Here are your rugby headlines for Tuesday, May 17.
Australian racism incident
Australian side Waratahs have issued an apology after Hurricanes star Du’Plessis Kirifi alleged he was racially abused by a fan in Sydney on Saturday. Kirifi took to Instagram on Monday to issue his own apology after he was pictured giving the middle finger to the crowd as his side beat the Waratahs 22-18.
The 25-year-old flanker, who is of Samoan descent, said in a social media post that his middle-fingered salute was in response to comments made about his mother and his race. “But there’s a line and just because you’re in the crowd doesn’t give you the right to talk about my mother or my race," he said.
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"Abuse from the sideline is part of our job, and it’s a part I personally love – however this doesn’t justify racial slurs or comments about my family. I passionately wear my heart on my sleeve but I’m nowhere near perfect. I admire my teammates who are mature enough to be non-reactive and hopefully the next time I’m in this position I show the same resolve. As athletes we’re in the public eye so I apologise to anyone disappointed by my actions, especially those with kids who look up to us as professionals. If I had my time again I’d definitely act in a different way."
Hurricanes chief executive Avan Lee revealed that his Waratahs counterpart, Paul Doorn, has apologised on behalf of the Super Rugby Pacific franchise. “He apologised on behalf of the club, for the situation. It was a short conversation, but we agreed to keep talking and work our way through that,” Lee said. “We just don’t condone racism full-stop and that is what Paul and I spoke about. We need to make sure we are consistent in our messaging, which isn’t difficult when you have got a situation like this, so we are very comfortable with where this has got to.”
The Hurricanes boss also threw his support behind his player, adding: "Racist comments, or comments about your mother, are not pleasant for a young man to deal with – or any person to deal with. He regrets what he did, but I can totally understand why he did it – in the heat of the moment, after allegedly hearing that kind of language. I can accept why he made a mistake. I can understand why it happened.”
The Waratahs said: "The NSW Waratahs are disappointed to be recently made aware of an allegation of racial abuse from the crowd at Leichhardt Oval towards Hurricanes player Du’Plessis Kirifi on Saturday night. There is no place for racism in society and this behaviour will not be tolerated. The NSW Waratahs celebrate the multicultural diversity of our team and are proud to embrace the inclusiveness of all cultures and races in rugby.”
Arundell poised for England call today
Eddie Jones is set to name Wales-qualified speed machine Henry Arundell in his England squad today.
The 19-year-old London Irish full-back qualifies for England, Wales and Scotland, and has shot to prominence this season following a string of eye-catching tries. He has certainly burst into the wider public consciousness recently following a mesmerising solo try for his Gallagher Premiership club against Toulon in the Challenge Cup earlier this month.
It has led to the teen sensation being heralded as rugby's new wonderkid, with former England full-back Mike Brown likening him to All Blacks legend Christian Cullen.
And The Telegraph now report that the seemingly looming tug-of-war between England and the Celtic nations over who will cap him first will be ended this summer, with head coach Jones poised to name Arundell in his squad for this summer's three-Test series against Australia. The full-back represented England at under-20s level in the most recent Six Nations campaign.
England are set to begin a three-day 'mini camp' starting next Sunday in preparation for the summer tour. The report adds that Owen Farrell will get the nod, however there are no guarantees over whether he will be captain for the tour. It is also claimed that Jones met with Manu Tuilagi on Monday to discuss his future involvement with England.
Welsh star commits to Bristol
Welsh back-rower Dan Thomas is one of 16 Bristol Bears players to commit to staying on for the 2022/23 campaign. The 28-year-old is set to add to his 108 appearances for the Gallagher Premiership side next term.
Wales U20s international Thomas began his career at the Scarlets but left due to a lack of opportunity and made his way to Bristol via Gloucester in a search for more regular first-team rugby.
He joins fellow back-rower Jake Heenan in extending his stay, while hookers Harry Thacker, Bryan Byrne and Jake Kerr also remain. Props Max Lahiff, Jake Armstrong and Yann Thomas are staying in BS3, as is recent Bears centurion Piers O'Conor. Luke Morahan and Siva Naulago extend their stays at Ashton Gate, while Pat Lam retains five Academy graduates in John Hawkins, James Dun, Will Capon, Sam Jeffries and Charlie Powell. They all join Chris Vui and Harry Randall, who signed long-term contracts earlier this year.
The list does not include Wales international Callum Sheedy, but our sister title Bristol Live report that the fly-half is understood to have at least a year remaining on his contract.
Director of rugby Pat Lam said: "We're pleased to see a talented and experienced group of guys commit to the Bears, the majority of whom have been with us since the beginning of our journey. That world class talent is blended with homegrown talent who are making the step up - we've seen that in the way that the young players have made their mark during the current campaign."
Ireland add Maori All Blacks clashes to summer tour
Ireland will play against the Maori All Blacks in two midweek fixtures during this summer's Test tour of New Zealand. The Maori All Blacks have played against Ireland just twice before, once in 1888 and the other 122 years later in 2010, with the New Zealanders winning the most recent clash 31-28.
“The Maori All Blacks will provide a stern test of our squad strength and depth,” Ireland head coach Andy Farrell said. “They are effectively a Test match side that have a proud tradition and impressive record of results. This tour is a huge opportunity for the group to develop and test itself against the best in their own backyard. Playing five games against such quality opposition will be of huge benefit to the group as we tour for the first time since 2018.”
The first match against the Maori All Blacks at FMG Stadium Waikato in Hamilton takes place on Wednesday, June 29, and the second game is scheduled for after the second Test in Dunedin and will be held at the Sky Stadium in Wellington on Tuesday, July 12.
Maori All Blacks head coach Clayton McMillan said: “We look forward to welcoming Ireland, their players, management, and fans to Aotearoa, sharing our respective cultures, and celebrating our rich histories through rugby. Our rivalry goes back more than 100 years and that will only add to the occasion. To play the world’s fourth ranked team in a two-match series is an exciting prospect and we expect both games to be huge challenges.”
