This is your rugby news for Monday July 25.
50 former Welsh pros sue WRU
Around 50 former professional Welsh rugby players are part of the nearly 200-strong group who will this week issue formal legal proceedings against the WRU, World Rugby and RFU.
The players have all been diagnosed with irreversible neurological impairments, including early-onset dementia, and the case now looks destined for the courts.
Proceedings are to be issued by Rylands Law on behalf of a group of professional and semi-professional players against World Rugby, the Rugby Football Union and the Welsh Rugby Union. The claimants, who include former Wales captain Ryan Jones and England's 2003 World Cup-winning hooker Steve Thompson, argue that the sport's governing bodies were negligent in that they failed to take reasonable action to protect players from permanent injury caused by repetitive concussive and sub-concussive blows.
You can read the full list of accusations the players are making here.
A pre-action letter of claim was issued to the same governing bodies on behalf of a group of nine players in December 2020.
The parties have been unable to agree on a settlement since then, so the matter appears likely to end up in court.
The issuing of proceedings is set to happen this week and will mean the court takes over the management of the cases, putting the matter on a formal pathway to trial.
Rylands said this application for a group litigation order is the biggest 'class action' lawsuit to be launched outside the United States. Rylands represents more than 185 rugby union players aged in their 30s, 40s and 50s.
Jones, 41, a member of the British and Irish Lions squad on the 2005 tour of New Zealand, revealed his diagnosis with early-onset dementia and probable CTE in an interview with the Sunday Times earlier this month.
He told the newspaper: "I feel like my world is falling apart. I can't train harder, I can't play the referee, I don't know what the rules of the game are any more."
A statement from Rylands confirming the imminent issuing of proceedings concluded: "The players we represent love the game. We aim to challenge the current perceptions of the governing bodies, to reach a point where they accept the connection between repetitive blows to the head and permanent neurological injury and to take steps to protect players and support those who are injured."
Eddie Jones interested in code switch
England rugby coach Eddie Jones reportedly wants to return to Australia to coach NRL side South Sydney Rabbitohs.
Jones is currently being linked with taking over the Wallabies once his current contract with England ends in November 2023, but the Sydney Morning Herald report that it could be rugby league, not union, that sees Jones return home. The report claims that Jones is bemused, even angry, by reports linking him to coaching Australia given there's been no contact and he was previously sacked by them in 2005.
And it adds that he's reportedly told his inner circle that coaching his boyhood club, South Sydney, in the NRL is what he wants to do next. Jones' interest in league is no secret, having watched a State of Origin game in Perth during England's tour of Australia, while Penrith Panthers' premiership-winning coach Ivan Clearly has linked up with England to share tips in the past.
One sticking point is the fact that the Rabbitohs currently have a promising coach in Jason Demetriou and might not be looking to part company with him, while it's unclear whether Jones would want to work in any other role other than coach.
Former 'Boks star slams modern rugby
Former South Africa scrum-half Dan van Zyl has joined the list of players voicing discontent with modern day rugby.
New Zealand great Israel Dagg had hit out over the weekend, saying he felt union could be overtaken by rugby league in the land of the three-times world champions because of the stop-start nature of the game and refereeing controversies. Union wasn't as entertaining any more, reckoned Dagg.
Van Zyll, wo works as a coach development officer with Leinster and has a role in helping develop Ireland's youngsters, feels rugby has gone backwards since the turn of the century.
“I know rugby have changed a lot over the years but the quality of it I’m not sure," he said. "Watching the 2000 Bledisloe match between New Zealand and Australia in front of 100 000 makes me believe rugby then was better. Great era to have played in and glad to have played in that era.”
Read next:
Wales' 50 young talents who could be the future of Welsh rugby as succession planning revealed
Sam Warburton reveals he considered quitting at 25 in wake of tragedy
New Zealand's Akira Ioane and Justin Marshall make contact after late-night confrontation goes viral
Wales facing 'falsest of dawns' in stark wake-up call after win in South Africa
