Here are your rugby evening headlines for Monday, August 1.
Former Fiji wing blasts players' 'lack of pride'
Former Fiji wing Sireli Bobo has launched a blistering attack on the current international squad following the disappointing third-place finish in the Pacific Nations Cup.
Fiji could only finish third despite starting the tournament with a 36-0 win over Tonga after falling to defeats against Australia A and eventual winners Samoa. Wing Bobo, capped 16 times, believes it wasn't the fault of coach Vern Cotter and his staff, but rather the players.
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“It seems they don’t have passion for their country and even pride for the jersey," he told the Fiji Sun. "The players should take a really good look at themselves.
“Many fans blamed the coach and his coaching staff but they had done their job. It’s the players’ attitude and how they prepare themselves mentally to get into a crunch match. Fact is, that we lost right here at home, right in our backyard, to a team that hardly beat us both home and away.
“It’s just unacceptable given the calibre of players and the records we have. These players should learn to have pride in the white jersey because they are not playing for themselves: they are playing for the people of Fiji.
“I don’t know if they know the culture, history and the significance of the Flying Fijians jersey and how important it is to represent their country. These players should know and understand their purpose. They should think about all the former national reps who once wore the jersey during those hard times with Fiji Rugby. Today, players are privileged to have everything done for them from training to playing. Talent can take you anywhere, but your attitude carries you.”
World Rugby vows not to 'stand still' on player welfare
World Rugby has vowed they "do not stand still" on the issue of player welfare amid claims that playing the sport has caused brain damage.
Lawyers for more than 185 players are suing World Rugby, the Rugby Football Union and the Welsh Rugby Union for allegedly failing to "protect players from permanent injury". The claimants include former Wales captain Ryan Jones and England's 2003 World Cup-winning hooker Steve Thompson, with many of the former players diagnosed with early-onset dementia and other irreversible neurological impairments.
Speaking exclusively to the PA news agency, World Rugby chief executive officer Alan Gilpin said: "We have heard these stories and testimonies and we have huge sympathy with the players involved and their families. The first thing is heartfelt sympathy and our commitment is to listen as much as we can to those players' testimonies.
"For those who are engaged in legal action we can't engage them directly. That is really unfortunate, but our commitment to them is we don't stand still on this stuff. We've put a huge amount of work in on player welfare and will continue to follow an evidence-based approach."
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.
World Rugby unveiled a six-point plan in July 2021 to advance player welfare in the sport. Among the initiatives - which placed a sharp focus on former players, women and the community game - were independent concussion consultants to support the elite game's graduated return-to-play protocols.
Over the last 18 months the ORCHID study has been run by New Zealand's University of Otago to consider head impacts in community rugby, with its full results to be published around October.
Gilpin said: "One of the challenges is that if you are going to follow the data and the science, it takes time. What's concerning us is that some different issues have become conflated. That's what is happening at the elite professional end of the game - an issue we have to deal with - to how quickly it becomes a debate of 'is it safe for my kids to play rugby?'
"The research will show across the biggest study undertaken in community sport that the type of impact being suffered in age-grade rugby and in community rugby are incredibly different to what we're seeing in the professional game. Our message is that there are two different debates here and we cannot confuse them. The type of impacts are very different and we have a tackle ready programme in the community game focused on teaching the right tackle technique."
This tackle-ready element has been extended to the women's game, which Gilpin says is the "fastest growing part of our sport" with a 10-year plan in place to build on the foundations laid.
Ex-Springbok captain backs them to beat All Blacks
Former South Africa captain Jean de Villiers believes the world champions can win both upcoming games against under-fire New Zealand in the Rugby Championship.
The Springboks start the tournament with consecutive matches against the All Blacks, who are undergoing something of an existential crisis at the moment. With two assistant coaches having departed following the series defeat to Ireland, head coach Ian Foster is under immense pressure.
“The All Blacks have been poor results-wise and will want to rectify that in South Africa,” De Villiers told BokSquad. “They are struggling with certain areas of their game, which the 'Boks will want to exploit.
“Another factor is that New Zealand’s players no longer play Super Rugby in South Africa. In the past, they would get to play at altitude during Super Rugby so it wouldn’t have too much of an effect on them in the Tri-Nations or Rugby Championship. Many of their players who come to South Africa this year won’t be used to it, which will benefit the 'Boks.
“The 'Boks will obviously look to exploit areas of weakness in the All Blacks’ game and I hope they have learned from last year’s two matches against them. The Boks lost the first game narrowly after showing no ambition with ball in hand. In the second game, which they won, they did keep ball in hand and took their opportunities to attack.
“The 'Boks put teams under pressure by playing the game they play – a strong, solid first phase, big defence and a good kicking game – but if they can get the balance right in terms of attack, and keep ball in hand when the opportunity is there, then they can definitely win both games against the All Blacks.”
Scarlets and Dragons confirm venue for final pre-season friendly
The Scarlets and Dragons have confirmed their final pre-season friendly against each other will take place at Parc y Scarlets on Friday, September 9 (7pm kick-off).
The pre-season fixture, their final one before the United Rugby Championship season kicks off a week later, had been pencilled in with the date and venue to be confirmed. However, both sides have now announced it will take place in Llanelli.
Before the two Welsh sides face each other, both will take on English opposition to warm up for the new campaign. Bristol Bears head to Rodney Parade on Friday, August 26, before going to Llanelli on Friday, September 2. That same night, the Dragons will face Wasps.
While the two sides have confirmed the time and date for their final pre-season clash, fans are still waiting on kick-off times for the URC fixtures, with the league expected to announce them this week.
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