Here are your rugby headlines for Friday, February 18.
Italy furious at South Africa Six Nations plans
Italy are ready to fight to keep their Six Nations place and are said to be 'furious' at plans to replace them with South Africa.
And their former skipper Marco Bortolami even warned "it could be Wales or Scotland next time" if the Six Nations continues to look to change.
The Springboks are keen to join rugby's greatest annual tournament once their current deal to play in the southern hemisphere Rugby Championship runs out in 2025.
But reports they will directly replace the struggling Azzurri, rather than the Championship being expanded, has provoked outrage in Italy.
The Telegraph report Italy will move to block any attempt to let the Springboks take their place and are warning being thrown out would wreck rugby in the country.
The Italian Rugby Federation are yet to say anything publicly about the reports, but sources are claiming they would have a veto to any change of participants in the Six Nations.
"Do you think Italy at any stage is going to allow themselves to leave the Championship? I don’t think so. It is never going to happen," a source is quoted as telling the paper.
Others close to the Six Nations corridors of power appear to be less confident of Italy's status, however, with their run of 34 straight defeats a real area of concern.
The involvement of world champions South Africa would increase the standard of competition in an already great tournament, but also enhance the commercial market.
It is thought private equity firm CVC, who purchased a substantial stake in the Six Nations, are the driving forces behind the Springboks plan.
Italy would have to be bought out of the one seventh share they hold in the tournament.
However, ex-skipper Bortolami, current coach of Benneton, warned: "For exposure, the Six Nations has always been the highlight of the season for Italian rugby. It would be a disaster, 100 per cent. If you want to destroy rugby in Italy that would be the best way to do it.
“In rugby, we always talk about values and history and legacy. To build that takes time. But you can destroy it instantly."
He continued: "If you want to destroy the Six Nations then it becomes a different commercial tournament.
"Maybe it is the United States next time in 10 years. Maybe it will be Scotland and Wales who get pushed out if that’s the way we want to go. I am not sure that path makes sense.”
Bortolami s about Italy are understandable. However, the idea of Wales or Scotland being thrown out of a tournament they have played in for more than a century, originally known as the Five Nations, would seem somewhat far-fetched.
Healey cautions against Springboks plan
Austin Healey has cautioned against South Africa joining the Six Nations and warned "it would take away the European factor from which has made it so special".
Plans are said to be in the offing for the Springboks to join rugby's greatest annual tournament after 2025, with suggestions they would replace Italy rather than the Championship being expanded.
The news has been described as a "seismic" change in the rugby calendar, would see the world champions quit the Rugby Championship and has provoked strong debate.
Read more: The South Africa Six Nations bombshell that has shocked the world
Former England and Lions star Healey has waded in with his own views and, while he would like to see the Springboks involved, Healey wrote in his Telegraph column: "The reality is the geography, the history and everything else going on would work against it, with the development of the European game being the first and most important thing. I therefore can't see it working."
Healey used the age-old England versus Wales rivalry as an example of what he is talking about, with the two teams locking horns once again in a must-win duel at Twickenham next weekend.
He wrote: "Facing South Africa on multiple occasions every year would also detract from and potentially devalue the World Cup and arguably Lions tours too.
"We already see the Springboks up here every autumn. Play one side enough times and the Tests begin to lose their edge. South Africa were brilliant in the autumn at Twickenham and really took the anticipation from the crowd to a new level. But aside from the World Cup, nothing really tops the Six Nations.
"Look at England hosting Wales next week - could you have a more partisan game? I don't think so.
"You would not have the same intensity if Wales were facing South Africa. It would take decades to build up that same sort of history and rivalry, maybe 100 years. That is the trade-off."
Healey accepts the Springboks would increase the quality further of an already great tournament, so has called for promotion and relegation, insisting Italy, Georgia, Spain and Portugal are improving.
"They need high-level, competitive Tests and to get more players into European clubs. The more that happens, the more your skill and talent base increases.
"We need promotion and relegation in the Six Nations and it would add a huge amount of jeopardy to the games, but that's not going to happen if South Africa join the competition."
Private equity firm CVC,who purchased a sizeable share in the Six Nations, are said to be the driving force behind the plan to get the Springboks on board.
Morgan hoping for Twickenham bow
Wales flanker Jac Morgan admits playing at Twickenham next week would be special given the historic rugby rivalry between England and Wales.
Morgan won his first cap on Saturday as reigning Six Nations champions Wales bounced back from a Dublin drubbing against Ireland to beat Scotland 20-17 in Cardiff.
The Welsh-speaking Ospreys openside says he was so nervous before kick-off that he almost forgot the words of the national anthem 'Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau'. "It's always a dream to play for your country from a young age," said 22-year-old Morgan. "Growing up England is one of the biggest games with the rivalry between the two countries over the years.
"Everybody knows how big the game is with the history between the two sides.
"It was amazing to win my first cap and have all my family there in the Principality Stadium. It was a great honour and to top it off with a win was brilliant.
"There was loads of emotion with the anthem and the nerves were terrible.
"I'm a Welsh speaker but I nearly forgot the words halfway through with everyone being so loud!
"But I saw my mother in the stand as she was in the front and that helped me cool down a little bit."
Morgan produced an impressive debut display as Wales revived their Six Nations title hopes before heading to England on February 26.
Wales, however, have not won at Twickenham in the Six Nations Championship since 2012, with England enjoying four successive victories. Morgan said: "The boys were disappointed after the first game but plenty of work has gone on and it was a good win against Scotland.
"There's still a lot of work for us and we're excited to see how it goes next week. We reviewed the Ireland game and a lot of the boys have been in plenty of camps before.
"There's a lot of leaders in the team and we knew the improvements we had to make."
Cardiff match postponed due to storm
Cardiff's United Rugby Championship clash with Italian club Zebre has been postponed due to Storm Eunice.
The match was scheduled to take place on Friday evening at Cardiff Arms Park but will now be rearranged.
A red weather warning - the highest alert, meaning a high impact is very likely - has been issued by the Met Office due to the combination of high tides, strong winds and storm surge.
A statement from the URC read: "A decision to reschedule this game has been made in the health and safety interests of all staff and team personnel involved.
"Additionally, due to the red weather warning affecting much of the south-east regions in the UK, Zebre Parma's air travel could not be guaranteed while logistical and facilities challenges do not allow for the game to play on either Saturday or Sunday."
Cardiff sit 11th in the URC following four victories from seven games, while winless Zebre are bottom of the table.
Elsewhere, the kick-off time for Friday's Gallagher Premiership match between Worcester and Bristol has been pushed back by half an hour because of the weather conditions.
The game at Sixways Stadium will now begin at 8.15pm in order to minimise the risk of travel issues for spectators, players, officials and staff.
"Warriors and Bristol Bears have agreed to put the kick-off time of Friday's Gallagher Premiership match at Sixways back by half an hour to 8.15pm," read a statement from Worcester.
"The decision, which has been taken following consultation with Premiership Rugby, aims to minimise the risk of travel issues for spectators, players, officials and staff due to Storm Eunice.
"Strong winds are expected on Friday morning and early afternoon but the latest weather forecasts suggest that they will abate by late afternoon."
The stadium will now open to supporters at 6.15pm, while Worcester will continue to monitor the situation and follow the latest guidance.
Warriors are second bottom of the division, with Bristol two places higher in 10th position.
