Here are the latest rugby headlines on Tuesday, April 5.
Lions documentary to air
A documentary on the 2021 Lions series has been made and will air within weeks, but it's unclear if viewers in the UK will be able to watch it.
A trailer has been released for the documentary series on SuperSport in South Africa. The tours have been synonymous for behind-the-scene films peeling back the curtains, starting with the iconic Living with the Lions back in 1997. The announcement that this would be the first documentary in the series to offer access to the hosts as well as the tourists offered a new angle to a format which had arguably become tired.
However, it was once questionable whether there would be a 2021 version amid reports before the tour that Sky Sports, BT Sport, Amazon and Netflix all turned down the chance to buy the rights to the documentary last year. However, despite that setback, production company Whisper Cymru continued to film footage regardless.
And now it has been announced that the three-part series will be broadcast on South African channels SuperSport and M-Net on May 15. It is yet unclear whether the series will be broadcast in the UK.
The trailer shows glimpses of both camps in and around the bad-tempered Test series, ultimately won by the world champions. Captain Alun Wyn Jones, who overcame a shoulder injury to lead the tourists, can be seen spurring on his side pre-match, while Rassie Erasmus, who was ultimately banned for his off-field actions during the tour, features heavily.
People in the UK are blocked from watching the trailer.
Rising star signs new contract
Scarlets fly-half Sam Costelow has signed a new deal with the Welsh region.
The 21-year-old has started to make his mark this season after signing from Leicester Tigers, producing a match-winning disaply against Cardiff on the weekend. He has made 25 appearances, scoring 112 points including five tries – one of those, a superb individual effort in the Welsh derby.
He said: “I am really enjoying my rugby here, the expansive style we are looking to play suits my game and it was an easy decision to sign a new contract. There is a great bunch of boys here who get on really well and are looking to get better every day.
Read more: Wales have a genuine new fly-half contender to be Dan Biggar's long term successor
“For me, it is about working hard in training, continuing to learn and taking the opportunities when they come. There is a lot of competition across the board with everyone pushing each other for game time and Dwayne has shown he has a lot of faith in the young guys in the squad and is not afraid to give them chances.
“There is plenty more to come from us and it is exciting to be involved.”
Head coach Dwayne Peel said: “Sam is an exciting young player who I have seen grow a lot this season. He is still young and there is a lot of learning to come from him, but he continues to work diligently on his game in training and you can see that transferring to match-day.
“He took his chance brilliantly against Cardiff, scored a great try and really stepped up and led the team well. I am looking forward to seeing how he develops here at the Scarlets.”
Costelow follows Sam Lousi, Rhys Patchell, Scott Williams, Ryan Conbeer and Johnny McNicholl in agreeing new deals, with more re-signing news to be announced over the coming weeks.
Ireland flanker forced to quit 27
Ireland and Leinster flanker Dan Leavy has been forced to retire because of a long-standing knee problem.
The 27-year-old has been battling with the injury sustained against Ulster two years ago and has now been advised by specialists to hang up his boots.
Leavy was a destructive force for province and country, winning 11 caps for Ireland and making 79 appearances for Leinster.
"I have done everything I can to come back from the knee injury but unfortunately I can't do any more or ask any more of my body," he said.
Leavy was a part of Ireland's Grand Slam-winning side of 2018 and never lost a game for his country, forging a reputation as a powerful presence on both sides of the ball.
This season he has played seven times for Leinster, whom he helped win the Heineken Champions Cup in 2018, with his appearance against Ulster last month the final outing of a professional career that started eight years ago.
"I've had some amazing highs with my brothers in blue and in green and I'm beyond grateful for those days and those moments, especially the highs of 2018 in Bilbao, the Aviva Stadium and Twickenham," Leavy said.
"More than that, I'm proud of how I carried myself, in particular over the last few years.
"This is not the end I'd hoped for, but as I look back at the highs and the lows, they have all been shared with the best team-mates, family and friends around me. What more could I ask for?"
Cardiff to stay at Arms Park... for now
Cardiff Rugby have announced a new three-year lease extension for the Arms Park has been agreed with Cardiff Athletic Club.
The extension will ensure the Blue and Blacks will remain at the iconic ground until at least Spring 2025.
It will also allow Cardiff Athletic Club the opportunity to further explore the redevelopment of the Arms Park and a long-term lease agreement, which has been the subject of much debate. You can read more about the redevelopment plans here.
Cardiff Rugby chairman Alun Jones said: “We’re really pleased to finalise this short-term extension with Cardiff Athletic Club and are grateful to them for their continued support.
“This extension enables the Athletic Club and their property company to pursue the potential for redevelopment at the Arms Park and a long-term future for professional rugby in the city centre.
“We look forward to offering the input of the company and the club’s supporters to any future development.”
Cardiff Athletic Club chairman, Keith Morgan, added: “We opted for a three-year extension at the end of 2020 due to the emergence of the Covid-19 pandemic and the subsequent financial challenges.
“It is a holding lease as we look to clarify the long-term situation. We want to redevelop and we want to have Cardiff Rugby here at the Arms Park.
“We now look forward to continuing discussions over a longer-term lease as soon as the development situation is fully explored.”
Eddie Jones heads to Japan
Eddie Jones has resumed his controversial role with Japanese club Suntory Sungoliath just over two weeks after England collapsed to another disappointing Six Nations.
The Rugby Football Union has stated that it is comfortable with the work he does with Suntory, even though it means its head coach is working with top players from rival countries. The move has sparked widespread criticism in the English media.
Last year Jones gave advice to New Zealand fly-half Beauden Barrett and on this occasion he is coaching players including All Blacks star Damian McKenzie and Australia centre Samu Kerevi.
The England boss is among the highest-paid coaches in international rugby but for the past two Six Nations has presided over failed campaigns consisting of three defeats. The recent Championship is currently under review by the RFU.
"Eddie is over here at the moment helping us out. He's hard at work. He's not having a holiday here, that's for sure," Suntory coach Milton Haig said.
"He's running a few drills for us around our breakdowns and doing a lot of talking to the young players.
"He's not doing it because he wants money or praise, he's doing it because he has a long affiliation with the club and he wants to see the club progress and see the young players progress.
"I think he gets a kick out of just helping out really and having no expectations. That's probably a bit of rest for him in itself.
"I saw the kerfuffle that went on in the press over there (last year) - they probably won't like it he's talking to Samu Kerevi and Damian McKenzie at the moment.
"It's a storm in a teacup - he's just a rugby man and is really keen to talk to rugby people and see what he can learn off them."
