Here's your round-up of all the latest rugby evening headlines for Saturday, July 23.
Warburton on rugby's safety issues
Sam Warburton has revealed he questioned whether he should carry on playing rugby at the age of 25 in the wake of his Cardiff team-mate Owen Williams suffering a catastrophic spinal injury.
Centre Williams was left paralysed from the chest down and wheelchair-bound after sustaining serious spinal damage in a freak incident in the World Club Tens out in Singapore in 2014.
Former Wales and Lions captain Warburton talks about that in his column for The Times where he discusses safety issues in rugby. His comments come in the wake of Ryan Jones being diagnosed with early onset dementia at 41.
“What would I think, were I still a player now and these stories about dementia were rapidly emerging? I would be alarmed no doubt. I suspect most players feel the same,” said Warburton.
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“It was the same when my colleague at Cardiff, centre Owen Williams, was left paralysed in 2014. I questioned playing the game then, as, I’m sure, did many others.
“And when Alix Popham first told his story in 2020 I was asking myself whether I needed to get some scans done and was over-thinking things and over-assessing my memory. I would still play the game today, but, if I took a head knock, I would be very cautious about when I came back, as I was in fairness with all injuries.
“I played the sport knowing that injuries might affect my later life. I can’t play tennis with my daughter now because of my bad shoulder, which has recently been diagnosed as arthritic. I can’t lift my arm and rotate it to serve, for instance. But it is a small price to pay for the amazing life rugby has given me. The crucial point is, though, that all the injuries I had can be operated upon and managed in some way. Brain injuries cannot.”
He added: “Is it a game in crisis because of its safety problems? I wouldn’t say so, because I know how seriously this issue is being taken and the steps that are being taken to make the game safer."
Warburton retired from professional rugby at the age of 29 in 2018, having suffered from neck and knee injuries which prevented him from playing for 12 months before he called time on his playing career.
Scarlets star books World Cup spot
Scarlets star Sam Lousi is heading for the Rugby World Cup having helped Tonga seal their spot in France by beating Hong Kong 44-22 in Saturday's play-off at Queensland’s Sunshine Coast Stadium.
The 30-year-old lock was one of the outstanding players in regional rugby last season and will now get another chance to perform on the global stage, having been at the 2019 World Cup in Japan.
Against Hong Kong, he was joined in the second row by Connacht’s Halaleva Fifita, the elder brother of new Scarlets signing Vaea Fifita, who has won 11 caps for the All Blacks.
Tonga will now join South Africa, Ireland, Scotland and Romania in Pool B in France next year when they should have star internationals Israel Folau, Malakai Fekitoa, Charles Piutau and Lopeti Timani on board. Despite having played Test rugby for Australia and New Zealand, they are eligible through new World Rugby eligibility rules. They missed the Hong Kong game through either injury or unavailability.
Veterans return for Springboks
Vastly-experienced duo Duane Vermeulen and Frans Steyn have been recalled to the Springboks squad after missing the series against Wales through injury.
Between them, Ulster No. 8 Vermeulen, 36, and utility back Steyn, 35, bring 134 caps to the party having been included in a 41-strong group for the home leg of the Rugby Championship. Under-fire Elton Jantjies retains his place as one of just two out-and-out No. 10s in the squad despite his indifferent form versus Wales.
Winger Cheslin Kolbe is unavailable after breaking his jaw against Wayne Pivac’s team in the deciding Test in Cape Town.
The ‘Boks will play back-to-back Tests at home to the All Blacks in Nelspruit on Saturday, August 6, and in Johannesburg a week later on August 13, before travelling to Australia for two games against the Wallabies.
Coach Jacques Nienaber said: “New Zealand, Australia and Argentina will pose different challenges to Wales, and we realise the importance of hitting the ground running in the first two Tests. We will enter the competition with a series win against Wales, which will give us a little confidence, especially after the way we played in the deciding Test, but back-to-back matches against the All Blacks is a completely different challenge and we know that they will come here wanting to make amends for losing their last two matches against Ireland.”
He added: “We are pleased with the enthusiasm and attitude the new players showed in the squad during the series [against Wales]. We feel that this group well worked together throughout the campaign and that we have good cover in all positions, so we opted to keep the majority of the group together for the home leg of the Rugby Championship.”
On the return of the two veterans, he said: “Duane and Frans are both very experienced players and they each have valuable traits that they bring to the field of play, so we are excited to welcome them into the fold.”
All Blacks boss admits he is under pressure
All Blacks coach Ian Foster admits he is a man under pressure as he looks ahead to the Rugby Championship. In the wake of New Zealand’s series defeat to Ireland.
There has been much scrutiny on Foster, who took over from Steve Hansen after the 2019 World Cup, and now he faces a succession of games against Australia, South Africa and Argentina in the Rugby Championship, having named his squad this week.
“There’s no doubt I’m under pressure, but I’m always under pressure. As an All Blacks coach you live with that all the time,” said Foster, the former Chiefs boss. “Does it hurt? Yes it does. But the key thing for me is ensuring we’ve got robust processes to make sure we have the right people in the right seats. I am strong. I am resilient. I believe I have a great feel and relationship with my players. I’m strategic and I’m also accountable.”
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