Here's your round-up of all the latest rugby headlines for Monday, April 3.
Ospreys boss backs Webb after Saracens error
Ospreys boss Toby Booth has refused to blame Rhys Webb's costly mistake for his side's European Champions Cup defeat to Saracens on Sunday.
With the sides locked at 20-20 heading into the final 10 minutes of the last-16 clash, Webb attempted a quick line-out near his own 22, only for the ball to fall straight into the arms of Duncan Taylor, who raced away to score.
Webb admitted he was at fault, but Booth seemingly refused to blame his half-back after the game, which they lost 35-20.
"It was just on me," Webb said. "I thought he put his hand up to call for it. Instinct. It is what it is."
Booth added: "When you play Saracens, you have to take them out of their rhythm. You have to force a bit. We knew we would have to do it our way. A lot of those things worked well for us. In that instance, it didn't. But we have no regrets."
Saracens boss pleased they passed 'prop test' against Ospreys
Saracens boss Mark McCall insisted his Heineken Champions Cup title hopefuls had risen to the occasion after being threatened with an upset by the Ospreys.
The Gallagher Premiership leaders needed a late Duncan Taylor try to pull clear in a 35-20 victory at StoneX Stadium that set-up a quarter-final against champions La Rochelle, who crept past unfancied Gloucester on Saturday. It came as part of a salvo of 22 unanswered points, having trailed for 52 minutes as the Ospreys showed the killer instinct in attack lacked by the hosts until Max Malins plundered two tries.
"We had a proper test and we passed it. We didn't play as well as we'd have liked for the first 55 minutes," McCall said. "I'm really pleased about that last 25 minutes against a good side. Everything was different - more aggressive and proactive. There was a different intensity about us. In the first 55 minutes we looked like a team that had a lot to lose.
"In these games against good teams like the Ospreys, everything just doesn't go your way. You have to dig in and go through some tough moments and tough periods. We ended up enjoying that test and relished the battle."
Joyce helps GB to Sevens bronze
Welsh winger Jasmine Joyce helped Great Britain to bronze at the World Rugby Sevens Series event in Hong Kong.
GB beat Fiji 22-19 to claim their first medal of the 2022-23 worldwide series, with Isla Norman-Bell scoring the winning try in the 17th minute at Hong Kong Stadium. Joyce scored a brace herself, while Lisa Thomson also touched down.
New Zealand claimed gold in both the men's and women's events, beating Australia in the women's final and Fiji in the men's showpiece.
England run in 12 to thump Italy
Four tries from Abby Dow and a hat-trick from Jess Breach fired England to a dominant 68-5 bonus-point victory over Italy at Franklin's Gardens. A much-changed England - following injuries to Poppy Cleall and Amber Reed and the retirement of captain Sarah Hunter - returned to the top of the Six Nations table.
Marlie Packer took over as Red Roses captain, Bristol lock Delaney Burns earned her first cap, Zoe Aldcroft replaced Hunter at number eight and Catherine O'Donnell stepped into the starting line-up to join Burns in the second row.
England were on the scoresheet within two minutes, capitalising on an error by the Italians to allow Breach to dot down, with Holly Aitchison adding the extras to hand the Grand Slam holders the early lead.
Italy replied quickly through Sara Tounesi from a driving maul but the hosts reasserted their dominance and by the 32-minute mark, had already secured their bonus point, making it 22-5 when a lovely feed from Sarah Bern set Claudia McDonald away for a pacey move across the whitewash.
England extended their lead before half-time and Tatyana Heard added her name to the scoresheet with a 45th-minute try, converted by Lagi Tuima. It was not all good news for the hosts, however, as MacDonald was forced off with an apparent ankle injury and was replaced by Emma Sing, who soon converted a second try for Dow three minutes before the Harlequins winger dotted down for her third.
With an Italian comeback all-but impossible, England head coach Simon Middleton introduced seven players from his bench as Breach completed a hat-trick of her own. Dow crossed for her fourth and skipper Packer added two more tries to make it 12 on the afternoon for her clinical England side.
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