Here are the latest rugby headlines on Sunday, September 25.
Wales set to face Springboks in World Cup warm-up
Wales have lined up World Cup warm-up matches against world champions South Africa and England ahead of the 2023 tournament.
Wayne Pivac's Wales will end their World Cup preparations against the Springboks in Cardiff on August 19, 2023, according to The Rugby Paper.
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Wales are also set to face England in home and away matches next summer, the first in Cardiff on August 5 and the return fixture at Twickenham seven days later.
Wales will then open their 2023 campaign against Fiji in Bordeaux on September 10 next year.
Ken Owens comes through
Wales and Scarlets hooker Ken Owens came through his injury comeback unscathed after turning out for Carmarthen Quins in the Welsh Premiership.
It was the first time Lions front-rower Owens, 35, has played rugby in 11 months due to a back injury. He played the first half before Swansea ended the game as 24-10 victors.
"It was a good 40 minutes, I was blowing a bit and it was just nice to be back out on the field," Owens told the BBC. "Just getting hit and being hit. The plan was to have 30 or 40 minutes... coming here is one of the reasons I was able to control the game time and see what happens in the next few weeks. It was good to be back playing, to be back in my hometown Carmarthen."
Admitting there had been question marks over whether he would return from his injury, the man known as the Sheriff added: "It has been slow and frustrating. A lot of times there have been questions marks whether I will get back to play and probably I have not been too far away from making that decision.
"I always said I wanted to give myself the best opportunity to get back on the field, because I think I would regret it if I did not do that in years to come. I turned the corner about two or three months ago and really saw a progression.
"It was good to be back out there again and hopefully put my hands up for selection with Scarlets in the coming weeks. I have to show what I can do in training to earn my place. I am going to take it day by day and see where we are at. I have ticked a box now by getting back on the field and we will see where it goes."
Scarlets boss reacts to defeat
Scarlets boss Dwayne Peel admits his side were second best in the fundamentals during their defeat to Ulster in the United Rugby Championship.
Ireland scrum-half John Cooney scored 30 points to inspire a win for his side in what was a 12-try thriller.
"It was a helter-skelter game," Peel said. "I think it was a huge effort. It was a game of high intensity and a lot of tries and we were six points down with five minutes to go.
"There are discipline areas we need to tidy up. We were second best in the fundamentals of the game which I am disappointed about and that's what has ultimately won Ulster the game."
Ospreys reaction
Ospreys boss Toby Booth believes his side still have lessons to learn from their opening two URC clashes: a 23-23 draw against the Scarlets and Saturday's 28-27 defeat to Lions in Swansea.
Ospreys fly-half Jack Walsh missed a straightforward penalty three minutes from time as the Lions held on to claim a shock victory, with the home side seeming in control for most of the clash whereby they also outscored their opponents by four tries to three. But the resilient Lions hung in to claim the decisive score eight minutes from the end through Edwill Van Der Merwe's converted try.
Booth: "I know how we lost it, but in relation to why, that's the questions for now. We need to get on and learn the lessons we've not managed in the first two weeks. We had a lot of control.
"I don't think we started as well as last week, but we wrestled back control and have relinquished it again. That's the big thing we've got to get on top of. Teams are too good in this league.
"When momentum shifts and shifts a lot and quickly, it's hard to wrestle it back. Once you've got it, you've got to keep it and turn it into points on the scoreboard."
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Scarlets fall short in 12-try thriller as Ulster's Cooney lands 30-point haul
