Your rugby morning headlines for Friday, September 9.
Rugby announcements due
This morning, rugby is expected to announce how it intends to proceed following the death of Queen Elizabeth II.
The Gallagher Premiership is due to kick off this weekend, with Bristol set to face Bath in a west country derby tonight to get the league season with a full round of fixtures set to follow. Meanwhile, Cardiff are scheduled to face Zebre in their final pre-season qualifier and the Dragons head down to Parc y Scarlets.
In a statement the Welsh Rugby Union said: "The Welsh Rugby Union sends the sincere and heartfelt condolences of all of Welsh rugby to the Royal Family on the occasion of the passing of Her Royal Highness Queen Elizabeth II.
READ MORE: The sporting events cancelled after the Queen's death
"Her Majesty The Queen was Royal Patron of the WRU for over 50 years, until 2016 when the title was taken up by HRH Prince William, the Duke of Cambridge, and graced the home of Welsh rugby in Cardiff, visiting on many occasions. We thank The Queen for her years of service on this profoundly sad day."
It remains to be seen if those games are going to be postponed or, in the case of the Welsh teams cancelled. There are also 100s of grassroots fixtures due to take place across the country this weekend, whether they will go ahead also remains to be seen.
Scottish rugby has already taken the step of cancelling fixtures, with the women's national side's match against Spain and Glasgow's pre-season fixture against Ulster being called off.
Operation London Bridge - the codename for the plans which will now come into play due to the monarch's death - is in action. The passing of the 12 will now see a 12-day period of mourning and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport are due to hold a meeting this morning to determine what guidance to issue to National Governing Bodies.
It is thought, though, that it will largely be left up to the NGBs to make their own judgements. The EFL has cancelled all of tonight's fixtures and an announcement on their scheduled fixtures over the weekend is expected shortly. Meanwhile, the European Tour has suspended play at its flagship event in Wentworth on for Friday and the third Test between England and South Africa at the Oval has also been suspended.
Young excited by 'one of the best'
Dai Young has been outlining what Cardiff fans can expect from new overseas signing Lopeti Timani. The 31-year-old who has played Test rugby for both Australia and Tonga will make his debut off the bench in Friday night’s final pre-season friendly against Zebre at the Arms Park. The versatile Timani, who has come on board from Toulon, will be utilised in the second row.
“He is a quality player,” said director of rugby Young. “We see him excelling in carrying strongly, getting us over the gainline, and also on the other side of the ball with his physicality. He’s got really good skills and he’s a big man, which gives us that added bit of grunt.
“Kieran Brooks, the England prop who was a tighthead for me at Wasps, is at Toulon and he says Lopeti is one of the best scrummagers he’s had behind him. He spoke volumes for him as a scrummager.”
Cardiff hooker Kristian Dacey also gave his thoughts on what he’s made of the 6ft 5ins, 19st 2lbs Timani: “Number one, how big his calves are. I don’t think I’ve seen a pair of calves like it in my life! He’s a big bloke who will add grunt for us up front and he can also pass the ball and read the game well.”
Vickery backs England's World Cup challenge
England World Cup-winner Phil Vickery believes there's absolutely no reason why Eddie Jones' current crop can't repeat the success of the 2003 crew.
Jones has been under fire after some poor performances of late but his side did scrape a 2-1 series win in Australia this summer after losing the opener, something Vickery takes heart in.
And if things fall into place, the former prop is confident in his old side.
"As for England’s chances a year out. What they need is consistency, because performance-wise, it’s been up and down," he wrote in a column for RugbyPass.
"There is absolutely no reason why England can’t win the Rugby World Cup and we can say the same for France, Ireland, South Africa and New Zealand. You have to start believing it or it won’t bloody happen."
Read more:
Welsh rugby boss warns of 'perilous' situation and rejects WRU proposal
The Welsh rugby players the opposition say they admire most
Video emerges of when the All Blacks played a 1990s World XV and chaos ensued
