These are the latest rugby headlines on Friday, July 8.
Wales camp do something special
Wales players and coaches have been praised for giving up some of their precious time to engage with local schoolchildren in between their preparations for Tests against South Africa.
The team have been training at St Peter’s College in Johannesburg ahead of the second Test against the Springboks on Saturday.
Read more: Scott Gibbs says Dan Biggar is unrivalled in world rugby as Wales legend in awe of captain
Impressed parent Bruce Eagle contacted WalesOnline to say: "Thank you to the all the coaches and players for how open and engaging they have been throughout the week - the kids have really enjoyed the chance to see them in action and interact with them from the side of the field and take a few pictures. They have been amazing.
"A special shout out to Dan Biggar who took time out to chat to my son and a couple of his friends and give them each a shirt at the end of the week, totally making their days. Good luck this weekend and the rest of the tour. Hope to see you again the next time the team is in Joburg."
Swain angered by Hill treatment
Australia's Darcy Swain says Jonny Hill provoked him to a level he had never experienced before when he was sent off against England in the first Test last weekend. Swain saw red for headbutting Hill, who was himself yellow-carded for pulling the hair of the second row.
Swain was speaking at a disciplinary hearing at which he was banned for two weeks and will now miss the rest of the series against Eddie Jones' men.
“He had hurt me, deliberately, three times during the game, including a really forceful pulling of my hair,” Swain told the hearing. “I have never been treated in the way Hill treated me in a professional game before, and it hurt, and surprised me, and angered me.
“He first hit me in the face about 15 minutes earlier. I was standing to the side of a ruck, and he moved forward and struck me in the face with his open palm. It was forceful, and it hurt. Nothing was done about it, but I kept my cool and did not retaliate. Then in the maul immediately before my red card, he struck me in the face again, this time with his elbow. Then, as I tried to avoid that and get the ball, he grabbed a large chunk of my hair, and pulled it forcefully. It hurt, a lot.”
Swain admitted he clearly did not control himself on that occasion, adding: "I was angry that he was assaulting me like this, and I wanted him to get the message it wasn’t okay. I pulled him toward me and moved my head forward to try and send him a message. I wasn’t really thinking about it, and wasn’t actually trying to headbutt him. But I accept my head did make contact with the side of his head.
“I shouldn’t have done it. I’m sorry I did. I was severely provoked in a way I have never seen in elite rugby before, but I know that I shouldn’t have done it.”
Hill said in a written statement that he “has absolutely no symptoms or ill affect as a result of the incident" and … "holds no ill feelings towards" Swain.
Wales stars prepare for weddings
Six Wales players are preparing for their weddings almost immediately after returning from South Africa.
Will Rowlands, Josh Navidi, Liam Williams, Josh Adams, Kieran Hardy and Adam Beard all have busy summers ahead before the new season begins, and they are comparing notes during their down time.
Lock Rowlands told the Scrum V podcast: "I was sat outside by the pool the other day and Navs was there talking about his speech, which prompted me to think maybe I should be thinking about mine!
"It's nice. I guess it is the inevitable consequence of people reaching a certain stage of life and everyone has these milestones at the same point. It will be a big off season for the Welsh squad!"
Nigel Walker: Welsh deal progressing
Talks among Welsh rugby's power-brokers about the future of the men's pro game have progressed further as the countdown to the new season ticks away.
The Professional Rugby Board, made up of regional and Welsh Rugby Union representatives plus independents, oversees the men's pro game in Wales and they have been in discussion for some time over a long-term plan to try to ensure the game thrives.
Ospreys chief executive Nick Garcia revealed in June that the PRB was 80 per cent of the way there in firming up a plan, saying: "It's got to be in before next season". You can read his full comments here.
WRU performance director Nigel Walker has now told WalesOnline further progress has been made and they hope to finalise a plan soon with the 2022/23 season start looming.
"It’s a really boring answer, conversations are ongoing," he said. "There have been developments and progress made, I’m not going to say any percentage on it. But by the very nature of the conversation and the fact that we are moving closer towards the season, I would hope we would conclude those discussions in a pretty short period of time.
"There’s nothing more to say than that at the moment. What I don’t want to do is prejudice the conversations which are ongoing, and that’s why I’m being careful [in what I say], not because I don’t want people to know. We are talking and we need to find a solution to that particular problem."
Walker was speaking on the day the WRU announced 17 new full-time contracts for Wales Women ahead of this autumn's World Cup to take the number of contracted players to 31: (29 full-time and two retainer/semi-professional). You can read the full story on Wales Women's major announcement here.
READ NEXT:
Gwyn Jones predicts exactly what will happen in second Test between South Africa and Wales
Young Wales scrum-half leading U20s resurgence doesn't even have a contract for next season
Wayne Pivac Q&A: Why I like Alex Cuthbert so much and the kid who has a huge future
The verdict on the Wales team as bulldozer making such an impact he's being kept on bench
Sir Gareth Edwards accuses South Africa of disrespecting Wales and devaluing Test series
