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Wales Online

Sport

Glen Williams

Today's rugby news as Springboks hit by another drowning tragedy and Jamie Roberts rejects Wales narrative

Jamie Roberts Springboks Springbok Wales BOK Boks Johnny Sexton Rugby Eddie Jones England

Here are the latest rugby headlines for Tuesday, July 5.

Jamie Roberts: Wales can get even better and I'd pick the same team again

Jamie Roberts has rubbished the narrative that Wales have missed their best chance of beating South Africa, and believes they can be even better in Bloemfontein this weekend.

Wales lost agonisingly in the dying minutes in Pretoria last weekend, but Roberts saw enough to be encouraged heading into the second showdown with the Springboks.

"The lads will be devastated but that will be great motivation heading into next week," he told Sky Sports. "From where they have come from in the Six Nations, it was a hugely promising performance. I think there is scope to improve in this Welsh team. There is a lot of talk of the Springboks improving moving into Test two and that may have been Wales' best opportunity at Loftus [Versfeld Stadium], but I don't really believe in that. I think Wales have got a lot of improving to do as well. It's going to be an immense Test match at Bloemfontein on Saturday."

Roberts added that Wales "out-Bok'd the Boks" before South Africa's "power game" came to the fore in the second half of the first Test. There has been much talk about whether Wayne Pivac should tweak the starting XV for the upcoming Test match, but Roberts would back the team again.

"I'd back that same team again," he told the BBC Scrum V podcast. "I thought certainly the pack more than anyone were mightily impressive. They found their mojo again and that doesn't always have to be this free-running rugby, it's just that collective desire to put pressure on the opposition and win rugby games. The next two Tests are going to be absolute brilliant viewing.

"I think Wales' best chance will come in Test three in Cape Town and that's purely because of altitude. Maybe I'm giving too much weight to altitude. I guess your best chance is in your next Test. I think Wales will have taken a huge amount of confidence from what they've done at Loftus. If they can add to their game, be a bit smarter in containing that 'Bok power game I think they can win at Bloemfontein."

Another Springbok family hit by tragic drowning

Another Springbok family has been rocked by a tragic drowning death. Reports in South Africa say that former winger Breyton Paulse's mother and aunt have died after an accident near Cape Town.

Paulse's mother, Setta Visagie, and aunt, Marie Gelant, are said to have been washed out to sea by a wave which hit the old harbour wall in Hermanus. Media outlet Netwerk24 claims that Paulse – who played 64 Tests for the Springboks – confirmed the tragic news in a WhatsApp message which read: “It is very sad. Pray for me and my family!“

National Sea Rescue Institute Hermanus station commander Andre Barnard said: “The sea rescue craft Rotarian Burnett was launched, NSRI rescue swimmers, our NSRI rescue vehicle, and St Johns ambulance services responded directly to the scene. WC Government Health EMS was activated. While responding, additional calls were being received of two women washed off the old harbour wall by waves at the Hermanus Old Harbour. CPR efforts commenced. They were brought to the NSRI rescue station, where CPR was continued by paramedics. Sadly, after all the efforts to resuscitate the two women were exhausted, they were declared deceased by paramedics.”

It is the third tragic drowning incident relating to Springboks after former South Africa head coach Peter de Villiers' wife drowned in a swimming pool three months ago. Theresa De Villiers, 62, was found dead in a pool in the city of Gqeberha, formerly known as Port Elizabeth, in April.

In November of last year, Springboks prop Jannie du Plessis' one-year-old son also died in a drowning accident days after being baptised.

Sexton deemed fit for New Zealand v Ireland

Ireland captain Johnny Sexton has been deemed fit to face the All Blacks in Ireland's second Test in Dunedin this Saturday. He was taken off with a suspected concussion on 30 minutes during their 42-19 defeat last weekend after a knock to the head from the knee of Sam Cane, but but Ireland assistant coach Mike Catt has revealed the 36-year-old will be available for selection.

"Johnny is fine," Catt told reporters on Tuesday, via Sky Sports. "Johnny is fit, Johnny has passed every test that he needs to pass so from our point of view he's good to go."

Sexton was not allowed to return to the field on Saturday having failed an initial head injury assessment (HIA). Following the game, however, Ireland head coach Andy Farrell refused to rule Sexton out of the rest of the series as the fly-half had passed the second of three HIAs.

Ireland will also be boosted by the return to training of Rob Herring, Harry Byrne, Mack Hansen and Finlay Bealham ahead of the second Test against New Zealand this week. Prop Jeremy Loughman and Dave Heffernan are currently following 12-day return to play protocols after concussion but fellow hooker Herring and fly-half Byrne are back after knocks while winger Hansen has completed his period of Covid isolation and prop Bealham will do so later in the week. Centre Stuart McCloskey arrives in New Zealand on Monday, following Ed Byrne who flew in on Saturday following a tour-ending groin injury to James Hume.

Steve Borthwick fancied to take over from Eddie Jones

Leicester boss Steve Borthwick is the bookies' favourite to take over from Eddie Jones should the England head coach be relieved of his duties. England relinquished a sizeable lead against Australia at the weekend, hitting the self-destruct button towards the end of the game as the Wallabies sealed a thrilling comeback win.

Now the bookmakers are pricing up who they fancy to take over from the Antipodean should he get the chop. Borthwick, who led the Tigers to their first Premiership title since 2013 this year, is the favourite at 3/1, closely followed by Exeter Chiefs' Rob Baxter, who is priced at 4/1. Former Wales boss Warren Gatland - who has publicly said he is open to a return to the UK - is at 8/1, while his ex-defence coach at the WRU, Shaun Edwards, is at 10/1.

Next England head coach odds in full:

Steve Borthwick 3/1
Rob Baxter 4/1
Scott Robertson 6/1
Warren Gatland 8/1
Andy Farrell 8/1
Shaun Edwards 10/1
Joe Schmidt 12/1

(Odds courtesy of William Hill, correct at time of writing)

Itoje issues warning to England team-mates

Maro Itoje has warned his England team-mates they must crank up the intensity for their second Test against Australia if they are to rescue the series.

Eddie Jones' tourists arrived in Brisbane on Sunday wounded by a 30-28 defeat at Perth's Optus Stadium where only two late converted tries spared them humiliation on the scoreboard. It extended their losing run to four matches and concluded Jones' eight-Test winning sequence against the Wallabies, yet Itoje insists the challenge facing England is about to get harder.

"It's about raising the intensity. Every three-Test series I have played in the intensity of game two goes up. Game two is one of the crucial games," Itoje said. "Both Lions tours I've been on, and on the Aussie tour last time we were here, the intensity went up in game two. We need to raise the intensity, narrow our focus, focus on what's important. We'll be gunning for game two.

"In those moments when your back is against the wall the team has to get tighter. We have to narrow our focus, play tough rugby. That's what is required of us as a team, as forwards, me as an individual. It's about focussing and doing what we need to do to get the W."

England cancelled their planned post-match social to begin dissecting a defeat that was among the worst of the Jones era as a final-quarter meltdown saw a 14-9 lead crumble.

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