Here are the latest rugby headlines on Friday, May 12.
Jones linked with Toulon job
Former Wales attack coach Stephen Jones has been linked with taking a role at Toulon.
Former Clement coach Franck Azéma is set to depart the French Top 14 club at the end of the current season, moving to Perpignan to become head coach.
Respected French sports newspaper L'Equipe say talks are ongoing between former Wales fly-half Jones and Toulon director of rugby Pierre Mignoni about the backs coach position. The pair played two seasons together at Clermont from 2004 to 2006.
Jones, along with former Wales defence coach Gethin Jenkins, left their Wales backroom roles last year after returning head coach Warren Gatland decided they would not be part of his coaching team. Gatland later appointed Alex King as attack coach and Sale Sharks' Mike Forshaw as defence coach, while forwards coach Jonathan Humphreys and kicking coach Neil Jenkins were retained in the set-up.
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URC set to abandon geographical 'shield' system
The United Rugby Championship could scrap its geographical shield system which dictates qualification spots for the European Champions Cup and return to a merit-based criteria.
The 16 competing URC clubs would need to vote unanimously to continue with the current arrangement, otherwise it will revert back to a "straight meritocracy". Tournament chief executive Martin Anayi said on Thursday there was a high likelihood the league’s eight qualification spots for Europe’s top tier would come from the leading eight finishers in the regular-season table.
The URC is coming to the close of a second season where qualification spots have been decided based on the winners of four geographical pools, Ireland, Wales, South Africa and Scotland/Italy, with the final spots going to the next four top-ranked sides.
Cardiff will be competing in the Champions Cup next season by virtue of being the top-placed Welsh side, but any change in criteria would likely be a blow for Welsh regional hopes of competing in the top tier in future, with all four sides finishing in the bottom half of the regular season table this season (Cardiff: 10th, Ospreys: 13th, Scarlets: 14th, Dragons: 15th).
Anayi said: "The way it works now is we take the four geographical shield winners and next four highest placed sides in the league, and we did that because we wanted a broad range of teams in the Champions Cup. We also said, because there was a quite vocal objection to that within some of our stakeholder groups who didn't want that but they said they would go with that for a two-year period and then we would review this summer. But unless it is unanimous to continue as we are, we will revert back to a straight meritocracy."
Anayi also confirmed the 2023-24 URC season will like begin on the weekend of October 20-22, the same weekend as the World Cup semi-finals in France.
Ryan Jones takes on new fundraising challenge
Wales' former Grand Slam-winning captain Ryan Jones will run the Swansea University Swansea Half Marathon in aid of suicide prevention research and mental health support on Saturday, June 11.
Following his retirement 2015, he was diagnosed with early-onset dementia in December 2021 at the age of 41, having suffered from a number of symptoms including depression and memory loss.
Having been named an official ambassador for the event, Jones will be actively involved in promoting the race and encouraging participation from runners of all levels, and will run on behalf of Swansea University’s Making Strides for Mental Health campaign, which raises funds for research into suicide prevention, along with mental health and wellbeing support for Swansea University students.
Jones , 42, said: "I’m delighted to have been asked to be the ambassador for this year’s Swansea University Swansea Half Marathon, especially as I’ll be running on behalf of a great cause that’s close to my heart, and hopefully it will encourage others to do the same.
“The past couple of years have been difficult. I suffered with two stress fractures in my legs, and so that, coupled with Covid, meant that I wasn’t able to exercise much and I fell out of love with it a bit. I’m glad to say I’m getting back into it now and I’m finally getting my mojo for exercising back. Being outdoors in the fresh air is meditative for me and these days I look forward to my training sessions, especially as I get to take in the gorgeous views of Gower.”
Jones, who received an honorary degree from Swansea University in 2016, hopes he can inspire others to sign up and raise money for good causes: “I hope that my involvement with this year’s Swansea Half Marathon will inspire others to join me along the way. There are huge benefits to running, for body and mind, and even if someone has never run before, they shouldn’t be daunted by it as the body is capable of incredible things, it will do whatever you ask of it. The trick is to think of it as a journey not a destination!”
Entries to the Swansea University Swansea Half Marathon close at midnight on May 26. A number of discounted entry places are available for people who pledge to raise more than £200 for the University’s Making Strides campaign, with a further general discount available to students, staff and 150 graduates.
Ashton free for Leicester's semi-final after red card overturned
By PA Sport Staff
Chris Ashton has been cleared for Leicester's Gallagher Premiership play-off semi-final against Sale after his red card was reduced to a yellow following a disciplinary hearing. The 36-year-old former England wing was sent off for a high tackle on Harlequins' Cadan Murley during Leicester's 20-17 defeat on the final day of the regular league season.
Ashton, the Premiership's record try-scorer, is set to retire at the end of the campaign, but if the suspension had been upheld, his hopes of featuring in a potential Premiership final at Twickenham on May 27 would have been over. An independent disciplinary panel heard the appeal, which lasted five hours during which numerous angles of the tackle were shown, many having been not available to the referee and the match officials at the game. Ashton and Murley also gave evidence.
Panel chair Gareth Graham said: "Mr Ashton accepted committing an act of foul play that would have merited a yellow card. Having seen and heard all the evidence, including that of Mr Murley, who gave a clear account as to the point of contact and the level of force involved in the tackle, the panel agreed with the submission that this was a yellow card offence."
The panel also considered what the degree of danger was in the tackle, concluding there was indirect contact to the head and that any force to the head or neck was low.
Graham added in a statement: "Consequently, the panel concluded that there was not a high degree of danger and that the correct starting point under the Head Contact Process was a yellow card. Therefore, the panel found the charge not proven. Mr Ashton is thereby able to play with immediate effect."
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