Here are the latest rugby headlines on Thursday, July 28.
Steve Hansen lays into New Zealand bosses
Former Wales and All Blacks head coach Steve Hansen has laid into his former New Zealand Rugby bosses, saying they're not doing their job correctly at the moment and the relationship with the players is "probably the worst it’s ever been".
In an interview with Today FM’s Tova O’Brien on Thursday morning, Hansen - the All Blacks head coach between 2012-2019 - was scathing of the organisation's performance.
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"The relationship between the board and the [executive] with the players at the moment is probably the worst it's ever been," said Hansen, who was an All Blacks assistant for the team’s World Cup triumph in 2011 and then took charge for the repeat effort four years later in England. "I don't think they are doing their job right at the moment.”
"There have been a lot of reviews of [former Blacks Ferns coach] Glenn Moore and Ian Foster on their coaching ability recently but when was the last time the NZ Rugby Union did a review on itself?
"Their job as an organisation is to run it with strength and leadership but do it in a way that looks after the people that work for you otherwise you’ll end up with a high turnover of staff which I think they’re having at the moment."
He added: "Our high performance department at the moment has to be squirming about our record at under-20 level. Are we getting that side of our business right? I don’t think so."
As for the criticism aimed at head coach Ian Foster following the series defeat to Ireland, Hansen said: “I think all good coaches go through adversity in their career and we’re seeing that now with Ian Foster. He won’t be happy with how things have gone of late but I don't think the issue is just inside the team, I think the issue is bigger than that."
IRFU statement as new legal claim launched
The Irish Rugby Football Union has issued a statement after it was revealed it is now facing legal action from players who say they suffered brain injuries while playing rugby.
The news comes on the back of 185 players suing World Rugby, the Welsh Rugby Union and the Rugby Football Union. You can read more about the legal case, what the players will have to prove and what happens next here.
The IRFU insists player welfare is "of paramount importance" after solicitor firm Maguire McClafferty confirmed they are representing a number of unnamed clients in a legal action.
A statement read: "Everyone in rugby has been moved by the personal accounts of former players as reported in the media. Player welfare is of paramount importance to the IRFU and we are constantly reviewing safety protocols for all players.
"Our approach, based on scientific evidence, involves a commitment to ongoing education, monitoring and application of safety protocols across the game, including proactively managing elite player game time with a focus on injury prevention and oversight. No proceedings have been served upon the IRFU to date."
Former international captain forced to retire after foot left 'paralysed'
Former Harlequins player and Namibia national team captain Renaldo Bothma has been forced to retire with immediate effect after his foot became "paralysed".
The 32-year-old back-rower suffered a serious injury in April, which he has been unable to recover from.
“The time has come for me to call it a day,” he said in a farewell post on social media. “I really wanted to push through and play another World Cup but I have been advised not to continue playing rugby by the doctors due to the serious knee injury I suffered back in April which has left my foot paralysed due to the nerve damage. I still need to undergo one more knee surgery as well.
“I would like to thank every single team member, club, doctor, physio, coach and my family for all the support over the last 13 years of my rugby career. It has been one massive journey. I was very blessed to play rugby around the globe and represent my country at a World Cup. Most of all, I thank God for giving me the opportunity to express my talents for so long."
Ireland lock moves to England
Bath have signed Ireland international lock Quinn Roux for the 2022-23 season.
Roux heads to the Gallagher Premiership club from Toulon, arriving as injury cover after Bath's England second-row forward Charlie Ewels underwent knee surgery. Ewels could miss the whole campaign after suffering an anterior cruciate ligament injury during preparations for England's opening Test against Australia in Perth on July 2.
South Africa-born Roux, who qualified for Ireland on residency, won 16 caps between 2016 and 2020, with spells at Leinster and Connacht before joining Toulon last year. Prior to his Ireland move, the 31-year-old helped Western Province win the Vodacom Cup and also played Super Rugby for the Stormers.
England star's new start wiped out
England star George Ford will not play for new club Sale Sharks this year after undergoing surgery on a ruptured Achilles he suffered playing for Leicester Tiger last season.
Sale director of rugby Alex Sanderson told The Times : “George ruptured his Achilles going over on his ankle in the Premiership final and we are hoping he will be back in six to nine months for the Leicester home game at the end of the year. He had the operation about 10 days later and Leicester were really good pushing it through. It means we will lose George for the first half of the season, but we do have Rob du Preez fit, which wasn’t the case at the start of last season.”
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