The latest rugby news from Wales and around the world
Here are your rugby headlines for Tuesday, May 20.
Wales to announce squad today without head coach
Wales are set to announce their coaching staff and squad for the summer tour of Japan today in two major announcements.
The WRU are set to appoint an interim coaching staff to take the tour. WalesOnline understands Matt Sherratt, who took the reins from Warren Gatland during the Six Nations on a caretaker basis, will lead the troops once again.
However, as we reported last week, it is understood that there will be a shake-up in the backroom staff. Sherratt is set to add Gethin Jenkins and Danny Wilson to his backroom team for Wales’ summer tour, with Leigh Halfpenny also now set to be involved.
Rhys Thomas (skills) and Adam Jones (scrum) are also expected to be on the coaching ticket. Sign up to Inside Welsh rugby on Substack to get exclusive news stories and insight from behind the scenes in Welsh rugby
With just two players – Jac Morgan and Tomos Williams – having linked up with the Lions squad, Wales have pretty much a full complement of players from which to choose.
And it is expected that the WRU will announce the players who will tour Japan today, which comes amid turmoil between the professional clubs and the Union following their bombshell announcement at the weekend.
Wales take on Japan in a two-Test tour, with the games taking place on July 5 and July 12.
Macleod wants Scarlets recognition amid WRU turmoil
Scarlets captain Josh Macleod says the team’s achievement of reaching the United Rugby Championship (URC) play-offs should not be lost amid Welsh rugby’s off-field turmoil.
Scarlets finished eighth to secure a quarter-final against Leinster on May 31, despite defeat to the Sharks. However, celebrations were clouded by news back home that Scarlets and Ospreys had not signed the WRU’s new Professional Rugby Agreement and face reduced funding.
“We were obviously out in South Africa, come back and headlines have broke,” Macleod told the BBC. “There’s obviously a couple of conversations that go on in camp, but from my perspective, as captain, we’ve just been focused on one, the games out in South Africa and two, a massive opportunity in a quarter-final.”
After bonus-point wins over Ospreys, Dragons, Leinster and Lions, Macleod praised the team’s turnaround, adding: “Where we’ve come from in comparison to last season… I think that’s something that needs to be recognised as a massive achievement.”
Looking ahead to Leinster, he said: “They’re probably going to have a slightly stronger squad… but who knows?”
On the season, he said: “At the start we set out as a team to compete in every facet in every game and for large parts we’ve done that. We’ve been there or thereabouts throughout the season and something has obviously clicked towards the tail end.
“Can I put a finger on it? No. Is it luck? I don’t know. Is it a lot of hard work? Most definitely. We’ve got a tough group at the moment that are willing to fight for each other and you can’t really go too wrong with that.” Get the latest breaking Welsh rugby news stories sent straight to your inbox with our FREE daily newsletter. Sign up here.
I’m all in, says Australian-born Lions star Tuipulotu
By Ed Elliot, PA
Scotland captain Sione Tuipulotu insisted he is “all in” for the British and Irish Lions as he spoke of feeling pressure to prove his international allegiance.
Amid ongoing debate about the selection of foreign-born players, the Glasgow centre is set to line up against his native Australia during this summer’s Lions tour.
Melbourne-born Tuipulotu, who made his international debut in 2021, is among seven members of Andy Farrell’s 38-man squad who hail from overseas. While five of those players are eligible for their adopted nations purely on residency rules, Tuipulotu qualified through ancestry.
The 28-year-old’s Greenock-born grandmother was at Murrayfield last autumn to see him score a try while leading Scotland to a 27-13 defeat of the Wallabies.
“I put so much on myself that I really wanted to be a Lion because I know how much it means to people over here,” said Tuipulotu, who initially feared his tour participation may be ruined by injury.
“I had gone all in with the stuff with Scotland and I just felt what better way to prove my allegiance to Scotland than go all in and try and make the Lions. That’s why it meant so much to me.
“Genuinely early days you have that feeling of ‘am I part of this?’. I always feel like talking about it is one thing but showing people how much it means to you in how you play (is another).
“When my gran came over before the Australia game, it allowed the public to put a face to the story and listen to my grandma and how much it meant to her. I think that gave eyes to the public that my story was authentic. I’m all in and I’m looking forward to showing how committed I am to playing for the Lions.”
Tuipulotu is raring to go after returning from four months out with a pectoral issue during Glasgow’s 13-5 defeat to Leinster on Saturday.
He will be joined on tour by South Africa-born Scotland team-mates Pierre Schoeman and Duhan van der Merwe and New Zealand-born Ireland trio Bundee Aki, James Lowe and Jamison Gibson-Park. Canberra-born Ireland wing Mack Hansen, whose mother comes from Cork, will also be on the plane back to his homeland.
“I’ve been nothing but embraced by the Scottish public ever since I started playing for Scotland,” said Tuipulotu, who has 30 Test caps.
“There’s always going to be a couple of people (who criticise), like there are for some of the Irish boys, but I take that in my stride because I don’t blame those people either. I didn’t grow up dreaming of playing for Scotland or the Lions, that’s the truth.
“But this is where my path has led me and I’m all in for this Lions team and for Scotland and for Glasgow, and I genuinely feel like this is where I’m supposed to be. I just want to grab this opportunity because I’ll never get it again, to go back to Australia, and play for the Lions.”
Ireland wing Lowe lined up against the Lions for the Maori All Blacks during the 2017 series in New Zealand. The 32-year-old joined Leinster later that year and won the first of his 40 international caps in 2020.
“When you don’t have the blood running through your veins, there’s a little bit of that,” he replied when asked about his allegiance being questioned. When I was first selected for Ireland, all the people come out of the woodwork saying, ‘how is this person representing Ireland?’
“The rules were there. We’ve all done our time and we’re fully embedded in the culture of Irish rugby.”
English club sign up Cardiff Met duo
English club Plymouth Albion have confirmed two backline signings from Cardiff Metropolitan University for the 2025/26 season.
Ben Parsons and Jack Statton arrive from Cardiff Met, who are known for producing top-tier rugby talent, and will ply their trade in National League 1 under the tutelage of head coach Ryan Lamb.
Parsons, now 21, made a notable impact during the 2021/22 season when he joined Albion on loan from Exeter Chiefs at just 18. He featured in 19 matches across wing and centre, also captaining the Exeter Chiefs U23s. After honing his skills and maturing as a player during his time at Cardiff Met, Parsons returns to Albion on a permanent deal.
“I am really looking forward to coming back and joining Albion after my three years at university,” said Parsons. “Having been there previously for a season, I fell in love with the club and how welcoming the fans were. After speaking to Ryan Lamb, I know that the club is heading in a great direction and I cannot wait to leave an impact on that.”
Joining him is centre Statton from Launceston. Known for his composure and leadership, Statton has co-captained Cornwall U20s and England South West U20s. He was also a standout for Cardiff Met in this season’s BUCS Super Rugby campaign, helping guide them to the national semi-finals.
“It’s an awesome club that I’ve always followed growing up over the border,” Statton said. “I think Ryan’s got a great vision for the club and I’m really excited for the opportunity to be a part of it and further develop as a player.”
