Today's rugby news as 'relentless' Welsh star tears it up and coach twists knife into Wales
The latest headlines from Wales and around the world
Leicester Tigers' Tommy Reffell put in 16 tackles against Bristol in a man-of-the-match performance
(Image: Steven Paston/PA Wire )
These are your latest rugby headlines on Monday, April 21.
'Relentless' Wales star tears it up
Wales international Tommy Reffell delivered a man-of-the-match performance as Leicester Tigers defeated fellow Gallagher Premiership title hopefuls Bristol 36-19 on Sunday. In a victory that saw Michael Cheika's side climb above Bristol, Sale and Saracens into second place in the table, the visitors to Ashton Gate ran in five tries with wings Adam Radwan and Ollie Hassell-Collins, scrum-half Jack van Poortvliet, full-back Freddie Steward and lock Cameron Henderson all getting on the scoresheet.
While he didn't get on the shortlist, Reffell stood out in an impressive display up-front from the Tigers, proving a constant thorn in Bristol's side as he dominated at the breakdown, stopping his opponents in their tracks and winning a total of three turnovers.
A huge defensive shift from the 25-year-old back row, who returned to Cheika's starting side for the visit to Ashton Gate, also saw him make 16 tackles, more than any other player made while he was on the pitch.
Reffell was duly awarded the TNT Sports' Player of the Match award, with former Wales captain Sam Warburton hailing his countryman as "relentless".
Article continues below
However, some commentators have gone even further with their praise, with Planet Rugby of the opinion that he could be a "dark horse" to make this summer's British & Irish Lions tour.
Reffell will now be key to Leicester's title hopes with four matches - against Harlequins, Sale, Bath and Newcastle - left to play of the regular season. Sign up to Inside Welsh rugby on Substack to get exclusive news stories and insight from behind the scenes in Welsh rugby.
Coach twists knife into Wales
Ireland head coach Scott Bemand was left frustrated despite his side recording a 40-14 bonus-point victory over Wales in the Women's Six Nations, claiming that his side could have put "50 or 60" points on the board.
Despite taking the lead at Rodney Parade on Sunday, Wales suffered a fourth successive defeat of the campaign as the visitors ran in six tries, meaning they are now staring down the barrel at back-to-back Six Nations Wooden Spoon finishes as they prepare to face Italy next weekend.
However, despite his side getting a big win under their belts, Bemand claimed after the match that they could have inflicted further punishment on Sean Lynn's Welsh side as he admitted to feeling "a little bit flat" about the result.
'Look, we've won a second on the bounce away from home, so always reflect on your victories,' the coach said. 'We said doing the same as what we did last year, two wins in the competition with the three [matches] that we probably should win away. We've managed to achieve that.
'I think there's bits of performance out there that I actually feel a little bit flat about because I think we've left a lot of points out there.
'I'd hoped to lay down a bit of a statement victory and I think that we had probably 16, 18 minutes at the end there where we could have kicked on and that could have been 50, 60," he added.
'With the young group there was a whole piece of occasion around here and handling playing a Wales group that, you know, are brilliantly Welsh. They were always going to make the breakdown hard and we kind of allowed that to happen.'
Owen Farrell Lions verdict issued
Former England internationals Ben Kay and Ugo Monye have given their verdict on Owen Farrell's chances of making this summer's British & Irish Lions tour.
The Racing 92 fly-half is one of the most experienced options that his father and Lions boss Andy has at his disposal for the tour of Australia, but is out of form for his club side and, by his own admission, not quite back to full fitness.
However, the appointment of Johnny Sexton to the Lions' coaching staff has raised questions over whether Farrell could in fact make his fourth Lions tour, with the ex-England skipper highly rated by his former Ireland rival.
But giving his take, Monye was not convinced that the unlikely call-up will happen, with the tour coming "a little too soon" for the 33-year-old.
"A fully fit Owen Farrell, with a season full of games, I think he definitely goes," said the TNT Sports pundit. "I watched him against Connacht for Racing 92 in the semi-final of the Challenge Cup last week. He came off the bench and played 30 minutes, spiral bombs, he played really well.
"But afterwards he said 'I'm trying to get my fitness, I'm trying to get back to full fitness.' And you don't want to be trying to get back to your full fitness at this stage of the season, so the Lions may come a little too soon."
Asked for his opinion, Kay claimed there could still be a role for Farrell, outside of the finalised squad.
"I could see him being the first reserve, as either a 10 or a centre, just to get him out there and come in," he added. "If you lose a couple through injury, who else would you want to come in and go straight into a Test team?"
Springbok hooker dies
Former South Africa international Gys Pitzer has died at the age of 85.
The hooker played 12 matches for the Springboks and featured in their 1968 series victory over the British & Irish Lions. However, his career was cut short by injury the following year, having spent three weeks in a Swansea hospital after injuring himself during a tour of Britain and Ireland.
Tragically, his death follows those of his wife Rina and grandson Gys Jnr last year.
Tributes have poured in for Pitzer, with SA Rugby president Mark Alexander remembering him as "an integral part of South African rugby history" who "played alongside legends and contributed to memorable victories".
Article continues below
'His commitment to excellence on the field was matched by his dedication off it - whether as a teacher, coach, or mentor to young players," Alexander added. 'Beyond his achievements on the field, Gys will be remembered as a remarkable husband, father, and grandfather. His legacy is one of leadership, kindness and deep love for the game and his fellow man.
'Gys endured profound personal loss last year with the passing of his wife, Rina, and grandson, Gys (Jnr), in 2024. His remaining family, friends, and the rugby fraternity will deeply miss him, but his contributions will forever be honoured. Our thoughts are with his loved ones during this difficult time. May they find strength in his memory and comfort in knowing his legacy will live on.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
BBC News
37 minutes ago
- BBC News
Huddersfield sign Bristol City midfielder McGuane
Huddersfield Town have signed Bristol City midfielder Marcus McGuane for an undisclosed fee on a three-year 26-year-old made 21 appearances in the Championship for the Robins last season after joining from Oxford former Arsenal trainee is the League One side's 11th signing this summer."Marcus has the right profile, pedigree and hunger to come into our group and be a positive influence both on and off the pitch," boss Lee Grant told the club website., external
Daily Mail
3 hours ago
- Daily Mail
New Gallagher Premiership season to kick-off with Thursday night match... while Villa Park will also be a new venue for the 2025/26 campaign
The 2025/26 Gallagher Premiership season will begin with a Thursday night fixture while the league will also host a match at the home of Aston Villa. On the back of a record-breaking campaign in terms of attendances and television viewership, English rugby's top division is hoping to go to new heights once again. Round one will kick-off with Sale hosting Gloucester on Thursday, September 25 – the first time the Premiership, now officially known as Gallagher PREM, will host a match outside its traditional weekend slot. Thursday night matches are not set to become common. But there is one to start the new season. There are no Saturday matches in round one to avoid a clash with the final of the Women's World Cup which is being hosted by England. In a bid to attract bigger crowds, PREM matches have regularly taken place at larger stadiums including numerous football grounds in recent years. But Aston Villa's Villa Park will be a new venue for English club rugby this season, with Gloucester facing Leicester Tigers at the iconic Premier League ground on Saturday, March 28. Saracens will again play at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium while Bristol will return to Cardiff's Principality Stadium after debuting there last term. After beating Leicester in last season's final and sealing an historic treble, Bath will be favourites to seal the league title for a second straight season. Simon Massie-Taylor, chief executive of PREM Rugby, said: 'We are incredibly excited for the return of the Gallagher PREM and fans have plenty to look forward to with a number of appetising new additions to the fixture list for 2025/26. 'Kicking off the campaign with a Thursday night opener brings a fresh twist to our traditional curtain-raiser. Marquee fixtures remain a key pillar of our strategy to broaden rugby's reach. 'We're thrilled to see Villa Park host The Slater Cup for the first time and to witness the continued growth of Bristol Bears' Big Day Out in its second year. Last season was a landmark one. 'Viewership on TNT Sports rose by 28 per cent, attendances continued their upward trend and the league has never been more competitive as we saw a sixth different champion in six years, with Bath edging Leicester. 'Now with the official launch of the new look Gallagher PREM, the 2025/26 season marks the beginning of a groundbreaking and transformative new era for the sport.'
Daily Mirror
6 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Pizza, partying and a new mantra - How Lionesses celebrated reaching Euro 2025 Final
Sarina Wiegman's European champions are stubbornly refusing to give up their crown and have booked their place into Sunday night's final in Switzerland after another miraculous late comeback Not. Done. Yet. That's the Lionesses mantra with England's Women now one game away from going back-to-back at the European Championships. The 2021 Euro Queens have been nothing if not belligerent in Switzerland, stubbornly refusing to give up their crown. The quarter-final against Sweden, they looked dead and buried, 2-0 down lacking inspiration. Tuesday night's semi-final against Italy, 1-0 down with 95 minutes on the clock and struggling to break down fiercely obdurate opponents it looked like the end. Both times, by hook or by crook, they found answers. Just as questions were asked of Sarina Wiegman, whether she'd got her tactics wrong or used her substitutions too late, her side found the answer. In both games, Michelle Agyemang proved critical, the teenage striker stepping off the bench and finding crucial goals - not least her equaliser against the Italians in Geneva."She has something special," the England boss gushed. "She's only 19-years-old, she's very mature, she knows exactly what she has to do." Another super-sub, Chloe Kelly, struck the extra-time winner to KO Italy, having been vital in turning the tide against Sweden with her dribbling and crossing ability. Both games England's dream looked like dying. Instead, they emerged victorious, boisterous celebrations following into the night after booking another final spot. READ MORE: UEFA desperately trying to preserve rules that helped England reach Euro 2025 final Veteran star Lucy Bronze declared: "I mean I never doubted that we had what it takes to push through but I think we've put our families through hell and back these last few games, to be honest. "I think that's people from the outside thinking teams have to win every single game. I think people talk about consistency with this England team, we've done six consecutive semi-finals, three consecutive finals, who else has done that? Nobody. You know, Spain and Germany are fantastic teams, even they haven't managed that feat. "It's hard to stay at the top in international football, so many teams, they have performances, then it's up and down, they develop, but this team just keeps fighting until the end. "I feel like we didn't have anything to prove because we've been there, we've done it many, many times, just about it's just the fact that the game's getting better, international football's not as easy as it used to be. And everybody's fighting and everybody wants to win and everybody feels like they can win." As they returned into their dressing rooms post-match the relief and sheer delight was clear. "Come on" roared Beth Mead, a dancing Kelly not far behind. "Goodness me" was Esme Morgan's simple statement that said everything about the 120 minutes she'd just been involved in. Inside, the Lionesses partied, slamming tables and singing 'Freed from Desire', a team delirious, still running on adrenaline, enjoying themselves and living in the moment, surrounded by sports drinks, bananas, tape and other changing room knick-knacks. After a quick shower and change they popped into the stands to celebrate with family members, boyfriends, loved ones - chats and debriefs shared over pizza. For some fans on social media, that normalcy was almost the highlight of the night. By the time the Lionesses and the coaching staff cleared out of the stadium it was nearly 1am. "Three finals on the bounce and we want more," declared Kelly. "It's such an unbelievable feeling" "We never give up," declared Wiegman. "We say we can win by any means. This team just keeps on going." For Bronze, now 33, there would be no party long into the night, regardless of what some of her team-mates were planning. "I'll be in the ice bath, let the kids celebrate."
