The latest headlines from Wales and around the world
These are your evening rugby headlines on Tuesday, June 17
Alun Wyn Jones identifies two unlucky Wales stars
Wales legend Alun Wyn Jones has identified the two Welsh internationals he believes were unlucky to miss out on being selected for the British & Irish Lions by Andy Farrell. The former lock appeared as a guest on the latest episode of The Good, The Bad and The Rugby when he was asked about Wales’ representation on tour, which is the lowest in over 90 years with just Tomos Williams and Jac Morgan flying the flag Down Under.
However, Jones believes that two other Welsh internationals were unlucky not to be included by Farrell, who selected a team dominated by Ireland and England stars. Sign up to Inside Welsh rugby on Substack to get exclusive news stories and insight from behind the scenes in Welsh rugby.
“Toby (Taulupe Faletau) has come back into a little bit of form, on the experience side of things,” he said. “I should imagine he was in the conversation, I could be completely wrong.
“Blair Murray, you look at the way he’s played in those last two or three games for Wales, and he’s shown it for the Scarlets, when he gets it right, he’s actually unplayable. Despite his stature, he is still good in the air, beating defenders, so I definitely thought those two would have been in there.”
Asked for his thoughts on the low number of Welshmen involved, the former Wales skipper added: “It is a sort of benchmark for where Welsh rugby is. It’s the lowest representation since inception. But I’m pleased for Jac and Tom to be flying the flag.
“Jac has been Mr. Consistent domestically and internationally. Tom is [the Gallagher Premiership] player of the season. I think it shows how well Jac is playing when your domestic team is going all right but your international team is struggling.
“It shows how well he is playing amongst the mire, to get selected and rightly so. Tom hopefully can carry on in a similar vein.
“I’m just excited to see how they come back after the tour – what they’ve learned, the people they’ve been around, the experience – because going on tour grows you,” he continued.
“You learn off people, you know a little bit more about them when you’re coming up against them, so I’m excited to see what they learn and hopefully they can get a Test spot on the way.”
Welsh players put through brutal sessions
Wales Women head coach Sean Lynn is putting his side through a brutal pre-season as he looks to turn things around in time for the Women’s Rugby World Cup in England later this summer.
The former Gloucester-Hartpury boss made no secret of the fact that he thought his players were lacking the required fitness as they slumped to a winless Women’s Six Nations campaign and a second successive tournament wooden spoon earlier this year.
After a disappointing first campaign in charge of the national team, Lynn vowed to change things up and push his players hard, and he is delivering on his promises ahead of Wales’ two-Test tour to Australia next month, which comes just weeks before the start of their World Cup campaign.
The head coach’s extended training squad have put through their paces since reporting for testing at the start of the month, with the infamous bronco run fitness test among the sessions they have undertaken.
Last week, they also had their fitness tested on Wales’ largest sand dune at Merthyr Mawr, in a bid to make them able to handle the brand of rugby that Lynn has planned for them.
“We came in on day one looking at the bronco testing, it’s what our lead S&C wanted to measure us on,” the head coach told the BBC.
“It’s really exciting because one of our young pathway players absolutely smashed it, and came top of the forwards league table which is really pleasing to see.”
“When you’re in these tough situations, it’s about making sure that we’re all in it together,” he added. “It’s a combination of making sure that we are digging in deep and working hard for each other. We want to be a hard team to beat.”
While the training has been tough, it has been beneficial to the squad, with back rower Chiara Pearce – who has come into the squad from Wales U18s – admitting: “It’s been challenging physically and mentally, but it’s a great feeling training with all the big guns, because you see them on telly.
“I feel confident in everything I’m doing, just because he [Lynn] is on my back saying ‘you can do it, just believe in yourself, we’re all here together and we’re all helping you’.”
Farrell: I have no regrets
By PA Sport Staff
Owen Farrell insists he has no regrets from his time in France despite leaving Racing 92 after just one season to return to former club Saracens.
The former England captain had called time on his 16-year stay with the Gallagher Premiership side at the end of last season, having made more than 250 appearances.
However, the 33-year-old fly-half endured a disappointing, injury-disrupted campaign with the Top 14 outfit, and has rejoined Saracens on a two-year deal, returning to the club where he won three European Cups and six Premiership crowns.
“I don’t regret going. I don’t regret doing it,” Farrell said on Sky Sports.
“Even though it was disappointing how much I played, and how fit I was when I did play at times, I still don’t regret doing it.
“Even though it was disappointing, the season that we had and the injuries that came with that, I still don’t see it as a negative that I have come through it”.
Farrell added: “I am obviously disappointed that it went the way it went, but I am glad we did it and thankful for the experience.
“It was a difficult year injury wise, then trying to bed into a new place and not feeling like you are able to able to give the best of yourself and not really getting going.
“All the years are precious now and hopefully the best for everyone was that I was here next year.
Farrell, who made his Saracens debut in 2008, just 11 days after his 17th birthday, has won 112 England caps and made six Test appearances for the British and Irish Lions.
The fly-half, though, has not been included in the squad – coached by his father Andy – for this summer’s tour of Australia.
Farrell has not played Test rugby since the 2023 World Cup, initially taking a break to prioritise his mental wellbeing, before his move abroad made him ineligible for selection.
