Here's your round-up of all the latest rugby headlines for January 19.
French rugby to mark tragic death
French rugby is mourning the loss of Rouen fly-half Jordan Michallet, with a minute's applause to be held before matches this weekend.
The 29-year-old France age-grade international was reportedly found dead at the bottom of an unfinished building after going missing earlier this week, with news emerging on Wednesday.
Police are reported to be treating his death as suicide.
Michallet had previously played for Grenoble and Bourgoin.
“The Rouen Normandie Rugby family is deeply saddened to announce the passing of our dear Jordan Michallet,” said a club statement. “This awful news plunges the whole club into immense pain. The management and the whole club are joining forces with his family in this terrible ordeal.”
The French national team and several players have expressed their sadness on social media.
Wales stars message Biggar
Dan Biggar has revealed his team-mates have already been on the phone to make fun of him after he was named Wales captain.
The vastly-experienced 95-cap fly-half was handed the role by Pivac with Alun Wyn Jones currently sidelined with a shoulder injury.
Ellis Jenkins and Jonathan Davies both captained Wales in the autumn but Biggar has been selected as skipper this time around as he is more assured of his place in the starting XV.
“I was really pleased that Wayne called me Sunday evening and offered it to me. I’m really proud but I’ve tried not to think about it too much in that sense," he said.
“The first thing I said to Wayne when I accepted was I didn’t want it to change who I am as a player and Wayne was in full agreement of that as well.
“I didn’t want it to become all about me, or change me as a person with the lads or anything like that. So I’m just really excited [about the captaincy] and excited to get going.
“I’ve had a few messages from the lads sort of taking the mick a bit yesterday and a fair bit of stick but I’m sure they’ll get over that within the next couple of days.”
Premiership rugby set to return to terrestrial TV
The Gallagher Premiership is set to be shown on free-to-air television after English rugby's top division struck a fresh broadcast deal with ITV.
Four live games, including the competition's final on June 18, will be shown, beginning with Sale's home clash with Leicester on January 30.
There will also be a weekly highlights package, the first of which will follow the same evening.
For the 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons, the channel will have seven live games which also includes the final.
It's the first time Premiership action has been on a free-to-air channel since the 2020-21 season when Channel 5 had the rights.
More women's contracts
Nine semi-professional contracts have been awarded to Wales Women internationals, adding to 12 stars who became full-time professionals last week.
Forwards Gwen Crabb, Georgia Evans, Kat Evans, Cerys Hale, Abbie Fleming and Bethan Lewis, along with backs Kerin Lake, Caitlin Lewis and Niamh Terry, will train alongside their full-time colleagues between one and three days a week.
Up to six more players on the "retainer" contracts will be joining the Welsh Rugby Union's performance programme in the coming weeks, with two upcoming training camps acting as a final audition.
Training and playing plans are being managed alongside players' Allianz Premier 15s clubs in England.
Wales Women head coach Ioan Cunningham said the players will be a "vital addition" to the performance programme.
Morgan looks back on rugby journey
Jac Morgan has paid tribute to those who have helped him throughout his rugby career after his elevation to the Wales squad.
With Dewi Lake and James Ratti, he was one of three uncapped players named in Wayne Pivac’s 36-man squad this week for the Six Nations.
And the likeable young flanker from Brynamman took time out to thank all who assisted him on his rugby journey.
“I played for 10 years in Cwmtwrch as a youngster, from six to 16, and Bertie Roberts coached me throughout and taught me a lot. He was brilliant as a coach and I’m still really good friends with him,” Morgan said.
“Then I went over to the Amman Youth and worked with John Vincent, while there was also Carwyn Jones at Amman Valley Comprehensive School — all of them helped me develop as a player.
“I also couldn’t thank Aberavon enough for everything they did when I went there as a semi-pro.
“To play senior rugby there and have regular game-time really helped me.”
His move into senior rugby saw him pitch up at the Scarlets before switching to the Ospreys.
It was a tough decision but it says much for Morgan that he is still well-liked in Llanelli for the service he gave the regional team. “Everyone was brilliant at the Scarlets, always trying to help me get better and pushing me,” he said.
“And since coming to the Ospreys, coaches like Toby Booth and Brock James have been great in trying to develop my game and improve me."
Hardy set for return
Wales squad scrum-half Kieran Hardy is in line to return to action for the Scarlets in Saturday’s Champions Cup clash at home to Bristol.
The eight-times capped Hardy sat out last weekend’s heavy defeat to Bordeaux-Begles and has only had one outing - and that off the bench - in the past two months amid Covid-related cancellations.
His last start was for Wales against Fiji at the Principality Stadium on November 14.
But having been named in Wayne Pivac’s Six Nations squad, he could now come back into the mix against Bristol.
“We are hoping he will be available this week,” said Scarlets coach Dwayne Peel.
However, flanker Blade Thompson (HIA) and prop WillGriff John (back) will not be available following their late withdrawal from the game out in Bordeaux.
Want the latest Welsh rugby news sent straight to you? Look no further.
