Here's your rugby evening headlines for Tuesday, August 30.
Hewitt speaks out after racist tweet
Dragons star Ashton Hewitt has spoken out after being targeted by another racist tweet on social media.
The winger has previously opened up about the abuse he receives, with one person receiving a permanent suspension from Twitter last year for a racist tweet. The latest tweet came after Hewitt had posted about missing out on bank holidays as a professional rugby player.
Read more: New World Rugby rankings see All Blacks suffer and Wales out of top two tiers
"Pro rugby means no Bank Holidays.. which means no carni.. every year. Sad ting," he posted, to which one user replied: "Sad ting go back to Jamaica".
Quote-tweeting that reply, Hewitt responded: "You’d think that with everything going on, people would be more concerned with things that actually affect them instead of being racist trolls. But nope. Still living in these peoples heads rent free."
The reply to Hewitt's tweet was understandably met with criticism, with many reporting the user to Twitter Support. However, as things stand, his account remains active - with another user posting a screengrab of a response from Twitter saying that the tweet was deemed not to have broken their safety policies.
Sinckler's injury anguish
England star Kyle Sinckler has revealed the mental and physical impact of his recovery from a herniated disc in his back.
Sinckler hasn't played any rugby since April and has been seeing a chiropractor to help him back onto the field. It clearly has had an emotional effect on the Bristol man, who was in his car heading to watch Ireland beat New Zealand seven weeks ago when the full extent of his ordeal hit him.
“They say you store all your trauma in your hips,” Sinckler told The Times. “If you have tight hips you have suppressed trauma you haven’t dealt with from your childhood. I had a big releasing during pilates in my hips, and a massive one with the chiropractor.
“I was driving home, racing to get to the second Test, and I swear to God I just started breaking down crying in the car. It was so strange. My hips had been so tight for years — imagine the suppressed anger — I was just driving and tears were coming out of me. I was like, ‘What is going on?’ I’d released that clog of negative energy.
“I felt, ‘F*** man, I’m going through a tough time here.’ I’ll never forget it.”
“It’s quite a busy road, so definitely people are looking, thinking, ‘Is that Kyle Sinckler crying driving down the motorway?’ ” he added. “It’s those moments that make you. There’s been a few times in this process where I’ve really broken down.”
World Cup chief suspended
World Rugby have released a statement after the chief executive of the 2023 Rugby World Cup, Claude Atcher, was suspended.
French sports minister Amelie Oudea-Castera took the action after a preliminary investigation into his management style found evidence of a “deep social malaise” within the organisation.
"Atcher will no longer be present or active, directly or indirectly, within, in the name of and on behalf of the GIP [organising committee] during the period of layoff,” the ministry said in a statement.
The investigation was launched after a report emerged earlier in the summer accusing the 66-year-old of “alarming managerial practices altering the functioning of the structure and the suffering of a certain number of employees”.
World Rugby has now responded. “The well-being of the rugby family is paramount and central to the values of unity, inclusion and togetherness that embody the World Cup,” added World Rugby who stressed its desire to work with the organising committee “to deliver together an exceptional Rugby World Cup in France”.
The World Cup kicks off in September next year in France.
Wallabies star Hodge aiming for consistency
Australia star Reece Hodge says that consistency in his own performances will be key if he's to nail down a starting spot ahead of next year's World Cup.
The Melbourne Rebels full-back has been a versatile player for the Wallabies at times, often at the expense of a regular starting spot. But after coming back into the XV for the win over South Africa, he's keen to keep his place in the side moving forward.
“In the past, my accuracy has let me down a little bit in different aspects in my game,” the 28-year-old said.
“I’m almost as hard a marker on myself as anyone and I want nothing more than to be playing consistent Test rugby.
“I strive to be better every day and perform and, more importantly, be someone that my mates can trust out on the field.”
England women drop three players
Red Roses head coach Simon Middleton has dropped three players as he named an updated 35-player England Women’s squad ahead of this weekend’s Test match against USA.
Gloucester full-back Emma Sing, Worcester prop Laura Keates, and Loughborough Lightning prop Detysha Harper do not feature in the squad.
The Test forms part of England’s preparation for the upcoming Rugby World Cup in New Zealand. The Red Roses are currently the bookies’ favourites to win the trophy.
“We’ve had a good month of preparation at Pennyhill Park where the players have worked extremely hard,” said Middleton. “We’ve reduced the squad to 35 ahead of this weekend’s match. Those not selected in this squad remain very much part of the wider World Cup training squad and in contention.
"We feel it’s best for them to return to their clubs for their own pre-seasons and we will of course be monitoring and in touch throughout. We’re looking forward to spending the week in Exeter ahead of what is an exciting game.”
READ NEXT:
Today's rugby news as Wales international finds new team after Springbok signed
The Welsh rugby favourite fostering talent for Wales in England
New Zealand beaten at home by Argentina as historic defeat rocks All Blacks
Pivac pays tribute to 'legend' Davies as he quits Wales set-up
