Here are the latest rugby headlines on Sunday, April 30.
Wales star injured days before Gatland announcement
Influential centre Johnny Williams suffered a head injury during the Scarlet's European semi-final defeat to Glasgow Warriors on Saturday, just two days before Warren Gatland is due to announce his World Cup training squad.
The 26-year-old was forced from the field in the first 10 minutes of the last-four clash in Llanelli, with the Scarlets also losing Morgan Jones and Javan Sebastian to HIAs while Vaea Fifita also left the field injured.
Scarlets boss Dwayne Peel has now allayed fears over the injuries sustained, saying: "Johnny Williams is up and about. Vaea looks like he's got a broken rib. Johnny has been a big player for us in terms of go forward and gain line."
Scarlets future bright despite semi-final defeat
Dwayne Peel insists the Scarlets have a bright future despite their Challenge Cup semi-final defeat to Glasgow. The Scarlets came up short against a powerful Glasgow side, and were not helped by a number of injuries to key players.
But Peel believes the experience gained by the likes of Kemsley Mathias, Joe Roberts, Sam Costelow and Morgan Jones during their European campaign will stand the club in good stead over the coming seasons.
"There's a lot of young boys who have had their first real season of professional rugby, consistently playing," said Peel. "The likes of Kemsley [Mathias], Shaun [Evans] who is a convert from back-row to hooker who has had a great season for us. Morgan Jones had a great start of the game. Dan Davis has really played well this year, along with Joe Roberts, and Johnny [Williams]."
But Peel has told his players they need to be more consistent if they are to reach the next level.
"I think we need to kick on now," he said. "Consistency in the league is something I'll speak about when we come back. We haven't had that at the start of the season and that's important.
"We need to grow. We've had a taste of it. The atmosphere was very good, and we want more of them. The boys will strive now to get here again.
"I've been in exactly the same scenario as them after a semi-final loss and it hurts, especially for the younger boys. Time is running out for the older boys and I get that but for the younger boys that's where they need to strive to make sure we get here again."
Wales say farewell to Thomas
Caryl Thomas has said farewell to Wales on a winning note after 17 years in the red jersey. She came off the bench against the Italians on Saturday to help see Wales through for the win in their final match of the Six Nations campaign, which secured them a third-place table finish.
Thomas flew out to Parma to rejoin her teammates after her wife gave birth to a baby girl two weeks ago. She has now signed off her international career.
"I'm a bit sad that I'm leaving in some ways because I want to keep going, but my body says no," Thomas told the BBC.
"A couple of girls had bets on me for how many times I would cry, but actually I've just had gratitude. It's been amazing to be able to retire on your own terms, and to get a win and a performance like that is huge and shows how much we're progressing."
The 37-year-old highlighted the advances of the women's game, with Wales making the leap into professionalism 15 months ago.
"In some ways I feel attached to some of the old girls that used to play back in the day and the foundations that they put in place during that amateur time," she added. "But now you can see the professionalism... it is a world apart from being an amateur.
"I was 16 years an amateur and one year a professional and I'm still getting PBs (personal bests). It just shows what could have been if we had that kind of investment earlier. I was telling the girls, back in the day and my first cap in 2006, we got CDs as video analysis, my game got sent in the post! To think where we are now, we get it within five minutes."
Packer: We can sell out Twickenham
Red Roses captain Marlie Packer believes England can sell out Twickenham before the 2025 home World Cup final after the Grand Slam was completed in front of a crowd of 58,498 on Saturday.
France were edged 38-33 in a riveting Women's Six Nations title decider that set a new record attendance for a women's game, surpassing the previous highest of 42,579 during last year's World Cup in New Zealand.
The Rugby Football Union has targeted a full house for the World Cup final when it hosts the tournament in two years, but Packer believes that on the evidence of Saturday that goal could be achieved earlier.
"For me as a Red Rose, I want to sell out Twickenham," said England's captain after the first standalone women's match to be staged at Twickers. "I believe we can do it and I believe we can do it before 2025 for the World Cup final. Look at today - we weren't a curtain raiser, it was all about us.
"The other nations are closing the gap and getting professional contracts, so the quality of the games is getting better and not just England v France games. Everything is on the rise so more tickets will be sold and more stadiums will sell out."
While Packer sees the possibilities at Twickenham, the Saracens openside is keen for England to continue their policy of playing at Premiership grounds.
"When we take the Red Roses on the road, we get fans in from all over the country. We're a brand and we want to keep selling our brand," Packer said. "Yes it would be great to play at Twickenham every time and that in itself will come in time, but we need to keep building our fanbase."
England led 33-0 at half-time but France hit back with five tries in a tense finish.
"We had done enough in the first half and we took our points in the second half to finish off the game," Packer said. "But we'll look back at this game to see what we need to work on in the second half. We got the victory and that's what we came here to do."
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