These are your rugby headlines on Friday, December 2.
Shanklin: We look so amateur, what a mess
Former Wales international Tom Shanklin says he fears a player drain in Welsh rugby unless the finances in the game are sorted soon.
There is currently a freeze on new contracts and recruitment while the WRU and regions continue to negotiate the four teams’ future finances.
It has left players and staff in a state of limbo, not knowing what the future holds for them, leading to coaches to speak out this week on the situation. Dai Young, Dai Flanagan and Dwayne Peel have all had their say, and Shanklin believes the whole situation looks "so amateur", fearing more players will be lost from the domestic scene here in Wales unless the finances are ironed out sharpish.
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It emerged this week that Wales international Will Rowlands. could leave the Dragons amid the stand-off, with Racing 92 and Bath keen on the 31-year-old.
Writing on Twitter and quote tweeting WalesOnline story's, Shanklin said: "This is crazy……We’ll lose more players from domestic Welsh Rugby if budgets aren’t decided soon. We look so amateur, what a mess."
Outlining the situation at Cardiff, director of rugby Young said this week: “We have got over 40 per cent of our squad that is coming out of contract this season.
“Of course, there are players within there who I want to keep. We have got a good back bone of the squad, we could do with a little strengthening in certain areas and in an ideal world we would be looking to do that.
“But I couldn’t tell you how the next couple of months are going to unfold. We have no sign of budgets yet and it’s a real uncertain time for players and for coaches. We have got coaches out of contract, we have got staff out of contract.
“It’s not an ideal situation for any of the four regions, we are all in the same boat. The players are now starting to get a bit concerned. If they don’t get a contract where they are, obviously they are going to look for employment elsewhere.
“Until we know where we are, we are all pretty much in the dark really. It’s very difficult to plan your way forward when you haven’t got that certainty. There is currently an embargo on offering players new deals, so we can’t really do anything at the moment.”
Jones publicly hits back at sad Woodward
Eddie Jones has hit back at "sad" critic Sir Clive Woodward and insisted he will leave England in a good shape when he eventually departs.
Jones is under pressure after he watched England conclude a dismal Autumn Nations series with Saturday's 27-13 loss to South Africa, who were without their European-based players but still inflicted a sixth defeat of 2022 on the hosts at Twickenham.
It completed the nation's worst year since 2008 and the Rugby Football Union is now conducting a review, which will inevitably decide if Jones continues until next year's World Cup as planned or leaves his post 12 months earlier.
RFU chief Bill Sweeney admitted "results are not where we expect them to be" and Woodward, who masterminded England's solitary World Cup win 19 years ago, was yet again fierce in his criticism of Jones on Sunday - labelling rugby in this country as a shambles and insisting the weekend defeat was "one of the most depressing games I've seen at HQ."
"I feel sad for him (Woodward). If that is the best thing he has to do in his life, then he hasn't a lot to do," Jones, who had already agreed to step down after the 2023 World Cup in France, told Men's Health UK.
Jones said that when he leaves the England job after the World Cup he will not speak out about other coaches. “I'm going to make sure that I don't,” he said. “There's another way. You don't need to do it. Rod Macqueen, Steve Hansen – great coaches. They just get on with the rest of their lives. When you've had your turn, you give it to someone else.”
Rees-Zammit injury update
Gloucester coach George Skivington says the injury Louis Rees-Zammit picked up against Harlequins last weekend is not as bad as first feared.
The Wales wing was left in a heap and eventually carried from the field of play by medics after a heavy airborne collision. He was treated on the pitch for some 10 minutes before limping off, prompting much concern.
“He had a bang to his hip and I think sometimes those things shut down fast, especially when you are a fast twitch muscle fibre player like Zam," said Skivington.
"I think it can feel pretty catastrophic at the time and then you get a few days later and it is not as bad, thankfully, as it could have been.”
He confirmed Rees-Zammit’s injury is a collision one, rather than anything structural, but said: “We are taking his time with him and will make sure it is right but it is not as bad as we first thought.”
Rees-Zammit tried to play through the pain but he eventually admitted defeat when he tried to pin his ears back to make a break.
Skivington said: “The timing of it wasn’t great. For someone like Zam who is wired and moves at the pace that he does it probably looked a bit more dramatic than it really was.”
Rees-Zammit was not available for Wales last weekend as the game against Australia fell outside the international Test window.
Let's do it for Doddie
Mike Blair is hoping Edinburgh can produce a fitting tribute to Doddie Weir when they host Munster on Friday.
The United Rugby Championship showdown at DAM Health Stadium will be the first professional match in Scotland since the legendary former Scotland international lost his battle against motor neurone disease last weekend, aged 52.
Supporters have been encouraged to wear tartan garments - particularly those of the My Name'5 Doddie Foundation - and a moment's applause will be held in Weir's memory before kick-off.
"This week has been really tough for all connected to Scottish rugby," said Edinburgh head coach Blair.
"Doddie was such a huge figure and the enormity of what he managed to achieve to raise both awareness and money in the fight against MND is immeasurable.
"The thoughts of all of us at Edinburgh Rugby go out to his family, friends and former team-mates.
"As a squad, we've spoken a lot about Doddie this week and what he stood for. It's brilliant we're able to pay tribute to a real icon of Scottish rugby tomorrow night and it will be an emotional moment as we celebrate his life pre-match."
Scotland internationals Jamie Ritchie, Grant Gilchrist, Pierre Schoeman, Blair Kinghorn, Darcy Graham, Mark Bennett and Duhan van der Merwe all return to Edinburgh's starting XV for the visit of Munster after being rested for last weekend's defeat at Benetton following their autumn series exploits with the national team.
"We're delighted to welcome back a number of our internationalists for what is a really tough match-up, with one of the league's most competitive sides," said Blair.
"Munster are a quality outfit, but we're up for the challenge and excited to be back at DAM Health Stadium in front of our home support, who will no doubt play their part in creating an electric atmosphere."
READ MORE:
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Ieuan Evans insists WRU won't be rushed into Warren Gatland decision by England 'speculation'
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Wales international left dumbfounded by overlooked star's omission
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The Wales v England battle for Warren Gatland and who holds the ace card
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Ospreys name team to face hurting Sharks as prop 'who plays like a fly-half' given chance
