Here are the latest rugby evening headlines on Wednesday, April 20.
Dan Biggar banned for three weeks
Wales captain and Northampton Saints fly-half Dan Biggar has been banned for three weeks for the red card he received for a dangerous tackle on Gloucester's Chris Harris during the Challenge Cup clash on Saturday.
The incident sparked a clash between the Wales captain and a supporter at Franklin's Gardens who verbally abused him as he left the pitch. Stewards reportedly had to step in to calm the situation.
Biggar was sent off in the 51st minute of the last-16 bout by referee Sam Grove-White and the incident went before an independent disciplinary panel on Wednesday. Submissions were heard from Biggar, who accepted the red card decision, Northampton team manager Maurice Hartery and EPCR disciplinary officer Liam McTiernan before the panel upheld the red card and deemed it to warrant being a mid-range entry point of six weeks from World Rugby's sanctions.
An EPCR statement said: "Given his guilty plea and clear disciplinary record, and as there were no aggravating factors, it was decided to grant the full 50% mitigation and the committee therefore reduced the sanction by three weeks before imposing a three-week suspension. Because of Northampton Saints’ forthcoming fixture schedule, Biggar is free to play on Monday, May 23, however, if he applies for and completes a World Rugby Coaching Intervention, he will be free to play on Monday, May 2.
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Wales boss holds talks with players after job link
Wales Women boss Ioan Cunningham has revealed he has held talks with his players after reports emerged at the weekend claiming he would take over the Wales U20s job after guiding Wales Women to the World Cup this autumn. The Welsh Rugby Union moved to quash the speculation, denying talks had taken place over Cunningham's future.
Speaking for the first time since the claims, Cunningham told a pre-Wales v France press conference that he is fully committed to Wales Women.
Asked if he has yet had talks about his role post-World Cup, he said: "No." As for the squad, he said: "I've spoken to the squad. My 100% commitment is to this group. I love working with this group of players and staff. We're learning, we're getting better all the time and that's what I'm really enjoying about this group. My full attention is with the Wales Women team."
Wales captain Siwan Lillicrap said: "We are reassured and Ioan and the management commitment is absolutely with us at the moment. They're doing a great job and we're grateful for the honesty and everything that that management group are implementing. It's in a different spot to what it was and we just want to keep on this path, essentially."
Wales play their penultimate Women's Six Nations game against France on Friday night at Cardiff Arms Park (8pm kick-off). Cunningham said of the bout: "We're really looking forward to hopefully finishing with a strong performance in the next two games and I'm excited from the learnings we've taken from this campaign and putting it together throughout the summer and taking it towards the World Cup."
Cardiff v Zebre rearranged after storm
Cardiff's home United Rugby Championship clash against Zebre has been rescheduled for Friday, May 6 (7.35pm kick-off). The original fixture in February was postponed because of severe weather warnings across Wales which saw a rare red warning issued.
The game completes Cardiff's league programme with the regular season finishing in late May.
Wales welcome Ireland in Six Nations opener
Wayne Pivac's Wales will begin their 2023 Six Nations campaign at home to Ireland on February 4 next year, it has been announced. Beaten for the first time at home by Italy last month, Wales begin by hosting Andy Farrell's men and end their campaign in Paris against Grand Slam champions France.
England will open their campaign against Scotland at Twickenham. It is the reverse of their first fixture this season, when Eddie Jones' team lost 20-17 to the Scots in Edinburgh.
Welsh Rugby Union chief executive Steve Phillips said: "We are always looking for the best possible preparation time for our Wales coaches and players when Six Nations fixtures are drawn up, which means avoiding a six-day turnaround if possible. Of course, our respective colleagues in the Six Nations are all also looking for the same thing, meaning compromises must be made, so we are delighted to have finished up with Saturday afternoon kick-off times in all five rounds." You can find the 2023 Six Nations fixtures and kick-off times here.
Gloucester in contention for trophy treble
Louis Rees-Zammit's Gloucester have reached the season's business-end in contention for a possible trophy treble - but head coach George Skivington is staying grounded.
Skivington's team stand seven points adrift of the Gallagher Premiership play-off zone with four games left. But they are also awaiting an independent panel's ruling on points allocation from their cancelled league game against Worcester last month.
The panel assembled this week to investigate circumstances under which Worcester were unable to field the required six front-row players for the Kingsholm fixture. It meant the match was cancelled and will not be replayed, and it would be a major surprise if Gloucester are not awarded at least four points, with an outcome possible by the end of this week.
They tackle Bristol at Ashton Gate on Friday, before facing Bath, Harlequins and Saracens, while there is also a Premiership Rugby Cup semi-final against Worcester later this month and a European Challenge Cup quarter-final appointment with Saracens on May 7 on their schedule.
"There might be five teams who could make it into that fourth spot, so it is not something I am really concerned about," Skivington said. "We need to be a threat across the board, and if we get that right, I think we are a very good team and a dangerous team and things could happen. But if we don't, then any talk of top four or anything like that quickly disappears. If you can be fighting in three competitions at this point of the season, you have got half a chance.
"But again, in the next three matches or whatever, your season can be all wrapped up and you are not in anything. We are very happy to be fighting on all three fronts, and I would like it to be like that every year, but we are also very aware if you don't get game by game right, all those fronts are gone."
Ex-Ireland star to retire
Leinster's former Ireland hooker Sean Cronin has announced he will retire from rugby at the end of the season. Cronin, who turns 36 next month, represented his country 72 times and travelled to World Cups in 2011, 2015 and 2019.
He helped Ireland to Six Nations triumphs in 2014 and 2015, in addition to being part of the Grand Slam-winning squad of 2018. Having begun his club career with Munster, Cronin joined Leinster from Connacht in 2011. He has gone on to score 45 tries in 204 appearances for his current province.
"After 14 years, I can confirm that this will be my last season playing professional rugby," he said. "I feel incredibly lucky to have had the opportunity to do something I love for a living. The professional side of my career was a different journey than most but one I look back on with huge pride as I experienced some amazing clubs filled with great coaches, team-mates, and players across all three teams."
Cronin has won two Heineken Champions Cup medals, a Challenge Cup and six PRO12/14 titles with Leinster. He will take over as head coach of Dublin-based St Mary's College RFC for next season.
"I look forward to developing my coaching aspirations along with furthering my education in the financial field, but most importantly spending time with my family," added the father-of-three.
