Here are the latest rugby headlines on Tuesday May 16.
Coach hits out over World Cup referees
Rugby bosses have been slammed for ignoring United Rugby Championship referees for the World Cup this autumn.
The list of 12 officials for the showpiece tournament is made up of four referees from England, two Australians, two New Zealanders, a Frenchman, South African, Georgian and a sole Irishman.
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Wales, which has been a traditional powerhouse when it comes to great World Cup referees, don't have a single representative. The same applies to Scotland and Italy.
There have only been nine World Cup finals and two of them were refereed by Welsh legends - Nigel Owens taking charge of New Zealand versus Australia in 2015 and Derek Bevan doing England's final with the Wallabies in 1991. Wales Online columnist Nigel also officiated the England versus New Zealand semi-final in Japan four years ago, widely acclaimed as one of the best games at the tournamernt.
This time around Welsh officials are clearly not deemed good enough, but the selection process hasn't gone down well with former South African assistant and Lions head coach Swys de Bruin.
He told Rugby Pass there wasn't enough of a spread among the playing nations taking part in the tournament.
Wayne Barnes heads up the contingent of four English officials, with Jaco Peyper the only South African referee involved.
It led de Bruin to say: “Scotland, Italy and Wales got nothing. Not a single guy and England has got four.
“Surely it’s everyone’s game. Let one guy be from each of these countries on merit, so that you involve everyone. For me it is distorted picture slightly, the spread at the World Cup is not so good.”
London Irish threatened with suspension
London Irish could be suspended from the Gallagher Premiership as speculation continues to rage about their future amid a possible takeover by an American consortium. The Rugby Football Union says that, along with Premiership Rugby and the Rugby Players' Association, it is "seeking to take action to obtain greater clarity on the future of London Irish".
The RFU said: "The proposed takeover of London Irish by an American consortium has led to a significant amount of uncertainty and speculation about the future of the club, which is having an impact on players, staff and fans of the club. It is imperative that the club will be in a position to take its place in the Gallagher Premiership in season 2023-24 and to complete that season."
A time scale of May 30 has been set by the RFU in what is an increasingly grim saga, with Irish having reported debts of £30million. By that time, a takeover of the club must have been completed and approved by the RFU, with the buyers undertaking to provide required working capital to meet the club's obligations for at least next season, or the club showing that it will continue to be funded to operate throughout next season.
The RFU added: "If the club fails to meet these conditions, it will be suspended from participating in the Premiership (and other competitions) in season 2023-24 to avoid a scenario where the club enters insolvency mid-season, with the corresponding and substantial impact that has on players, staff and fans, as well as on the remainder of the league."
Wasps and Worcester entered administration earlier this season, resulting in their expulsion from the Premiership. It meant the Premiership dropping to 11 clubs, with the most fraught campaign in English domestic rugby history reaching its conclusion on May 27.
Future of Test rugby league thrown into crisis
The future of international rugby league has been thrown into crisis after France officially withdrew from hosting the 2025 World Cup. IRL chief Troy Grant described as "very disappointing" the decision by the France 2025 organising committee, which said it could not deliver financial guarantees demanded by the French government.
Grant said: "I respect the French Government's decision amid the challenges they are facing but I can't hide my disappointment, that I conveyed clearly to them in person. Despite our focus having been on France, we will now accelerate our consideration of other contingency options."
Glasgow revved up for Euro final
Glasgow assistant coach Nigel Carolan has urged his side not to be drawn into the "chaos" that European Challenge Cup final opponents Toulon thrive upon. Warriors take on the French side in Dublin on Friday in their first European final.
Glasgow have scored 139 points in three knockout games in the tournament after going through the pool stage unbeaten home and away against Bath and Perpignan. And Carolan is keen for his side to take that form to the Aviva Stadium.
The attack coach said: "They are a team that thrives in chaos, a little bit looser, the French teams tend to be a little bit looser. They rely a little bit more on individuals, they can pull the rabbit out of the hat, and they can punish you if you go off-script and go on your own.
"Order beats chaos but our order isn't exactly conservative. Our order is about ambition, having that desire to play from deep and trying things. That's exactly what we want in the final, not to go into our shells."
Sale boss 'super proud' to be flying flag
Sale Sharks boss Alex Sanderson says he is "super proud" that his Gallagher Premiership finalists are flying the flag for rugby union in the north of England. And Sanderson believes a sold-out AJ Bell Stadium that provided an inspired soundtrack to Sale's pulsating play-off victory over Leicester must be viewed as just the start of their journey.
Sale play within 23 miles of five Super League clubs - Salford, Leigh, St Helens, Warrington and Wigan - while Old Trafford is just four miles down the road and Manchester City's Etihad Stadium only a further five miles away. It represents a congested sporting picture, but Sale have put themselves firmly on the map by reaching a first Premiership final for 17 years, with Saracens awaiting them at Twickenham on May 27.
"My job is to get them (players) to perform and play well at the weekend - that is my first priority - but there are many different hats to wear," Sanderson said. "And I am so proud of the fact that, potentially, our reach in the north is expanding.
"There are bigger crowds coming and the buzz is better. It's busier, it's a 'Brucie bonus'."
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