official supporters club has accused the Welsh Rugby Union of a “lack of respect” after it triggered a two-year notice period on the current Professional Rugby Agreement (PRA)
The WRU confirmed a move away from four evenly funded regions in a statement issued on Sunday, with WalesOnline understanding that clubs have been told by the union that they believe the number of professional teams must now be reduced to three.
The move comes on the back of the Ospreys and Scarlets refusing to sign the proposed new PRA – which was at the centre of the WRU’s five-year strategy – following the governing body’s recent takeover of Cardiff.
In a statement, the Ospreys Supporters Club have followed the Scarlets’ group in hitting out at the WRU for giving notice on the PRA, which it says “appears to be an unreasonable attempt to publicly control the narrative in a forceful manner”.
“The statement leaked last night and published by the WRU today issuing the formal two-year notice to terminate the current PRA agreement is in complete contradiction to what the WRU have recently said publicly and also in a meeting the OSC attended with other supporters’ organisations on 30th April (where the commitment to four teams was confirmed),” the statement read.
“Giving notice on the existing PRA revokes a commitment to a collaborative approach and vision shared between the clubs and the WRU, exhibiting a lack of respect and what appears to be an unreasonable attempt to publicly control the narrative in a forceful manner rather than address reasonable concerns in a constructive way.
“We fully understand and back the Ospreys’ position in terms of wanting guarantees of fair and just payment for sustainable development of players for the national team.”
Explaining fears over the WRU’s takeover of Cardiff, the supporters club added: “Based on recent issues around due diligence that have led to the financial issues at Cardiff Rugby, it is essential that sufficient time and effort goes into ensuring that signing up to the 2025 PRA doesn’t lead to the WRU prioritising any single club to the detriment of one of the clubs who have remained financially solvent since inception. Rewarding a club that has just gone into administration seems anything but fair and just.
“The Ospreys have delivered four league titles, regularly supplied the bulk of the national team and they continue to set the highest standards in supplying the lone Welsh player from the URC to the British and Irish Lions squad.
“Seeing the looming potential for a two-tier PRA that disadvantages Wales most successful professional team is unjust and goes against any messages of trust and transparency that have been coming from the WRU.
“We can assure you that we have spoken to the Ospreys and we are aligned in wanting fair and just negotiations with the WRU, allowing the very reasonable guarantees to be made that the Ospreys are seeking before agreeing to sign up to the 2025 PRA.”
Care ‘incredibly blessed’ as he bows out
By PA Sport Staff
An emotional Danny Care said goodbye to The Stoop as Harlequins celebrated his departure with a hard-fought 24-22 victory over a stubborn Exeter.
Care, 38, was introduced as a 64th-minute replacement when his side trailed by one point but a late penalty from Marcus Smith ensured a fairytale ending for the scrum-half who took his tally to a club-record 394 games.
Cadan Murley, Will Porter and Marcus Smith scored Harlequins’ tries with Smith converting all three and adding a penalty. Tommy Wyatt, Rus Tuima and Stu Townsend scored Exeter’s tries with Henry Slade adding two conversions and a penalty.
Care said: “I came here as a 19 year old so I’m incredibly blessed with what I’ve achieved. I owe this club so much as they’ve stuck by me through thick and thin with the crowd singing my name loudly which is far more than I deserve.
“I haven’t cried in years but I’ve cried about 20 times this week.”
Harlequins’ head coach Danny Wilson said: “Danny has had a phenomenal career with close to 400 games. He is a top bloke and a true Quins’ legend and I don’t think his feats will be repeated again.
“It’s been an emotional week for him as injuries have prevented him from training to the intensity he wants so he’s getting out at the right time.
“However today our performance wasn’t clinical enough as we didn’t get the fluidity we had last week. They were very physical and frustrated us at the breakdown with handling errors stopping us from getting away from them.
“We are disappointed not to get the bonus-point but our play-off chances were already pretty slim so winning was the priority as the game was in the balance.”
‘Bit of awkwardness’ as Lions assemble
By Ed Elliot, PA
England lock Ollie Chessum savoured a “first day of school” feeling as the British and Irish Lions assembled for the first time ahead of this summer’s tour of Australia.
Andy Farrell’s 38-man squad were kitted out on Sunday morning in south-west London – 10 days on from discovering news of their inclusion. The Lions’ warm-up matches begin with a Dublin appointment against Argentina on June 20, with the first Test with the Wallabies scheduled for July 19 in Brisbane.
“I’ve chatted to a few of the boys, everyone’s had a meet up and a coffee,” said Chessum. “There’s still a bit of awkwardness there, like a first day of school, but I’m sure everyone will settle in soon.
“We’ve got a team get-together tonight which will be good to get to know everyone better. It’s pretty cool wearing the kit for the first time.
“This is the pinnacle of rugby for a UK and Irish based player. You want to be involved in those Test matches and the reason everyone is here is because they perform on the biggest stage.”
Chessum is one of six second rows selected by head coach Farrell, alongside international team-mate and Lions captain Maro Itoje, Ireland trio Tadhg Beirne, Joe McCarthy and James Ryan, and Scotland’s Scott Cummings.
The 24-year-old Leicester player, who has 28 England caps and made his international debut during the 2022 Six Nations, admits the prospect of Lions selection felt laughable until fairly recently.
“When you make your international debut, you want to keep building to that next step, but I thought there’s no way,” said Chessum, who began his career with Nottingham.
“Even though I’d played my international debut, I thought ‘I’m so out of my depth here, how do lads go from international rugby to being the best of that bunch?’.
“Four years ago, I’d probably have laughed in your face if you told me I would be here. But I’m over the moon. Everyone has got their own journey and I’m not going to knock mine, it’s got me here.”
