Here are the latest rugby headlines on Wednesday, October 19.
Pivac namechecks World Cup bolter
Wales coach Wayne Pivac has namechecked Exeter's Dafydd Jenkins as a potential World Cup bolter.
The Kiwi yesterday named his squad for Wales' autumn international series against New Zealand, Argentina, Georgia and Australia. The selection has set tongues wagging, with a number of debutants picked and a number of big-name players missing out.
Pivac will obviously have an eye on the World Cup which gets under way in a year's time, and admitted there was always a chance for a rider to come up on the outside in his selection thoughts, with teenage lock Jenkins in his mind already.
Asked if this squad would be one he would pick if the World Cup was in two weeks' time, Pivac told the BBC's ScrumV podcast : “No!
“You wouldn’t be putting in too many players who have had a handful of club games and hadn’t played Test rugby.
“Rugby World Cup, we don’t have to solve that puzzle right now but in terms of the Rugby World Cup we believe we’ve probably got 90 per cent of our squad, we’ve had a good look at them, we believe they are the right guys to send to the Rugby World Cup, it’s the finishing touches to the squad at the moment we are looking at.
“You know, you can get a bolter. You’ve seen it before. Louis Rees-Zammit, how long did it take him to burst onto the scene, there is a Dafydd Jenkins sitting down there in Exeter, great young player coming through, he’s injured at the moment. So there are your youngs ones there. Chris Tshiunza, massive future in the game, so there’s still time, but you wouldn’t want to be making too many changes.”
Jenkins himself has international ambitions and told Rugby World back in August: "Since I’ve been young, playing for Wales is something I’ve hoped to do, but I’m going to keep my head down, keep trying to play well and that will take care of itself hopefully. I just want to win trophies with the Chiefs at the moment and if the opportunity comes (with Wales) I’d love to take it, but you’ve got to play well first.
"I want to win as many games as I can and compete with the best players in the world."
Former Wales captain Sam Warburton is another big fan and expects him to be part of Pivac's squad next year.
Finn Russell axed by Scotland
Racing 92 fly-half Finn Russell has been left out of the Scotland squad for the Autumn Nations Series in a shock decision by Gregor Townsend.
Blair Kinghorn, Adam Hastings and Ross Thompson have all been chosen ahead of the British and Irish Lions international.
Australia international Jack Dempsey has been called up after switching allegiances, while his uncapped Glasgow team-mate Stafford McDowall is also included in Gregor Townsend's squad.
Edinburgh forward Jamie Ritchie has been named as captain ahead of games against Australia, Fiji, New Zealand and Argentina at BT Murrayfield.
Racing in talks with Biggar
French giants Racing 92 have reportedly made contact with Wales fly-half Dan Biggar as he heads towards the end of his contract with Northampton Saints.
Biggar becomes a free agent at the end of the season and has already been linked with Toulon and Pau.
But Racing have now reportedly made a move for the 106-cap player.
RMC Sport in France say that the Parisian club had mulled over a move for Beauden Barrett but speculate that he could head for Japan, while Mathieu Jalibert has two years left on his contract with Bordeaux Begles.
Racing have now been in touch with Biggar, the website says, although the club haven’t ruled out Finn Russell staying on in the French capital.
Ireland name six uncapped players
Ireland have included six uncapped players in a 37-man squad for the autumn internationals against world champions South Africa, Fiji and Australia.
Andy Farrell's side will return to action having climbed to the top of the world rankings following a stunning 2-1 Test series win in New Zealand during the summer.
Ireland will tackle the Springboks for the first time in six years on Saturday, November 5, while Fiji head to Dublin for the first time since 2017 a week later ahead of the final game of the Bank of Ireland Nations Series against Australia on November 19.
Captained by Johnny Sexton, Ireland will have six players looking to make their senior international debuts as Ciaran Frawley, Jeremy Loughman, Joe McCarthy, Calvin Nash, Jimmy O'Brien and Cian Prendergast all received call-ups.
Ulster wing Jacob Stockdale returns following a lengthy injury lay-off, his last cap coming during the summer of 2021, while Leinster's James Lowe misses out because of a calf problem.
Ireland squad:
Backs - Robert Baloucoune (Ulster), Joey Carbery (Munster), Craig Casey (Munster), Ciaran Frawley (Leinster), Jamison Gibson Park (Leinster), Mack Hansen (Connacht), Robbie Henshaw (Leinster), Hugo Keenan (Leinster), Michael Lowry (Ulster), Conor Murray (Munster), Stuart McCloskey (Ulster), Calvin Nash (Munster), Jimmy O'Brien (Leinster), Garry Ringrose (Leinster), Johnny Sexton (Leinster, capt), Jacob Stockdale (Ulster)
Forwards - Ryan Baird (Leinster), Finlay Bealham (Connacht), Tadhg Beirne (Munster), Jack Conan (Leinster), Gavin Coombes (Munster), Caelan Doris (Leinster), Tadhg Furlong (Leinster), Dave Heffernan (Connacht), Cian Healy (Leinster), Rob Herring (Ulster), Jeremy Loughman (Munster), Joe McCarthy (Leinster), Peter O'Mahony (Munster), Tom O'Toole (Ulster), Andrew Porter (Leinster), Cian Prendergast (Connacht), James Ryan (Leinster), Dan Sheehan (Leinster), Nick Timoney (Ulster), Kieran Treadwell (Ulster), Josh Van Der Flier (Leinster)
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