Here's your round-up of all the latest rugby news for Wednesday, December 14.
Gloucester reportedly snap up Llewellyn
Gloucester Rugby are the unnamed England Premiership side which has signed Welsh star Max Llewellyn from Cardiff, according to the latest reports.
The 23-year-old is one of Welsh rugby's hottest prospects and has been tipped by many to be a future Wales international, but opted to leave the capital for a career in England after reportedly becoming disillusioned by the current state of the Welsh gameamid a current freeze on offering new contracts for next season and beyond.
The uncapped 6ft 5in centre has represented Wales at under-20s level but is also England-qualified having been born in Kingston while his dad, former Wales captain Gareth, was playing for Harlequins. He is reportedly heading to the Kingsholm Stadium, according to our sister title GloucestershireLive.
READ MORE: Wales reveal talks to make significant change to controversial 60-cap rule
Cardiff director of rugby Dai Young confirmed at the weekend that Llewellyn will leave the club in the summer, adding that players leaving Wales for England "shouldn't be a surprise" given the current issues.
Addressing Llewellyn's departure, he added: "Yes, unfortunately that's the case, but can you blame these boys? That's the question we've got to ask ourselves. Unfortunately, they've got to look at their futures, their job security and at this moment in time, until things are resolved, we are pretty much in a situation where we can't do anything on that.
"It shouldn't be a surprise, should it, when things drag on as long as they have. At the end of the day they've got mortgages to pay, they've got careers, and they've got to look at. [Max] isn't the first and he certainly won't be the last unless things can get resolved very quickly."
There is currently a freeze on offering contracts at regional level with the four professional sides and the WRU at loggerheads over a way forward for the game in Wales. Last week both parties verbally agreed a six-year financial framework but no deal has yet been signed.
Marler laughs off infamous Alun Wyn Jones incident
Harlequins star Joe Marler has opened up on his infamous clash with Alun Wyn Jones during the 2020 Six Nations, admitting he took responsibility from his England teammates to wind up the Wales captain.
Marler was banned for 10 weeks after grabbing Jones' genitals during the game, but ended up not missing any matches after they were postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Appearing on the Staying Relevant podcast, hosted by Made in Chelsea's Sam Thompson and The Only Way is Essex's Pete Wicks, a laughing Marler admitted he had plotted ways to stop the Wales talisman prior to the game but denied that grabbing his genitals was a "pre-determined plan".
"I did give his c**k a tickle," he told the reality show stars. "He was the captain, he was their enforcer. We were having a team meeting a couple of days before the game and [my team-mates] were like 'what are we going to do about Alun Wyn Jones and his tactics, the way he winds people up and stuff like that?'"
Asked if he had planned to grab Jones' genitals, Marler replied: "I just stopped the group from talking. I'd just come back in the squad and I said 'lads, don't worry, I'm not good at rugby but I am world-class at making s*** at rugby. I'll deal with him, don't worry, I've got this.'
"Now that sounds like I had a predetermined plan to grab him by the c**k. That wasn't the case in the slightest. We toured together a few years ago for the Lions and we knew each other well.
"It all kicks off early doors in the first half as we knew it would and he's at the forefront of it. And I just thought f*** this. I come in as sneakily as I can, slip between two blokes and give his c**k a little tickle."
With both hosts now giggling, he added: "I don't know why, he tickled my c**k several times in training, it's a weird thing that rugby players do."
Coach faces lifetime ban after ref altercation
A French coach could be banned from rugby for life after "physically abusing" a referee during a Challenge Cup game.
Sébastien Piqueronies, head coach of Top 14 side Section Paloise, was cited after his side's 21-16 loss to the Cheetahs in the first round game in Pau on Saturday, December 10, after appearing to grab Scottish referee Sam Grove-White at full-time.
He now faces a disciplinary hearing where he will be charged with contravening World Rugby Law 9.28, which relates to the "physical abuse" of a match official.
The low end sanction entry point for such a breach is a 24-week ban, with this doubling for mid-range offences. However, the top end entry point would see Piqueronies banned for more than 96 weeks, while lifetime bans for similar offences are not uncommon.
The organisation which runs European competitions, EPCR, confirmed that Piqueronies had been cited, with England's Jeremy Summers chairing the disciplinary committee alongside Gordon Black and David Humphreys of Ireland.
World Cup coach announces shock resignation
Former England and Scotland boss Andy Robinson has resigned from his position of head coach of Romania in a surprise announcement.
The 58-year-old had been preparing his squad for next year's Rugby World Cup in France, where Romania will face Scotland, Ireland, Tonga and reigning world champions South Africa.
Robinson, who played as a flanker for Bath, England and the British and Irish Lions, took over from Sir Clive Woodward as England coach in 2004 before resigning two years later and taking up the role as head coach of Scotland from 2009 until 2012.
He became head coach of Romania in 2019 but has overseen just two wins from eight games in 2022, losing to Spain, Georgia, Uruguay and Samoa with the European Nations Cup now just two months away.
Announcing his resignation, Robinson said: "After a series of disappointing results in the last six months on and off the field, I have decided to step down as head coach of Romania. I feel that I have taken the Romanian team as far as I could and that it is the right time for a Romanian coach to take over the team. I want to thank the players and staff for their hard work over the past three years and wish them all the best for the 2023 World Cup."
Borthwick stays tight-lipped on England links
Steve Borthwick has said he would "love to give clarity" amid ongoing speculation he will replace Eddie Jones as England head coach but has remained tight-lipped, insisting he is focused on Leicester Tigers' upcoming matches.
Borthwick, who worked under Jones as a forwards coach for both Japan and England between 2012 and 2020 before joining the Tigers, is the strong favourite for the job, having been linked since the Australian coach was sacked by the RFU after a dismal run of results.
Quizzed over his links to the job, Borthwick stayed tight-lipped, insisting he was focused on preparing for his side's Champions Cup clash against Clermont on Saturday.
Asked if he could rule himself out of contention for the England role, he replied: “I know I’m coaching here this weekend against Clermont on Saturday, and that’s what I am working towards. I’d love to give you clarity of everything going forward. Unfortunately I can’t. For me, all I do is try to concentrate on giving the best for this team and these players that I care for very deeply. I will try and coach them to the best level I possibly can.”
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