Here's your round-up of all the latest rugby news for Saturday, June 3.
Ospreys star announces retirement
Ospreys full-back Dan Evans has announced his retirement from professional rugby at the age of 34.
Evans made 173 appearances for the Ospreys after making the move from the Dragons back in 2014, and became the quickest player to reach 100 appearances for the region.
He also won two caps for Wales during the 2009 summer tour of north America.
"This has taken some time to process and something I knew would be difficult to share and put into words, but I am announcing my retirement," said Evans.
"I believe my body will not let me get to the standards I set myself," wrote Evans on social media. "Therefore, this is the right time to retire from professional rugby.
"From playing my first game of rugby at the age of six, I fell in love with the game and never looked back.
"I never imagined that I would have the career that I've had, playing almost 300 professional games over a period of 16 years."
"As this chapter comes to an end, I would like to thank all the coaches, backroom staff, physios, medical team, kit men and teammates I have had the pleasure of working alongside over the 16 ears.
"I have played against and with some of the best players in the world and gained friendships and memories that will always stay with me."
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London Irish facing winding up order
Crisis-hit Premiership club London Irish have been hit with three winding up orders by HMRC.
According to Sky Sports, filings at London's High Court show HMRC have applied to wind up the club's parent company London Irish Holdings Ltd, and two other related companies.
It throws the future of the club into fresh doubt, despite the Rugby Football Union extending the deadline for a possible takeover to June 6.
An American consortium has long been tipped to take on the club, but if a deal cannot go through, they will become the third Premiership club to be ejected from the league, after Wasps and Worcester became subject to HMRC winding-up orders late last year.
"The 4pm (1500GMT) deadline on June 6 is final and we have added the stipulation that the club must also fulfil its contractual obligations to its employees by paying the May salaries in full," the RFU said in a statement on Wednesday.
An HRMC spokesperson said they could not comment on the individual case but added: "We take a supportive approach to dealing with customers who have tax debts and only file winding-up petitions once we've exhausted all other options, in order to protect taxpayers' money."
New Wales stars have big boots to fill
Nigel Owens has paid tribute to Alun Wyn Jones, Justin Tipuric and Rhys Webb, insisting their replacements will have big boots to fill.
Webb became the third member of Wales' World Cup training squad to quit international rugby last week, just 100 days before the World Cup.
Owens, writing in his WalesOnline column, said: "Sometimes when players finish their careers, they are still remembered by people of their generation, but as the years go by their accomplishments become less widely known. But with the likes of Alun Wyn, Tipuric and Webby, they’ll be remembered for a long time.
"Of course, there is a host of talented young players who will eventually come through and replace them, while, as far as Wales’ World Cup plans are concerned, there are still plenty of experienced names in that squad.
"There are three stellar names who Warren Gatland now won’t be able to pick, but someone will no doubt come in and take up that mantle and make those positions their own.
"But one thing is for sure, whoever the stars of the future may be, they’ve got very big boots to fill."
Read more:
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The world rugby players who'll be gone by the end of the year
WRU investigation update issued and UK Government steps in to stabilise sport
Arwel Thomas smiling again after walking away from rugby 'bitter and twisted'
