Here are the latest rugby headlines on Thursday, March 23.
Edwards slams 'injustice'
Shaun Edwards has hit out at the "injustice" of Freddie Steward's red card in the final match of the Six Nations, saying it was unfair on fans who had paid to watch the game.
The England full-back has since been cleared to play after the sending off was overturned. Steward appeared before a virtual disciplinary hearing on Tuesday night for a dangerous challenge to the head of Hugo Keenan that ended his afternoon at the Aviva Stadium.
However, while it was decided the tackle was an act of foul play, the panel felt there were sufficient mitigating circumstances to view it as a yellow card offence only.
Edwards, whose France side saw their Six Nations title hopes disappear as 15-man Ireland overpowered England 29-16 to take the Grand Slam, was unimpressed with the initial decision.
He wrote in the Daily Mail: "Freddie Steward's red card on Saturday night - which was rescinded on Wednesday - was an injustice. It was an injustice to Steward himself and also to the England fans who had paid good money for their tickets. Referees need to be given more control and power to make their own decisions.
"In football, ultimately it comes down to the referee's discretion if he is pulled over by the VAR for a penalty check. In rugby, it is like a village council meeting!
"In my eyes, Steward's actions barely warranted a penalty. I have no idea what he could have done to avoid contact. The problem we have is refereeing has become a box-ticking exercise. We have some brilliant referees but they don't seem to have any discretion because the game is basically officiated by World Rugby checklists."
Halfpenny in talks over future
Leigh Halfpenny's future in Welsh rugby will be decided shortly, Scarlets coach Dwayne Peel has confirmed. Halfpenny is one of a number of players out of contract at the end of the season and could well leave the region in the summer.
The 34-year-old has forced his way back into the Wales reckoning after more than a year on the sidelines with a horror knee injury and is hoping for one final World Cup campaign at international level. He is expected to continue his club career next season, but it remains unclear where that will be.
Peel said: "Those talks are ongoing. We're having conversations with him around his future. Those sorts of decisions, especially with someone like him, will be made in the next couple of weeks, I suppose."
The fans' Wales Six Nations verdict: Have your say
Hardy raring to go after Six Nations disappointment
Scrum-half Kieran Hardy is ready to return to Scarlets duty having fallen down the Wales No. 9 pecking order during the Six Nations. Hardy, 27, featured off the bench for 12 minutes against England but that was his sole outing in a Wales jersey this campaign, with Rhys Webb and Tomos Williams vying for the starting jersey.
Scarlets head coach Peel confirmed Hardy is available for the visit of the Sharks on Saturday (5pm kick-off), and is keen to return to action.
Asked if players generally need an arm around them following an underwhelming or disappointing international campaign, Peel said: "It depends on the player in all honesty. Some players need that, some don't. From my conversation with Kieran over the weekend, he was really looking forward to coming back in.
"As much as the physical side of the Six Nations is very difficult for someone like Ken (Owens) obviously who has played in all the games, sometimes the mental intensity of it as well can be equally as draining. It all depends on your experience in the Six Nations, how it's gone for you, and with some people especially if they haven't played that much they're really keen to come back and play some rugby, and that's probably where Kieran is. He's come back in today [Tuesday] and has been sprightly, so is looking forward to it."
As for Wales captain Owens, he is having the week off from Scarlets duties, having become a dad for the second time with wife Carys in the days leading up to Wales' Six Nations finale in Paris.
"Ken will have the week off this week. He's obviously dealing with a baby as well so I'm sure he's keeping busy," Peel said.
Owens was front and centre of negotiations which saw Wales' threat of strike action during the championship called off, while he was a mainstay for Warren Gatland on the field too.
Asked how the Scarlets will ensure Owens is not mentally drained upon his return, Peel said: "I've known Ken for a long time so I suppose it's an honest conversation with him to see where he's at, and that's what I've done with all the boys. I'll see where he's at towards the end of this week but knowing Ken like I do I'm sure we'll make the right decision for him and I'm sure he'll be ready to come back in next week. We'll see.
"He's probably had an emotional time of it between everything, some off-field issues, him being captain of Wales when all that was going on was probably a stressful time for him. I know how much it means to him as well. I'm sure he's looking forward to getting back on the field, he's happiest on the field, [more] than in the gym anyway, I know that!"
Wales Women give fans 'chance to rediscover passion'
Wales fly-half Elinor Snowsill believes the upcoming Women's Six Nations is a chance for Welsh rugby fans to rediscover their passion for the game.
Warren Gatland's Wales finished fifth in the Guinness Six Nations after recording a sole win against Italy, while Wales U20s were left with the wooden spoon. Off the field, a review is being undertaken into the Welsh Rugby Union's culture following allegations of sexism, misogyny, racism and homophobia, and a regional contracts freeze, ended last week, has caused anxiety throughout the game for months.
Wales Women's campaign begins this Saturday when they host Ireland at Cardiff Arms Park (2.15pm kick-off).
"We've got an opportunity to, I guess, re-find the fire and passion of the Welsh people in rugby," Bristol Bears half-back Snowsill said. "It's been a tough few months for Welsh rugby, but for us we've had a great run with our clubs, we're coming in on a high, we finished at quarter-finals at the World Cup, best Six Nations finish [in 13 years] last year. I think our trajectory is a bit different.
"I have no doubt the competition is going to be the hardest it's ever been because all the teams have started funding their players a lot more, so it is going to be very difficult and we won't take it for granted but hopefully we can show a really interesting and enjoyable brand of rugby that people will want to get behind."
Hoping for a few Six Nations surprises, Snowsill - who at 33 is entering her 13th Six Nations - is hoping fans will see an improved Wales side, who first went professional 14 months ago. Now, 25 players are on full-time professional WRU contracts.
"I guess we're the guinea pigs, aren't we?" she added. "The other teams have started to become professional now, and then you've obviously got England and France who have been for a while.
"I think we saw a big increase last year In terms of that initial emotional load off us of trying to balance both [working and playing] and the quick wins you could get in doing your extra analysis and extra kicking. I think we definitely saw the benefit of that last year and now hopefully we'll be fitter, we should be stronger. We've had more time to embed those things."
Red Roses prop certain England will fill Twickenham at 2025 World Cup
England prop Hannah Botterman is certain the Red Roses will fill all 82,000 seats at Twickenham when her side host the World Cup in 2025. Long gone are the days when England were content to pack Doncaster's 5,000-capacity Castle Park or even Twickenham Stoop, which holds 14,800 and hosted the 2010 World Cup final.
The Red Roses have already sold more than 40,000 tickets for their final Six Nations encounter with France at Twickenham on April 29, and could be on course to break the world attendance record for a women's rugby match, 42,579, set at last year's World Cup in New Zealand.
Asked if that tally could double in two years' time, Botterman was emphatic, telling the PA news agency: "Yes. Yes, is the answer. It's obviously really exciting that the tournament for the Six Nations hasn't even started, yet we've already sold 40,000, that's obviously half of where we want to be. I think come 2025, a few years down the line, the biggest tournament you can play in your career at home, I think we can get there."
That side could look quite different from the one set to face newly-professionalised Scotland in Saturday's Six Nations opener at the 10,200-capacity Kingston Park, with England aiming to win their fifth consecutive trophy and fourth straight Grand Slam after the latter was not contested in 2021 due to the pandemic.
Head coach Simon Middleton, who guided the Red Roses to World Cup finals in 2017 and 2022 - England finished runners-up to New Zealand on both occasions - is set to step down following the tournament after nearly eight years in the role. Captain Sarah Hunter, England's most capped player, also said she would be hanging up her boots after Saturday's opener in her native Newcastle.
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