These are the latest rugby headlines on Thursday, November 3.
Wales to name team for All Blacks clash
Wales head coach Wayne Pivac is due to name his starting XV today, when it will become clear how much injuries within the squad have taken their toll.
The build-up has seen a number of players with injury issues, including key performers like Taulupe Faletau, George North and Josh Adams. Pivac, meanwhile, was already without four British and Irish Lions in Liam Williams, Dan Biggar, Wyn Jones and Josh Navidi, who were not selected for a 35-man autumn squad because of injuries.
Gareth Anscombe is expected to fill the fly-half role vacated by Biggar if deemed fit, while full-back Leigh Halfpenny could make a first Wales start since suffering major knee ligament damage 16 months ago. Captain Justin Tipuric is likely to be joined in the back-row by fellow openside flanker Tommy Reffell, but if a calf muscle injury sidelines Faletau, then Tipuric could move to number eight. And any enforced back-row reshuffle might open the door for Exeter's highly-rated Christ Tshiunza or Scarlets' uncapped Josh MacLeod. You can follow live Wales team announcement updates here.
Read more: The Wales team fans want Wayne Pivac to select against All Blacks as Rhys Priestland preferred
Time-wasting warning
Teams will be warned this autumn that officials are prepared to penalise time-wasting during Test matches. Governing body World Rugby wants referees to clamp down on breaks in play to keep the entertainment factor high.
It comes off the back of French referee Mathieu Raynal's actions during the thriller between Australia and New Zealand in September, when he sanctioned Wallabies fly-half Bernard Foley for time-wasting as he went to kick the ball to touch from a final-minute penalty in front of his own posts. The All Blacks then went over for a try from the resulting scrum, which won them the game 39-37.
Test teams will be told to expect orders to speed up processes within matches, certainly in preparing for scrums and lineouts, the Evening Standard reports, although World Rugby is not anticipating such potent application of the laws as Raynal's on a regular basis.
Humphreys not writing All Blacks off
Wales assistant coach Jonathan Humphreys has dismissed any notion of New Zealand vulnerability heading into Saturday’s Autumn Nations Series clash.
It has been a rollercoaster year for All Blacks head coach Ian Foster and his players, with New Zealand losing four of their 10 Tests. Those defeats included two home reversals against Ireland and Argentina toppling them in Christchurch, while they dropped to number four on World Rugby’s official rankings list.
But the All Blacks still won another Rugby Championship title after finishing the southern hemisphere’s showpiece competition with a run of victories. They have arrived in Cardiff targeting a 33rd successive win against Wales, having not lost to them since 1953.
“However many people write them off, they still come through and are still a massive threat,” Wales forwards specialist Humphreys said. “They can hurt you in two phases, they can score tries in five minutes and put you out of the game. That hasn’t changed. They are a little bit different in terms of their mindset about coming at you at set-piece. They are a lot more aggressive now.
“We don’t see them at all as being vulnerable - we see them as the winners of the Rugby Championship. They can put you out of the game in a heartbeat. You feel you are in the game after 60 minutes, then a couple of errors and the game is gone.
“We’ve talked about living every moment. You step off for a second against these guys and the game is gone from you. They have threats all over the place. They have overcome a lot of odds, a lot of press speculation, and they still managed to perform in the Rugby Championship.”
Delve gets academy job with Gloucester
Former Wales international Gareth Delve has been appointed academy manager at English Premiership side Gloucester.
Delve made 56 appearances for the Cherry and Whites and skippered the side before moving Down Under with Melbourne Rebels. Capped 11 times for Wales, he worked as a team manager for Bristol Bears in 2017 and has been doing some coaching with Thornbury RFC.
Director of academy and development Carl Hogg welcomed Delve’s return to the club. “Gareth is a fantastic addition to the club," he said. "He epitomises all the values of our club, he’s passionate, humble, and hard working. He will be a tremendous role model for our young academy players. He’s a great leader and communicator, and we know he will build positive relationship with schools and clubs within our region to ensure the best possible pathway for young players. Gareth will help develop a culture within the academy that will produce players with character and ability to proudly continue the great traditions of this historic club.”
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England's Red Roses raise fears over hotel leak
The Red Roses camp has raised concerns that their World Cup semi-final strategies could be leaked due to sharing a hotel with their opposition Canada, fearing their opponents could be handed a chance to gain an unfair advantage.
“I just don’t think it’s particularly right that you’re playing a team in a knockout stage and you’re sharing a hotel with them,” forwards coach Louis Deacon told The Telegraph. “There’s a lot of stuff that goes in, planning-wise, behind the scenes. That stuff can sort of affect the way you play the game. If they get hold of some information that’s key to a game and we end up losing the game because... I don’t think it’s really appropriate to share a hotel at this level of competition.”
There are three hotels across Auckland hosting the four teams involved in the semi-finals and a draw was made in early 2020 which determined who stayed where, based on world rankings at the time.
A World Rugby spokesperson said: "Three Auckland hotels are being used for the duration of the tournament. Teams selecting the Grand Millennium either as first or second choice team hotel for the semis and finals did so knowing that they would be sharing with another team as was the case for hotels in the pool phase."
Meanwhile, England have made two changes for Saturday's World Cup semi-final against Canada at Auckland's Eden Park.
Claudia MacDonald returns from injury to replace Lydia Thompson on the wing and Hannah Botterman comes in for the benched Vickii Cornborough at loosehead prop.
Sarah Hunter, England's most-capped player, leads the team from No. 8 with Emily Scarratt present at outside centre.
"Continuity is an important factor in team selection and we have achieved that through training, the pool stages and the quarter-final," head coach Simon Middleton said. "Having said that, if you see an opportunity to improve or create different pictures that you believe could benefit the team's performance, you have to be brave enough with your selections to make those calls.
"We have done that throughout the competition to date and that philosophy will not change. Canada are an opponent we know well with great pedigree and history in the women's game. We know they are a strong side. We respect all they might bring but are focused on our own performance."
England: H Rowland (Loughborough Lightning), A Dow (Wasps), E Scarratt (Loughborough Lightning), T Heard (Gloucester-Hartpury), C MacDonald (Exeter Chiefs), Z Harrison (Saracens), L Infante (Saracens), H Botterman (Saracens), A Cokayne (Harlequins), S Bern (Bristol Bears), Z Aldcroft (Gloucester-Hartpury), A Ward (Bristol Bears), A Matthews (Gloucester-Hartpury), M Packer (Saracens), S Hunter (Loughborough Lightning, capt).
Replacements: L Davies (Bristol Bears), V Cornborough (Harlequins), M Muir (Gloucester-Hartpury), R Galligan (Harlequins), P Cleall (Saracens), L Packer (Harlequins), H Aitchison (Saracens), E Kildunne (Harlequins).
Poland see off Cross Keys
Poland faced Cross Keys in a friendly on Wednesday night, with the international outfit winning the game 37-12. The game at Pandy Park was a means for the Polish visitors to warm up for the Rugby Europe Championship.
They are led by Christian Hitt and his assistant, former Wales international and Keys boss Morgan Stoddart.
In the build-up to the game, BBC commentator Phil Steele wrote online: "Great to see this game taking place. Matches like this were much more common in the era before leagues. Well done @crosskeysrfc on taking on the fixture and in so doing aiding the development of Polish rugby."
Poland will now face Cardiff Met on Friday as their preparations continue.
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