Here are some of the stories making the rugby headlines on Thursday March 2
Update on Wales players' futures likely
There could be some much-needed clarity on the futures of a number of Welsh rugby players as uncertainty continues to reign in the sport.
For starters, Jarrod Evans' move from Cardiff to Harlequins is expected to be confirmed by the English club today.
There are also due to be a number of press conferences today where the topic of players' futures and the situation in Wales will dominate the agenda.
Cardiff, Dragons and the Ospreys are each due to face the media, where insight into the futures of Wales internationals Liam Williams, Josh Adams, Dillon Lewis, Ross Moriarty, Nicky Smith and Tomas Francis may be provided.
Each of those have been linked with moves to either England, France or Japan.
Wales will hold a media briefing of their own at their Vale Resort base, although the prospect of a Wooden Spoon might be the main topic of conversation there as the fallout from the defeat to England continues.
Follow WalesOnline throughout the day for up to the minute news on any developments.
Gatland warned he must change approach
Warren Gatland has been warned he must evolve his direct playing tactics or else Wales are doomed to failure.
Former England international Andy Goode and ex-Scotland and Scarlets skipper John Barclay, each turned pundits, say the game has moved on since Gatland last coached Wales and the Kiwi needs to adapt with it.
Goode told a podcast after watching Wales fall to England: "I feel pretty bad saying this - the way they play, the way Gats coaches, the game has moved on.
"You look at the Lions in 2021, how he set up that Lions team to try and play against South Africa, the way Wales are playing, what he did with the Chiefs in Waikato. Gats has got to evolve.
"The one out rugby and kicking that Wales showed, it was awful. I look at Gats and say 'If that's how he sets his teams up, he's got to evolve as a coach'.
"Just running your players into brick walls and nothing changes throughout the game, you are responsible. You set a team up to play, and you've got to play with the players that you've got."
BBC pundit Barclay weighed in by saying: “I think rugby’s evolved significantly in the last 18 to 24 months where if you run direct at people and kick the ball, you will beat almost no-one. That’s what Wales tried to do at the weekend.
“You have to have more to your game than just a bit of physicality and a kicking game.”
The route one tactics from Gatland's previous regime as Wales boss were dubbed Warrenball, methods he tried to take on the Springboks with as Lions coach as well.
England turn to Special Forces after Wales win
Steve Borthwick has recruited the Special Forces to inspire England as they enter the most challenging phase of the Six Nations.
Jason Fox, star of the reality TV show 'SAS: Who Dares Wins', addressed Borthwick's title hopefuls at their Brighton training camp on Wednesday ahead of their blockbuster clashes with France and Ireland.
Fox was a sergeant in the Special Boat Service having joined the Royal Marines as a 16-year-old, becoming the latest in a list of outside speakers to perform a Q&A with the England squad.
England cricketers Jonny Bairstow and Alastair Cook and Tour de France winner Bradley Wiggins have given talks in the past.
"Little things always stay with you from those talks," said prop Mako Vunipola, for whom ex-Manchester United captain Roy Keane made the biggest impact.
"His career speaks for itself, he's a serial winner. I'm a United supporter anyway, so when they said he was coming in I was buzzing for that," Vunipola said.
"When he spoke to us he was a great character - very funny and a great story teller. But also you can see he has an intensity to him that makes you think 'whatever he says, I'm following him'."
French star out of tournament
France star Mohamed Haouas has been banned for four weeks after being sent off against Scotland, meaning he misses the remainder of the Six Nations including the game against Wales.
The prop forward was red-carded after making contact with the head of Scottish number nine Ben White. He had previously been sent off against Scotland in the 2020 clash between the two countries for punching James Ritchie.
Haouas admitted his act of foul play at a disciplinary hearing and misses France's games with England next time out and their finale with Wales in Paris.
He will also be absent from two Montepllier matches, including their Heineken Champions Cup clash with Exeter.
Rugby record smashed
The biggest win in British rugby history has been recorded after Blackburn RFC smashed Kirkby Lonsdale RFC by a staggering 190-0, according to the Telegraph.
The Regional 1 North West clash saw the home side race in for no fewer than 30 tries, with six alone scored by second-row Conner Scrivens. Replacement Alex Smith had five tries to his name, two other players finished with hat-tricks. One player kicked 12 conversions and another eight.
Blackburn, second in the table, posted the result on the club's Facebook page.
The victory is reported to have broken the previous British record. That had been set in 1996 when Norwich defeated Eccles and Attleborough 177-3.
Kirkby have lost every one of their 19 league games this season and have already been relegated.
However, they remained upbeat despite being on the wrong end of the record, saying: "Well done Blackburn - we are proud of those that pulled on a Kirkby shirt. As a club and as a team we have brighter days in front of us, thank you to everyone involved in our club, and we will go again."
Some Blackburn fans felt the game should have been called off earlier given the nature of the scoreline.
Blackburn fell just short of smashing the world record for the largest win in rugby union history. That was reportedly set in 1973 in Denmark, when Comet defeated Lindo 194-0.
Read next:
- Former rivals say game has moved on from Gatland and he must evolve with Wales or fail
- Gerwyn Price trains with Dragons ahead of rugby return
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Former WRU boss David Moffett urges Wales to cut a region quickly or whole game will implode
Wales legend calls for Gatland to make two key changes for Six Nations clash with Italy
