Here's your rugby evening headlines from Wales and beyond for Monday July 25
Son's tears over Welsh international's dementia
Welsh rugby international Lenny Woodard fears he won’t recognise his children in five years because of early onset dementia. And he has revealed how that prospect saw his nine-year-old son burst into tears.
The former Pontypool, Ebbw Vale and Pontypridd winger was diagnosed with the condition at the age of 45 just over a year ago. You can read more about his story here.
He believes rugby caused his dementia and he is among some 180 players taking legal action against World Rugby, the Welsh Rugby Union and the Rugby Football Union. Lawyers acting for the players, including former Wales captain Ryan Jones, argue the governing bodies have failed to take reasonable action to protect players from permanent injury caused by concussive blows.
Woodard, who went on Wales’ 1998 tour to South Africa and won five caps for the Welsh rugby league team, has been talking about his situation to the BBC.
He said: “The stark reality of being diagnosed with early onset dementia in your 40s, with young children, means in five years, 10 years, 15 years time we might not know who they are.”
Woodward explained how he had been discussing the matter with his partner as his children played in the next room.
He said: “My partner was explaining, ‘I want the kids to see you as much as possible, as often as possible and do as many memorable things as possible because there is a chance in 10 years, 15 years time you’re not even going to know who they are.’
His nine-year-old son, Leo, overheard the conversation. “He burst into tears, ran into the room, hugged me and would not let go of me for a few minutes,” said Woodard.
He added: “My memory, my thought processes, are declining gradually and I can see that. I was diagnosed a year ago and I can see it has got worse over the last year.
“I often forget journeys at crucial stages within it, repeat myself in conversations, repeat myself half-an-hour later, an hour later, forget conversations, things I’ve done in the past completely now, whereas five years, 10 years ago I had what I would class as a perfect recollection of things.”
Wales wait to learn World Cup opponents
Wales’ World Cup group will be completed following a four-team play-off in Dubai. Hong Kong, Kenya, the United States and Portugal will meet in a round-robin format to decide who takes the final vacant spot in France next year.
Whoever comes out on top will go into Pool C, alongside Wales, Australia, Fiji and Georgia. The qualification tournament will be held at the Sevens Stadium in Dubai from November 6-18.
Kenya and Hong Kong have never competed at the Rugby World Cup before. The Kenyans were beaten by Namibia in the battle for the automatic qualifying spot from Africa. Honk Kong, who are coached by former Dragons stalwart Lewis Evans, also get another chance having lost out to Tonga at the weekend. The South Sea islanders won 44-22 at Queensland’s Sunshine Coast Stadium to book a spot in Pool B, where they will face South Africa, Ireland, Scotland and Romania.
As for the USA, they head into the four-way contest having lost on aggregate in dramatic fashion to Chile, who will be at the World Cup for the first time.
Newport recruitment drive
Welsh Premiership title hopefuls Newport have made a raft of signings as they look to go one better than last season. They were just pipped for top spot in the league last term, with Cardiff finishing a point clear of them after the final round of matches.
Now the Blacks & Ambers have moved to bolster their squad for the coming campaign. Among their new recruits is Wales Sevens star Lloyd Lewis, with the winger - who has also made a name for himself as a rapper - switching from Pontypool.
Lewis will be joined at the club by another member of Wales’ Commonwealth Games squad in Pontypridd winger Cole Swannack, while flanker Alex Grey, who has signed from Ebbw Vale, also has Wales Sevens experience.
Loosehead prop Thomas Davies brings bags of experience as he makes the move from Cardiff RFC, having made 50 regional appearances for Cardiff Blues and a further 34 for the Dragons.
Other signings include fellow prop Tom Workman, the son of Newport team manager Mark, who played 287 games for the club, with former Wales U20s scrum-half Dafydd Buckland, Bedwas lock Craig Hudd, Pontypool utility back Kieran Meek and Glamorgan Wanderers wing Tom Richards also among the recruits.
Lobby Group to submit demands
Lobby group Progressive Rugby says it is "finalising a comprehensive list of player welfare critical requirements" that will be submitted to the sport's world governing body.
The PA news agency understands that proceedings were to be issued at court on Monday by Rylands Law on behalf of a group of professional and semi-professional players against World Rugby, the Rugby Football Union and the Welsh Rugby Union.
The case involves a number of rugby players diagnosed with early-onset dementia and other irreversible neurological impairments.
The claimants, who include former Wales captain Ryan Jones and England's 2003 World Cup-winning hooker Steve Thompson, argue that the sport's governing bodies were negligent in that they failed to take reasonable action to protect players from permanent injury caused by repetitive concussive and sub-concussive blows.
Progressive Rugby, a non-profit group demanding better protection for players, is not involved in the court action.
"While not involved in the litigation, we are deeply saddened to see the large number of players taking legal action as a result of neurological issues they believe are related to their time playing the game," a statement read.
"Progressive Rugby are in the process of finalising a comprehensive list of player welfare critical requirements which will be submitted to World Rugby.
"We believe delay is no longer an option and that radical action must be taken as a matter of urgency to ensure rugby union's reputation isn't damaged beyond repair."
Allegations raised by the claimants include a failure by the defendants to take adequate steps to inform, educate or warn the claimants about the risks of permanent brain damage; reduce the amount of contact allowed in training; seek or follow expert medical or other advice available to them with regard to the risk of permanent brain injury; institute or commission adequate research into the effects of multiple concussive and sub-concussive impacts on the brain and the prevention of permanent brain injury.
Read next:
Josh Navidi joins the band at his own wedding a week after Wales tour
Sam Warburton reveals he considered quitting at 25 in wake of tragedy
