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The 42
17-06-2025
- Sport
- The 42
Munster announce three fixtures in pre-season schedule
MUNSTER HAVE ANNOUNCED three pre-season fixtures ahead of the 2025/26 season. With Clayton McMillan taking over in July, Munster will face Biarritz Olympique Pays Basque, Gloucester Rugby and Bath Rugby in August and September ahead of the 2025/26 URC season beginning on 27 Saturday September. Advertisement Munster begin with a trip to Biarritz on 22 August. The Irish province will then travel to Kingsholm to take on Gloucester Rugby on 5 September. Concluding preparations for the new season will be the visit of Premiership Champions Bath Rugby to Virgin Media Park in Cork on 12 September. Munster Rugby Pre-Season Schedule Friday, August 22nd: Biarritz Olympique v Munster Rugby, Stade Aguiléra, 8pm local time Friday, September 5th: Gloucester Rugby v Munster Rugby, Kingsholm, 7.30pm Friday, September 12th: Munster Rugby v Bath Rugby, Virgin Media Park, 7pm
BBC News
17-06-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Williams hopes to do Wales proud in Lions shirt
Scrum-half Tomos Williams hopes he and Jac Morgan can do Wales proud when they play for the British and Irish Williams and Ospreys flanker Morgan are the only two Wales players in Andy Farrell's 38-man squad that will face Argentina on Friday night in Dublin before the nine-match tour of is Wales' lowest contingent for almost 100 years after a record run of 17 international defeats."I try not to put too much pressure on myself, but it is just me and Jac [from Wales]," said Williams."I don't want to speak for him but we are so hugely proud."It is such an honour to represent your country and the Lions and hopefully we can do them proud." 'Lot to thank Gloucester for' Williams says he hopes to follow in the Lions footsteps of outstanding Wales scrum-halves Sir Gareth Edwards, Brynmor Williams, Terry Holmes, Robert Jones, Rob Howley, Dwayne Peel, Mike Phillips and Gareth Davies. Williams was named Gallagher Premiership Player of the Season after a standout debut campaign with 30-year-old joined Gloucester from Cardiff in 2024 and helped them to a fifth-placed finish in the Premiership, narrowly missing out on the play-offs by two points."Being in Wales was pretty tough, especially over the last couple of years playing internationally," said Williams."I think the move to Gloucester helped me a lot and given me a break from the international rugby as well and it is nice to go back there."The way we played suited me and I have got a lot to thank Gloucester for."Williams' performances saw him named in the Lions squad alongside England's Alex Mitchell and Ireland number nine Jamison Gibson-Park, who missed Leinster's United Rugby Championship (URC) final win against Bulls on Saturday. The Farrell aura Williams has been impressed by the approach of Lions head coach Farrell."I think he has such an aura around the place," said Williams."Everybody turns their heads when he speaks."The level of detail and clarity he gives you is class."Following a warm weather training week in Portugal where he shared a room with England fly-half Fin Smith, Williams is in line to be involved in the warm-up fixture against Argentina at the Aviva Stadium on Friday, 20 June (20:00 BST)."It is about trying to put what we worked out in the week," said Williams."It has been a pretty short period to get things going. Hopefully we can see how we have trained and put it into practice on the pitch and that will be half the battle. "It is not putting too much pressure on ourselves, getting that game plan in place and playing the way we want to play."
CNA
12-06-2025
- Sport
- CNA
Bath and Leicester roll back the years in battle for English supremacy
LONDON -Bath v Leicester is a fixture that is evocative of a time when the clubs totally ruled English rugby, and memories and rivalries forged in the 1980s will re-emerge on Saturday when they meet in the English Premiership final for the first time. They, along with Gloucester, are the only clubs to have been permanent members of the top flight since it was formed 1988 and in the league's early years they were totally dominant, winning 12 of the first 15 titles between them, as well as nine versions of the cup. Since those glory days, however, it has been a different story, as the likes of Saracens, Wasps, Northampton and Exeter broke up the hegemony. Leicester did continue to dine at the top table, winning the league in 2007, 2010, 2013 and 2022 to take their tally to 11, but Bath's last triumph remains the 1996 title when the winners were still decided by a simple league table with no end-of-season final. That was also the last time the two big guns faced off at Twickenham, as Bath triumphed 16-15 in the Pilkington Cup final courtesy of a last-minute penalty try that Leicester fans have been grumbling about for 29 years. Until this season, Bath's 1996 league and cup double remained their last domestic success - though they did win the European Cup two years later. They have lost three Premiership finals since then, including last year's nail-biter against Northampton, but are now bidding for a 2025 treble having already bagged the Premiership Cup - largely a development competition - and the European Challenge Cup. They finished away and clear at the top of the Premiership and, after an early wobble, eventually swept past Bristol in the semis. South African coach Johann van Graan has introduced a level of pragmatism rarely seen at the Recreation Ground and fans dreaming of running rugby, but starved of silverware, have learned to love seeing their massive pack, and particularly their own Bomb Squad, overwhelm all opposition in a succession of second-half surges. The team have also been expertly guided by the halfback combination of on-song Ben Spencer and Finn Russell, who has curbed some of his wilder instincts to move his team around the pitch, while also taking his goalkicking up to truly world-class level. "It's taken a lot of hard work from the group," scrumhalf Spencer said of Bath's revival since Van Graan arrived two years ago. "I think one huge thing that Johann brought in was turning hope into belief. This group believes now, and believes that we can win big games. Saturday will be another huge game for the group and we know that each and every one of us has got each other's back." Leicester are back where they feel they belong after an horrendous dip that had them finish third-from-bottom last season. Under the leadership of Australian Michael Cheika they have rediscovered much of their swagger and finished strongly to secure second place in the standings before edging past Sale in the semis. "They gave us a bit of a tonking when we were down there a few weeks ago and Bath are the only team we haven't beaten yet this year, so we have got to find a way to master that opponent," Cheika said in relation to his side's 43-15 league defeat on May 17. Whatever the result, it will be an emotional day for scrumhalf Ben Youngs and prop Dan Cole - England's two most-capped players - who are playing their final games after almost 700 Leicester appearances between them.
BBC News
11-06-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Gloucester sign versatile Leinster back Russell
Gloucester have signed versatile outside back Rob Russell from Leinster Rugby for the 2025-26 season. The 26-year-old has scored 18 tries in 35 appearances for the United Rugby Championship finalists since his debut in 2021. Russell joined Leinster's academy from Dublin's St Michael's College - which has a strong rugby pedigree - and can play on the wing or at Cherry and Whites have not disclosed the length of his contract. "I'll echo what I said when we signed Ross Byrne earlier this year; there aren't many better academies to come through and learn your trade than Leinster," said Gloucester director of rugby George Skivington."Rob has really shown what he can do when given the opportunity. He's got a pretty decent strike rate for Leinster - almost one try every two games - and he's motivated for a new challenge in the Gallagher Premiership."We're delighted with our back-three talent already, but to add someone like Rob, who covers across the three positions and has all the attacking assets we're looking for, is really pleasing."Russell is the sixth back to move to Gloucester for next season with scrum-half Mike Austin, full-back Ben Redshaw, wing Ben Loader, centre Will Joseph and fly-half Byrne already confirmed.
BBC News
04-06-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Prop Fasogbon signs new Gloucester contract
Gloucester tighthead prop Afolabi Fasogbon has signed a new contract at 20, enjoyed an eye-catching debut Premiership season which included 12 starts in the league for fifth-placed Gloucester."When I had the chance to sign for Gloucester after leaving London Irish, I knew it was the best place for me to develop my game," Fasogbon told the Cherry and Whites' website."This season has been so enjoyable. I'm just trying to learn from every moment, good or bad and keep adding to my game."The length of Fasogbon's contract extension has not been revealed but Gloucester say it will keep him at Kingsholm "for the 2025-26 season and beyond."Fasogbon's emergence this season led to him being nominated for Breakthrough Player of the Season at the Rugby Awards, an award won by Northampton Saints flanker Henry Pollock."When we signed Afo we were excited about his potential, but we were careful not to throw him in too early," Gloucester director of rugby George Skivington added."I think you're seeing the benefits of that this season. He's been excellent considering he's still only a young man, particularly for a prop. "But he's still got a long way to go and a lot of potential to unlock."
