These are you rugby headlines on Tuesday, September 6.
Qatar could host URC games after securing sponsorship deal
Martin Anayi has suggested that Qatar could one day host United Rugby Championship matches, after the league recently signed a multi-million dollar deal with Qatar Airways.
According to the Irish Examiner, Akbar Al Baker, group chief executive of Qatar Airways first made the suggestion during a brief address in Doha to confirm the new partnership, which will also see his company become official South African airline partner to Champions Cup organisers EPCR.
“We hope to have games here one day,” Mr Al Baker said.
Qatar is currently adding the finishing touches to its stadia for the upcoming FIFA World Cup, and URC boss Anayi believes some of the air-conditioned venues could well be used to host matches.
However, he believes the first step could be to host a new pre-season tournament for URC clubs.
“The games are something we’d need to build up to," he said. "You would probably start with a new competition, like I said, a new pre-season tournament, something like that, and if it goes well can we build something on top?
“I think we always have to be, and we always try to be outward looking so we’d never close anything off. At the same time we want players to play less competition but of a higher quality so we’ve got to balance that up with new territories. So I think pre-season, definitely we could see something.
“The World Sevens Series is reducing its fixtures so is there room for a club sevens competition? You could imagine with some slightly novel thinking, innovative thinking, something like that could work well.”
Women's Lions side set to get green light
A women's British and Irish Lions team looks likely to be given the green light.
The Daily Mail claims a three-Test series in France is under consideration, after the idea was endorsed by a feasibility study chaired by three-time tourist Ieuan Evans.
The Lions board are believed to be examining the cost of the ambitious venture, and are also set to examine the commercial and broadcast models that would be required to fund the tour.
There are already hopes that backing for the idea could be announced as soon as next month.
Worcester hit back at MPs' administration request
Worcester Warriors' owners have hit back at MPs urging the government to place the club under administration.
Warriors owners Colin Goldring and Jason Whittingham said they were 'disappointed' to see five MPs call for the troubled Premiership club to be placed into administration.
MPs Robin Walker, Harriett Baldwin, Rachel Maclean, Mark Garnier, and even former cabinet member Sajid Javid, have all seemingly backed the measures, urging the Department for Digital, Culture Media, and Sport (DCMS) to take action.
However, the club's owners have insisted administration would have 'disastrous implications'.
"We would like to make it clear that we have kept the DCMS fully informed about the financial situation at Worcester Warriors, " Whittingham and Goldring said in a statement.
"They are aware of the options which are on the table to save the club together with the disastrous implications posed to the club by any administration.
"The DCMS knows that three sets of buyers are in discussions with us. All three buyers are serious propositions and all the deals being considered would avoid the club going into administration. One of the buyers is moving at an especially rapid pace."
"Pursuing a deal which includes payment to all creditors as well as working capital best serves the club and the local community.
"Forcing Worcester Warriors into administration as these MPs have asked risks the club losing its players and staff, losing its P [Premiership] share, wiping off the debt owed to local businesses and to HMRC, and incurring severe RFU sanctions."
Youngs: Rugby helped me deal with tragedy
Ben Youngs has opened up on the tragedy he and his family faced this summer as he looks ahead to the new season recharged.
It was an unbelievably hard time for him and his brother Tom, whose wife Tiffany passed away in June after a long battle with cancer.
Having had a summer off from England duty, Youngs says the upcoming season opener against Exeter this Saturday has given him a focus during difficult personal moments.
“When you’re going through something like that and it’s so close to home then life can be really unpredictable,” the scrum-half told The Telegraph on Monday, his 33rd birthday.
“Each week can be really unpredictable and things can change really quickly, but one thing that allows stability is rugby and it gives you a routine and output for those frustrations and how you’re feeling.
“It was challenging, don’t get me wrong. I know I had a job to do in terms of my profession but it was tough, it was hard.”
Representing England at a fourth World Cup will be in Youngs' sights this term, and Leicester Tigers head coach Steve Borthwick says the No.9 is in great shape.
“Having a block of recovery and then a block of training that is really specific to him and what he needs will make him an even better player this season than he was last season,” Borthwick said of Youngs.
“And he was a pretty good player already. He looks like he’s grown as a player and he’s as fit as I’ve ever seen him.”
Vakatawa press conference today
Virimi Vakatawa will speak to the media in Paris today to address the shock announcement made yesterday which called time on his rugby career in France.
Little is known as to why he has been banned from playing in the country again, other than it being on medical grounds.
A statement from his club Racing 92, released yesterday afternoon, said: "Racing 92 has just been informed of the decision of the LNR's medical committee to ban Virimi Vakatawa from continuing his professional career as a rugby player in France.
"Particularly saddened by this terrible announcement, Racing 92 gives its full support to Virimi Vakatawa and immediately put in place all the arrangements to support its emblematic player as best as possible in these particularly difficult times."
The 30-year-old centre will now address the press at noon to shed more light on what has happened.
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