The latest rugby news from Wales and beyond.
Your evening rugby headlines on Monday, June 30.
Welsh rugby signing to face Lions
New Welsh rugby signing Ryan Smith is set to line up against the Lions on Wednesday.
The lock has agreed a deal to join Ospreys next season, but has been named among the replacements for Queensland Reds in their clash against Andy Farrell’s side.
Wallaby Jock Campbell will captain Smith and the Reds against the Lions, who will be playing their second tour match on Australian soil.
The 6ft 6in lock was confirmed to be heading to Wales in April, and will add significant experience to the Ospreys pack. Sign up to Inside Welsh rugby on Substack for the exclusive five-week tour diary from Wales in Japan and the Lions in Australia.
Speaking about his move in April, Smith said: “I’m extremely grateful for my time at the Queensland Reds and for everyone at the club that has played a part in my development to this point. It’s important for me to repay that by giving my all until the end of the season and leaving on a high note.
“There is a great opportunity here for me to test myself in a new environment, which is always a challenge, but that is something that drives me as a player and person.
“It’s an exciting time to be joining the Ospreys, they’re playing some really attractive rugby under Mark Jones and I’m looking forward to being a part of that.”
Gibson-Park: Russell partnership to flourish
By By Duncan Bech, PA Rugby Union Correspondent, Brisbane
Jamison Gibson-Park believes his half-back alliance with Finn Russell will develop quickly as the British and Irish Lions prepare to unleash the much-hyped combination for the first time.
Gibson-Park and Russell form a creative axis for Wednesday’s clash against the Queensland Reds after the Ireland scrum-half was given the green light to make his comeback from a glute injury.
As the pre-tour favourites to start the Test series against Australia in the number nine and 10 jerseys, expectations are high for the partnership even if they will have been limited to a single training session together ahead of the Brisbane showdown.
In a sign of the urgency to deploy them in tandem, especially after Tomos Williams was ruled out of the tour by a hamstring injury, Russell will be starting his second game in five days.
Andy Farrell has urged caution over anticipation levels, stating they will be “all singing, all dancing everything going to plan, but that won’t be the case”, but the ultimate fantasy pairing in British and Irish rugby is ready to shine.
“We know each other pretty well – we have played against each other enough,” Gibson-Park said ahead of his first outing with the Scotland fly-half.
“Myself and Finn have already had conversations and hopefully we don’t have to change too much up, just play footy like we normally do.
“For all the stuff you see of Finn and his ability to break a game open, he’s pretty calculated in the way he manages the game as well, so it will make my job easier hopefully.
“There is a gelling period with any nine and 10 combination. When you are largely in charge of driving the game there’s going to be a bit of a feeling out period, but it has been good and hopefully we can see it out there on Wednesday.”
Russell arrived into Lions camp having piloted Bath to the Gallagher Premiership title and Gibson-Park has since got to know a former rival who is more studious than his joyful on-field persona suggests.
“Finn’s a hugely impressive player. Every team he is in, he has a huge impact,” he said.
“He plays the game with a smile on his face and that’s refreshing to see sometimes. But you guys don’t see him in the meeting rooms, so there is a serious side to him.
“He understands the impact he can have on a team and that’s pretty important here.”
Farrell says the duo have found ways to make up for their lack of game time together.
“They understand one another and understood each other’s traits even before they got on the plane because that is what players do,” he said.
“They look out for how the best do things. They are two characters who want to see the game from similar eyes as far as where space is.
“They have attacking mindsets but they both know how important game control is.”
‘Honoured’ Ben White flies in for Lions duty
By Anthony Brown, PA
Ben White revealed he was shaking with excitement after getting the call to leave Scotland’s summer tour squad and join up with the British and Irish Lions.
The Toulon scrum-half was preparing to go out and train with the Scots at their base in Whangarei, New Zealand on Monday morning before receiving a phone-call from Lions head coach Andy Farrell inviting him to Australia for Lions duty following the injury-enforced withdrawal of Welshman Tomos Williams.
In an interview with Scottish Rugby just before he left to fly to Queensland, 27-year-old White said: “It’s pretty crazy, he called me this morning and I haven’t stopped shaking since.
“It’s an incredible honour, I’m really excited. I called my mum and dad straight away, I don’t think they could quite believe it. They were obviously just incredibly proud.
“It was just a great phone call to have. I’ve not thought about it too much as yet. It’s something you dream of, but you never really think you’ll do. I’m just incredibly proud.”
White – capped 25 times by Scotland since his debut in 2022 – admitted he was disappointed not to be included in the initial Lions squad.
“Obviously watching the squad being announced was tough, but it was an experience that I can put in the locker room,” he said. “I knew I just had to do what I could and try and play well for my club, Toulon and obviously come here (to New Zealand).
“I was really excited to be on tour with Scotland. I was focused on that and if it’s meant to be, it’s meant to be. I guess someone’s looking out for me upstairs and I’ve fallen on my feet.”
Scotland forwards coach Fergus Pringle is hopeful that White will not be the last player to be summoned from Gregor Townsend’s squad by the Lions.
“I think Ben’s not the only player that was probably close to getting picked initially and just missed out,” he said. “He was really consistent over the Six Nations and over the season so everyone knew he deserved an opportunity but it happened pretty quickly to be honest.
“Andy Farrell phoned and the next thing this morning, Gregor (Townsend) was telling the team and the boys are buzzing and cheering and then Ben’s off and we’re off to the pitch to go and get training. It was just great to see the reaction of the boys and also his reaction was good.
“Lions tours are like any tours, there’s always going to be injuries, as we’ve seen already. So like with Ben’s situation, when Tomos Williams hobbles off with his hamstring and it doesn’t look good, you’re thinking, ‘OK, maybe there’s a chance here’. So it could easily happen again.”
Scotland have called up Sale scrum-half Gus Warr to fill White’s place in the squad for their three matches against Maori All Blacks, Fiji and Samoa.
“It’s a great opportunity for him,” said Pringle.
“He performed really well on the summer tour last year and from his perspective, a bit like Ben, it was tough on him not to get picked initially because he’s been on real good form for Sale. It’s a chance that he deserves and I’m sure he’ll take it.”
Wales player blown away by call-up
Eighteen-year-old Seren Lockwood “couldn’t believe it” after she was called up to the Wales squad ahead of the Women’s World Cup.
Sean Lynn named his 45-strong extended training squad earlier this month, with a number of uncapped players included in the collective. Alongside Lockwood were the likes of Lucy Isaac, Katherine Baverstock, Stella Orrin and more.
The former Whitchurch High School student came through the ranks at Cardiff Quins as a young teenager, and has now made her first step towards the World Cup, and is hoping to impress boss Lynn.
“When I got the call from Sean to tell me that I was in the extended squad I couldn’t really believe it to be honest,” explained Lockwood to RugbyPass.
“It really was a ‘wow’ moment for me. Once I had taken in the news, after I got of the phone the first thing I did was pick it up again and call my parents because they have been my biggest supporters over the years and they were just as excited as me about the news.
“Coming into camp I already knew a few of the girls from the Welsh environment…so that was good, but it still felt a bit strange and a bit like the first day of a new school term.
“But once things got going, I settled in pretty quickly. I have always enjoyed challenging myself and I feel the experiences I have had over the last couple of years have helped me to feel ready to be here and I am just trying to give my best in every training session and see where it takes me.”
She was a ‘player of national interest’ during the Six Nations, and despite not being part of the official squad, she, along with others, spent time training with the first team.
Speaking about her aspirations, Lockwood said: “My goal is to play for Wales, that is my dream and is something I am working hard to try and achieve.
“If I can reach that at some point it would be a highlight of my career, in fact a highlight of my life.”
