Here are the latest rugby headlines on Wednesday, April 19.
Three highly-rated young players sign deals to stay in Wales
Hot prospect Joe Roberts is among a trio of bright young backs at the Scarlets who have agreed new contracts. Ioan Nicholas and Eddie James complete the trio.
All have penned fresh deals which see them commit their futures to the west Wales region.
The Scarlets will be particularly pleased to have put talented centre Roberts under lock and key for the foreseeable future. The 22-year-old has been a revelation since returning from injury in the new year, playing in 11 games on the bounce and impressing with his pace, strength and eye for a gap. The lad from Llanelli made such an impact he found himself being touted as a potential bolter for Warren Gatland’s Wales Six Nations squad. The call didn’t come, but Roberts has continued to hold his form with the outside centre seen as a player with a future.
SIGN UP: Get the latest Welsh rugby breaking news and interviews via our free daily newsletter
Pontyberem product Nicholas became the youngest player to represent the Scarlets when he made his debut at the age of 17 years and 134 days in a pre-season friendly against Jersey in August 2015, going on to make his Guinness PRO12 debut against Ulster the following month. Now 25, he has taken his appearance haul to 69, featuring on the wing, full-back and at centre.
James, 20, is the latest Carmarthen product to graduate to the Scarlets senior squad. A Wales U20s cap, the 6ft 4in, 16st 5lb centre made a try-scoring United Rugby Championship debut against Edinburgh in February and ran out for his first league start against Glasgow Warriors last weekend. He has also featured this season in friendlies against Bristol and Saracens, and has benefited from a playing stint in New Zealand last year.
Scarlets head coach Dwayne Peel said: “Joe, Ioan and Eddie are three talented young home-grown players who have come through our academy system. Joe has been outstanding since recovering from the knee injury he picked up against the Stormers at the end of last season and is putting together an impressive run of performances.
“Ioan is a classy footballer with a great attitude to improve. He’s been at the club a long time now and is developing into a leader on the pitch. His versatility has been a real asset. He’s the type of player that can get the best out of the players around him.
“Eddie is a player we are really excited about and has already given us a glimpse of his talent this season. We are delighted that all three have signed new contracts and are going to be a big part of our plans moving forward.”
Scotland star quits to become pilot
Scotland international Stuart McInally will soon be flying high when he hangs up his boots in November to pursue a career as a commercial airline pilot.
The 32-year-old Edinburgh hooker will call time on his career when his contract ends later this year to earn his wings in professional aviation, with McInally already holding a Private Pilot's License.
He joined Edinburgh's academy in 2009 and made his professional debut against Munster in 2010, making his 176th appearance for the club in Saturday's emphatic victory against Ospreys.
The former Scotland and Edinburgh captain will wear the castle on his chest for the last time this Friday night against Ulster at Kingspan Stadium and it remains to be seen if he will be included in Gregor Townsend's squad for the World Cup in France this autumn.
McInally said: "It was really tough knowing this was the moment to move on. I always thought it would be really easy to retire because I've always known what I want to do after rugby - become a pilot - but stepping away from the club I love is massive and it's been a huge decision.
"However, I feel ready and this is such an exciting opportunity. I drive under a flight path every morning on my journey into BT Murrayfield and so often see planes landing at Edinburgh Airport.
"I start to think 'what is the pilot seeing', 'how are they adapting' - and that itself gets me excited for the next steps in my career.
"While I'm obviously sad to be moving on, this decision has really been 10 years in the making. I started flying back in 2013 and a lot of work has gone in to get to this point. I'm now massively excited to pursue a career as a commercial airline pilot."
England's Ellis Genge banned for three weeks
England prop Ellis Genge has received a three-week ban after being cited for a dangerous tackle during Bristol's Gallagher Premiership defeat against Sale. Genge, who accepted the charge, will see the suspension reduced by a week if he completes World Rugby's coaching intervention programme.
Genge will be unavailable for Bristol's remaining two Premiership games of the season against Exeter on Saturday and Gloucester on May 6. His involvement in England's August World Cup warm-up fixtures, though, is set to be unaffected.
Genge's tackle on Sale flanker and England colleague Tom Curry saw him yellow-carded by referee Luke Pearce, but he was then cited and the case was heard by an independent disciplinary panel.
Panel chair Matthew Weaver KC said: "Ellis Genge accepted the charge of dangerously tackling Tom Curry, contrary to World Rugby law 9.13, prior to the hearing and, as such, the panel needed to consider only the appropriate sanction.
"Having considered the incident, including viewing footage of it both in real time and in slow motion, and it being confirmed that Curry had suffered no significant injury, the panel were content that the appropriate entry point was the mandatory minimum of mid-range, being a six-week suspension from playing.
"In light of his acceptance of the charge at the earliest opportunity, his apology to Curry and his previously good disciplinary record over a long career of over 150 top-level matches and 40 international matches, the panel were content to mitigate the suspension by the maximum 50 per cent, reducing the suspension to a three-week suspension.
"Genge has confirmed his intention to participate in the World Rugby coaching intervention programme which, if he is confirmed as eligible and conditional upon him completing the programme, will reduce his suspension to two weeks".
Exeter wing Olly Woodburn, meanwhile, is free to play again with immediate effect after he was sent off on receipt of two yellow cards during Chiefs' Premiership loss to Leicester on Sunday. Weaver heard the case on papers, the Rugby Football Union said, and the sending-off was deemed sufficient punishment.
Wales bid for 80-minute performance against France
Wales will be bidding for an 80-minute performance when they face France in the Women's Six Nations this Sunday, a week after a 59-3 defeat to England marked their first loss in three games.
Scrum-half Keira Bevan believes Wales showed that they can rattle the world's best, as they did in the opening half an hour before the Red Roses went up the gears, but admits her side have to learn quickly.
"I think we can definitely take positives from that," Bevan said. "I think we rattled them in a way they hadn't been rattled probably since the World Cup final. I know a couple of our girls have spoken to some of them and they were stunned. It's just, can we keep that going for 50/60/70/80 minutes?
"We had some really good instances in that game. Obviously a lot of work-ons, which were highlighted. Moving forward, we've got a great opportunity to put that right against one of the best teams in world in France."
France have won three games out of three and are bidding to set up a Grand Slam decider against England at Twickenham on Super Saturday, where more than 50,000 tickets have been sold for the first standalone women's international at English rugby HQ.
"We have to learn and we have to learn very quickly," she added. "I don't think there's ever an easy time to go to France. You just don't know what France are going to do, and that can be very difficult to defend and attack against. The French crowd are quite brutal. [But] I don't think there's a better time to right some of our wrongs."
England turn to Natasha Hunt for Six Nations game with Ireland
England scrum-half Natasha Hunt will make her first appearance of the TikTok Women's Six Nations against Ireland in Cork on Saturday.
Hunt was a controversial omission from the Red Roses squad that reached the World Cup final last autumn on the grounds that her instinct to run was at odds with head coach Simon Middleton's preference for a nine with consistent delivery. But the 34-year-old Gloucester-Hartpury captain has dazzled in the Allianz Premier 15s this season and is rewarded with a start in the penultimate round of England's title quest, with Lucy Packer dropping to the bench.
Hooker Connie Powell also makes her maiden appearance of the Six Nations, with a revamped front row completed by the selection of props Hannah Botterman and Maud Muir. Morwenna Talling and Helena Rowland are poised to make their first outings of the Championship after being picked on the bench.
England have secured a maximum 15-point haul from their three matches so far, including a 59-3 victory over Wales in round three.
"We were really pleased with the win in Wales in what was a difficult game. Our defence was outstanding," Middleton said. "We go into this game knowing there are areas we need to improve on and we are determined to do that.
"Ireland are experiencing a period of transition at the moment. We know they are a very passionate nation and we will need to be at our best to perform and earn the desired result."
England team: E Kildunne (Harlequins); A Dow (Harlequins), L Tuima (Harlequins), T Heard (Gloucester-Hartpury), C MacDonald (Exeter Chiefs); H Aitchison (Saracens), N Hunt (Gloucester-Hartpury); H Botterman (Saracens), C Powell (Gloucester-Hartpury), M Muir (Gloucester-Hartpury), Z Aldcroft (Gloucester Hartpury), S Beckett (Gloucester-Hartpury), S Kabeya (Loughborough Lightning), M Packer (Saracens, capt), A Matthews (Gloucester-Hartpury).
Replacements: L Davies (Bristol Bears), M Carson (Saracens), S Bern (Bristol Bears), D Burns (Bristol Bears), M Talling (Loughborough Lightning), L Packer (Harlequins), A Reed (Bristol Bears), H Rowland (Loughborough Lightning).
READ MORE:
Jac Morgan delivers huge boost to Welsh rugby as official announcement made on Wales star's future
Scarlets 'wouldn't have signed' Ioan Lloyd if they didn't back Wales return ambition'
