Here are the latest rugby headlines on Saturday, May 20.
Wales internationals stunned by Alun Wyn and Tipuric news
Wales internationals James Hook and Ian Gough admit they were both stunned by the news that Alun Wyn Jones and Justin Tipuric have both retired from international rugby, just four months from the Rugby World Cup.
Ospreys lock Jones, 37, said he makes his decision to end 17 years in the international arena following "ongoing dialogue with the coaching staff and the WRU". His career saw him play a record 158 times for Wales and in 12 Tests for the Lions over four tours in 2009, 2013, 2017 and 2021, making him world rugby's record cap holder. He won three Grand Slams and five Six Nations titles with Wales.
Wales back-row favourite Tipuric, 33, has not given a specific reason for his decision other than saying "now seems the right time to step away", and will continue to play for the Ospreys. He played for Wales on 93 occasions over 12 years and was a three-time tourist with the Lions. He had missed the last month of the regular domestic season with a foot injury sustained during Ospreys' Champions Cup defeat at Saracens in April.
"I was really surprised, like a lot of people, especially both on the same day - that's a lot of caps and experience retired in the space of an hour," former Wales fly-half James Hook told BBC Radio Wales.
"It makes you think, did they have the heads-up that they weren't going to make the cut and advised to retire now to save putting their bodies through the gruelling camps of Switzerland and Turkey? It does make you think.
"Maybe Gatland knew now that he just wasn't going to take them to the World Cup, and why let them go through those sort of gruelling camps and then drop them? They can go out on their own terms, if you like. I'm sure it'll come out eventually.
"Whichever way you look at it, it's a lot of caps and experience gone before the World Cup. But at the same time it's an opportunity for youngsters."
Former Wales lock Ian Gough said: "I'm a little bit gutted. Obviously he has his reasons and those reasons probably haven't been publicised yet. I'd have loved to have seen him in this World Cup and get five World Cups and top off an amazing career.
"I saw him come through as an exuberant bouncer around the training area, keen as mustard. Seeing him develop and mature into the captain and warrior that he became over his career.
"I think he could still bring a lot to that squad. It was a shock, and I'm still in shock, as I bet the rest of the nation are.
"Tipuric is carrying that injury and I can understand that one a little bit more, even though that was a shock as well. They're two absolute class players. There's always lots of good sevens in Wales, there always has been, but Tipuric just had that extra quality."
Toulon too good for Glasgow in Challenge Cup final
Toulon won the European Challenge Cup at the fifth time of asking thanks to an overpowering 43-19 win over Glasgow Warriors on Friday.
The French club had previously lost four Challenge Cup finals out of four, but cruised to a 21-0 first-half lead against the Scots to leave the Warriors with too much of a mountain to climb at the Aviva Stadium. They hit Glasgow for six with three tries in each half as they eased to victory.
Three second-half tries from Glasgow were not enough to stop Toulon making it fifth time lucky.
Glasgow started the second half encouragingly, but their inability to turn pressure into points cost them dearly. It was not until their 11th incursion into the Toulon 22 that they managed to break their duck and that came via a try from skipper Kyle Steyn in the 55th minute from a neat moved down the blindside of a line-out. Glasgow earned some respectability with later tries from Sebastian Cancelliere and Steyn, but it was never going to be enough.
Biggar forced off
Wales fly-half Dan Biggar had started the final but was forced off with a head injury after only four minutes.
Confirmation that he had failed a head injury assessment followed and he played no further part in the final, but was seen in the thick of celebrations when Toulon later lifted the trophy.
Toulon quickly recovered from the loss of Biggar and two minutes later, with Ihaia West on to replace the Welshman, influential scrum-half Baptiste Serin produced a moment of magic to get the scoreboard moving. After taking the ball from a ruck on the Glasgow 22 he dabbed the ball through the defensive line, regathered and just managed to touch down despite the efforts of Ollie Smith to turn him on his back over the line.
The scrum-half added the extras and then picked out 39-year-old Italian legend Sergio Parisse for a try at the posts after more pressure from the Top 14 outfit after Glasgow had lost a line-out. Serin added the extras and then picked up the third try after 25 minutes. Glasgow lost another line out on their 10-metre line and Toulon skipper Charles Ollivon drove on.
Toulon's Australian centre Duncan Paia'Aua also went off for another HIA in the 32nd minute, and then they lost scrum-half Serin in the final move of the opening 40 minutes with a left knee injury that required a third change to their starting back division. There was a fourth alteration at the start o the second half when Mathieu Bastareaud came on to replace wing Gabin Villiers, who also failed an HIA. By then, though, Serin has sparked his side into life with two tries as they sped into a 21-0 interval lead.
Parisse in epic send-off
Toulon's win meant retiring Italian number eight Sergio Parisse was given a title-winning send-off. The 39-year-old legend scored between two Baptise Serin tries as the French side cruised to a 21-0 lead at the break.
Parisse earned 142 Italy caps, went to five World Cups, won two Challenge Cups and two French Top 14 titles, and bowed out with the flag of his beloved Italy draped around him during the post-match celebrations.
"It means a lot," Parisse told BT Sport after Toulon's 43-19 win. "It's difficult to put some words on emotions.
"It's good for the team, for me personally, it's important - I try to enjoy every moment with the team, and I'm really happy because I think we really deserve the win.
"I'm Italian, so I'm emotional in everything I do. Tonight it was about just trying to enjoy, and just happy to play with this group, and happy to finish my career with Toulon. Just enjoy it, and have a good night in Dublin with the boys."
Hanrahan leaves Dragons
Dragons' Irish fly-half JJ Hanrahan is leaving Rodney Parade to join Connacht.
The Dragons say they have chosen to "help facilitate" an opportunity to return to his homeland "taking into consideration the current climate in Welsh rugby" with playing budgets and player salaries being driven down from next season.
The 30-year-old made 15 appearances in 2022-23 after arriving from French side Clermont Auvergne. He will join his new club for pre-season in June.
Dragons head coach Dai Flanagan said: "We thank JJ for the dedication and professionalism he has shown throughout his time at the club. An opportunity for JJ to return to Ireland has arisen and, following conversations with him and taking into consideration the current climate in Welsh rugby, we have chosen as a club to help facilitate that move. JJ will leave us with our very best wishes for the future and we look forward to watching him back in action in the URC.”
Hanrahan said: "I’ve really enjoyed my time at Dragons RFC and especially playing in front of the Dragons fans, albeit a lot shorter time than initially planned. I feel like I have made good friends with a great bunch of men at Dragons, and I really do wish the team all the very best for the future. Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has helped my wife and I throughout our time in Wales and at Dragons.”
Hanrahan joins Wales fly-half Sam Davies in leaving Dragons. Wales prop Rob Evans, lock Huw Taylor, back-row pair Ben Fry and Lennon Greggains and utility back Ioan Davies have also left, while Wales back row Ross Moriarty has joined Brive and lock Will Rowlands will also be in France next season.
Challenge Cup final loss a bitter pill to swallow for Glasgow
By PA Sport Staff
Captain Kyle Steyn admitted Glasgow Warriors will take some time to recover from the disappointment of failure on two fronts after they were beaten 43-19 to Toulon in the final of the EPCR Challenge Cup at the Aviva Stadium. The defeat in Dublin came on the back of bowing out of the BKT United Rugby Championship in the quarter-finals after they slipped up against Munster at their Scotstoun fortress.
Tom Jordan's sending off proved costly as the Warriors surrendered a 17-match unbeaten run at home when the Irish province prevailed 14-5 earlier this month. And in Dublin, Steyn scored two tries and Sebastian Cancelliere also crossed but the game was essentially lost in the first half when the Warriors went into the interval 21-0 in arrears. Toulon scored three tries in each half and were always in control to win the Challenge Cup for the first time.
"It's disappointing and a pretty tough one to process," Steyn said. "We weren't where we needed to be in the first 20 minutes, but credit to Toulon - we were too soft. To come this far, and progress the way we have, and then to come unstuck in two play-off games will take some time to get over.
"We had enough belief that we could get this done. I thought there were lessons we could have learned against Munster that would have put us in a position to win this, but we didn't react enough to them. I'm proud of the way the boys kept on fighting. We created chances, but in play-off rugby you have to take your chances. At the start of the season we said we wanted to play rugby in a way that inspired people to follow us and support us and with the number of people following us in Dublin it felt as though we had done that to some degree."
Toulon's victory earned them a ticket into next season's Heineken Champions Cup - a competition they won three years in a row between 2013-2015.
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