Here are the latest rugby headlines on Saturday, January 14.
Scarlets coach 'delighted' to win ugly
Scarlets coach Dwayne Peel admitted he was "delighted" as the Scarlets edged past the Cheetahs to secure their place in the Challenge Cup knockout stages.
Having won with bonus points in their first two matches, Peel's side scraped to a 20-17 error-strewn win over the South African outfit in Llanelli. However, it was certainly the case that result took precedence over performance on Friday night.
"I am delighted to get the win," said Peel. "We have played a lot better and lost this year and it was a bit of a slugfest.
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"I didn't think we were great. My initial thought was that we looked a bit tired from the Cardiff game where they were high emotions and we had tired bodies this week
"Sometimes you have to win ugly and that's what I feel we did tonight."
Junior World Cup winner banned for biting
An English Championship player who was a member of the England U20s squad which won the 2014 Junior World Championship has been dealt a 15-match ban after being found to have bitten an opponent.
Bedford lock Jordan Onojaife, 27, was cited for an incident during a melee after the final play in December's clash against Ealing Trailfindeers, and a disciplinary panel has now ruled that he will be suspended from playing again until April 17 for biting the finger of Carlo Tizzano.
Shocking images in the lengthy 21-page written judgement show Tizzano's injury, along with screengrabs of broadcast coverage of the incident in which Onojaife appears to be making contact via biting.
A statement on the Championship website about the December 13 hearing read: “The case of Bedford Blues’ Jordan Onojaife was heard by an independent disciplinary panel chaired by Matthew O’Grady with Becky Essex and Guy Lovgreen. Onojaife was charged with a single offence of physical abuse contrary to World Rugby law 9.12 for biting the finger of an Ealing Trailfinders player in the match on December 10. The player denied the charge and denied committing any act of foul play. However, the panel upheld the charge and Onojaife was banned for 15 weeks. Subject to any of these fixtures not taking place, the player will be free to resume playing from Monday, April 17.”
In his evidence, Tizzano said the bite was hard and he firmly denied the player’s case that Tizzano tried to "fish hook" the player’s mouth. Tizzano was on antibiotics to prevent infection and, the judgement says, had not received any expression of remorse, regret or apology from the player or from anyone on the player’s behalf.
The documents said that Onojaife suggested the RFU's case was "nonsensical", arguing that "anything played frame-byframe shows a different story to watching it at live speed".
He said: “I cannot let, kind of, slander like this go because it has huge consequences. I’m obviously emotionally charged because I have not intentionally or unintentionally bitten anyone. You know, the boy’s hand… finger’s been in my mouth. Only he knows why he did that and only I know if I bit him and I’m telling you categorically I have not bitten that boy. So, sitting here, it’s kind of a hard one… these allegations are huge.”
In its findings, the judiciary said: “This was a deliberate bite of an opponent. The bite was hard. Given the force used, we conclude that the player intended to inflict momentary pain.” An 18-week entry point was chosen, a sanction that was reduced by three weeks.
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Ospreys backed to do the double over Montpellier
Former Ospreys coach Sean Holley has backed his old team to do the double over Montpellier this weekend – but doesn’t expect them to go deep into the European Champions Cup.
Holley – now a respected TV pundit and analyst for a host of broadcasters – reckons the only Welsh region in Europe’s premier tournament are capable of repeating their 21-10 triumph across the channel, but he thinks talk of Justin Tipuric’s team going on to threaten the contenders this season is premature.
“For the Ospreys to come away with such an emphatic win and performance must be massive in terms of their morale going into this game,” says Holley, who spent nine years at the region. “Having said that, what we often find in Europe is that a team learns so much from the first game when they play teams back-to-back. A lot depends on Montpellier’s outlook. Are they now focused on the Top 14? If they are now less committed to success in Europe, then they will travel with a different attitude.
“The Ospreys have shown they have resilience, even if they lack striking nous. And the belief will be there, having beaten them away. I think they can win and will win. But a lot will depend on defending and kicking their goals and taking their chances. But as far as going deep into the tournament goes, when they come up against good sides in knockout competition they might struggle, even at home.”
The problem for the Ospreys, says Holley is that although they now boast a strong pack and reliable set-piece, they lack the creative talent to make the most of their possession and are easily blunted by streetwise opposition.
“The Ospreys have to work really hard for their scores,” says Holley. “They are possession-dominated in their approach and they have an excellent set-piece. They have international players galore up front, but they seem to lack the awareness of when to strike and how to strike and how to score. That’s been reflected in the last few seasons.
“They lack a cutting edge in midfield, they are missing George North, and they are short at full-back. They used to have Lee Byrne hitting the line and a back three that involved Shane Williams and Tommy Bowe. They had X-factor and as a coach you could use decoy plays because you had threats everywhere. I just don’t think they have enough of a threat these days against the very top sides.”
A victory on Saturday would put the seventh-place Ospreys in a healthy position to finish in the top eight of Pool B and go on to qualify for the one-tie round of 16. You can watch live coverage of Ospreys v Montpellier on S4C and S4C Clic from 7.45pm on Saturday night.
England attack coach leaves
England attack coach Martin Gleeson will leave his role, the Rugby Football Union has announced.
Nick Evans was appointed attack coach earlier this month by new head coach Steve Borthwick. At the time, no update was provided on ex-Great Britain rugby league centre Gleeson, who was appointed by Eddie Jones in August 2021.
Gleeson said: "It’s been a pleasure to represent my country again and to work with this group of players. I wish them all the best this coming year."
RFU executive director of performance rugby Conor O’Shea said: "We’d like to thank Martin for his contribution and hard work at England Rugby and we wish him the very best for the future."
New attack boss Evans, who has joined England for the Six Nations from Harlequins, previously said he wants to bring "clarity and confidence" to England's attack.
Read more:
Wales' new defence coach 'is a f***ing great bloke who can replicate Shaun Edwards' success'
Welsh ref becomes most-watched rugby video on internet after telling off 'unacceptable' players
Warren Gatland's very different Wales backroom team and how they're rated
Ospreys v Montpellier team news as Wales hopeful missing amid wholesale changes
