Here are your rugby headlines for Saturday, April 15.
Wales star commits to Scarlets
Wales hooker Ryan Elias has signed a new contract with the Scarlets, becoming the region's first player to publicly declare he is staying on board for next season.
He had been linked with a move away, but he will now stay in Llanelli after being the subject of interest from several top French clubs and at least one Gallagher Premiership side.
The 28-year-old academy product, who made his Scarlets debut in 2013, is currently sidelined with an Achilles injury which ruled him out of the 2023 Six Nations but should be fit for next season.
Elias said: “I came through the academy and have been here a decade now as a player. I’m chuffed to have signed a new contract and am looking forward to continuing my journey. At the age of 28 I feel I am coming into my prime, so on a personal level I am excited about what the next couple of years holds for me.”
As for his injury, he said: “It has been frustrating having to miss out on the second half of the season and, in particular, this run in the Challenge Cup, but it has been brilliant to see us take some big scalps and it shows the talent and potential we have in the squad.
“A lot of young players are at the start of their careers and are putting their hands up in big games which is great for the future of the club. It is an exciting time to be involved here. Hopefully, it won’t be long before I’m back getting my teeth into the rugby again ahead of the new season.”
Scarlets head coach Dwayne Peel said: “Ryan has developed into one of our leaders and is a strong voice in the group; he is a player with a superb work ethic on and off the pitch He has been in the professional game for a decade now, but he is still only 28 and is a player who has a lot more to offer for the Scarlets and at international level. It’s fantastic he has signed a new contract with the club and I’d also like to thank him for the professionalism he has shown throughout this process.”
WRU launches search for 'missing' Wales players
The Welsh Rugby Union has launched a search to find former Wales Women players who are currently unidentified because of incomplete records. Of the 300 players known to have played for Wales, 150 remain unidentified.
Records from the era before the women's game became fully incorporated into the WRU are incomplete. The WRU says it wants to ensure every player who represented Wales, from 1987 to the present day, is acknowledged in Welsh rugby history, with a ceremony planned for later this year where players will be presented with a physical cap.
A working group featuring former Wales Women internationals Claire Donovan, Liza Burgess and Philippa Tuttiett was created in 2021 to aid the search.
Donovan, who in 2021 became the second woman after Burgess to be elected onto the WRU council, said: “We have been trying hard to locate all of our former Welsh internationals, we have tracked down many but there is still a significant number out there who have not been given the recognition they deserve and we would like to fix that and appeal to them to come forward. It has always taken a huge personal commitment to play for Wales and these people deserve to be recognised for their roles in our history and heritage.
“Perhaps they have moved away from Wales or changed their names through marriage or have been lost to us or put off from making contact for any other reason, but we have tried tracking people down in all the traditional ways and all that we have left to do now is launch an appeal for these former players to come forward. There are players out there who deserve their place in history, so if anyone out there can help please get in touch!”
In 2021 a group of former internationals who were found through the initial search were invited to a cap presentation at Principality Stadium.
On that night, WRU president Gerald Davies said: We are delighted to be able to start giving caps to anyone [who] for whatever reason didn’t receive one when they first played international rugby for Wales. It’s an important time for women’s rugby which is developing at a rapid pace. There is huge excitement and a passion for the game at all levels, and as a union we are committed to providing significant support for the female game, but it is also important we recognise those who have paved the way for current and future generations.”
If you played for Wales in a full international fixture and have not been presented with a Wales cap, you can fill out your details via wru.wales/missingcaps
England the acid test for Wales, says Fleming
Wales Women lock Abbie Fleming believes Saturday's massive Six Nations clash with England will give them an accurate answer of how much they have improved as a side.
Ioan Cunningham's side have come on leaps and bounds over the past 18 months, and have kicked off their Six Nations campaign with two impressive victories against Ireland and Scotland.
But England are still seen as the standard bearers of the women's game, and Fleming believes after the final whistle blows on Saturday afternoon Wales will know exactly how far off the top sides in the world they really are.
"We will be able to gauge a little bit more in terms of where we are in terms of our physicality levels in comparison to England this weekend," she said. "It's been a while since we've played them last. The impact professionalism has had on us has been massive but I think playing them will give us a good test of where we are."
England are arguably the most physical side in the world owing to the fact they have a bigger playing pool than ever other nation, and Fleming says her teammates are ready to front up.
"It will be a very physical game, we are under no illusions, and are expecting nothing else," she said. "There will be some big hits, and there'll be some big scrums, some big mauls, and as a forward pack we are preparing ourselves for that in the best way that we can. I think this weekend will be a good test of that."
England star handed World Cup lifeline after injury boost
England No. 8 Billy Vunipola has reportedly avoided a worst-case scenario after knee surgery, meaning he still has a chance of making this year's World Cup in France.
Vunipola was stretchered off during Saracens' Champions Cup defeat to La Rochelle last weekend, with the 30-year-old then ruled out for the rest of the season after undergoing surgery.
Different timescales were floated over his return, but The Telegraph report that he should be back around the start of July - a month ahead of England's opening warm-up game against Wales.
While Vunipola didn't start in the Six Nations under Steve Borthwick, it is understood that the England coach has kept an open mind on the No. 8 despite reports of a previous falling out between the pair.
Cardiff star delighted to reach century in crucial match
Cardiff prop Corey Domachowski says he is delighted to reach a century of appearances for the Blue and Blacks in their crucial match against Connacht in Galway.
Cardiff head into the match chasing a place in the play-offs while also being in pole position for the Welsh Shield. And while that's the focus for the in-form Domachowski, he is able to appreciate the landmark he's about to hit.
“It’s a massive honour for myself and my family to get to a hundred games," the former Wales under-20 international said.
“It’s something you never look at when you’re younger, but it’s something that, over the last few seasons, I’ve given myself a target of and to finally get it is now nice. It’s a dream come true.
“Everyone wants to play for their local region and some are lucky to do so. 100 games is a lot of games to be involved in and I’m very grateful for all the opportunities I’ve had.
“Over the last few weeks, we’ve had a bit of praise as, what they call us, ‘The Rhondda Front Row’ with me, Azza and Belcher. There’s a lot of boys in this squad who I’ve played with growing up. But for those two in particular, it’s great because we’ve played a lot of rugby together and we come from the same village. To be able to run out with them on my 100th game will be big for me.
“I’m still only 26, and while I think I’m getting on a bit now, in the grand scheme of things I’m still young. I believe that now is my time to start kicking on in my career and get the best out of myself. Hopefully I’m able to do that in the coming weeks and prolong the season as well.”
