Here are your rugby morning headlines for Wednesday July 12.
Welshman Walters England's secret World Cup weapon
England boss Steve Borthwick believes his team can march to the final stages of the World Cup - thanks to the Welshman in their midst.
Borthwick talked up the work being done by fitness guru Aled Walters as his stars were really put through their paces in searing 40C heat at their Verona Italian training base ahead of the tournament.
Welshman Walters, who joined Borthwick's national set-up last month, played a key role in helping South Africa become the most powerful team at the 2019 tournament. The Springboks won the World Cup, thumping England in the final.
Borthwick is adamant the testing conditions in Verona and the work being done behind the scenes by Walters will help Owen Farrell and his team deal with the "extreme moments" they will face once the global showpiece kicks off this autumn.
England are in the easier half of the draw and could lock horns with Wales in the quarter-finals.
The world's top four teams, France, Ireland, South Africa and New Zealand, are each in the other half, meaning two of them cannot reach the last four.
As the England stars dealt with testing conditions, Borthwick said: "We've got Aled Walters leading that section of the programme, who coached a team in 2019 to be very, very fit; they were conditioned brilliantly.
"The person who was leading the England programme in 2019 was Tom Tombleson, who is assisting Aled Walters.
"So I have got trust in two guys there that I know understand the minutiae of how to prepare a team to get to the latter stages of the tournament.
"You've got to be physically equipped for the toughest situations in the game. There are extreme moments within the game and Test matches are so tight. So if you are not conditioned for those extreme moments, those are the ones which can make or break you.
"If you are conditioned better than the opposition for those extreme moments, you get the crucial score at that point.
"So you need to be conditioned and physically equipped for how you want to play in the toughest circumstances of a Test match."
While Wales are undertaking altitude training in Switzerland, Borthwick and Walters decided training in the heat would be the better option for England.
Borthwick said it was about: "How you think clearly under a different type of pressure, and challenging the players to think in the situations we give them when they are under the physical and emotional strain of training in the heat. We are here to develop physically, we are here to develop how we think, and we are here to develop tactically."
England meet Wales in back-to-back warm-up matches next month, the first in Cardiff, the second at Twickenham. They also have two other games before opening their World Cup campaign against Argentina.
Patchell makes his huge move
Rhys Patchell says he is hugely excited by the challenge of a new career in Super Rugby.
The 22-times capped Wales No.10 has joined the growing exodus from the Welsh game with a massive move to New Zealand outfit the Highlanders.
The former Scarlets and Cardiff No.10 was in Warren Gatland's Wales Six Nations squad but didn't make the cut for the World Cup.
As the transfer was officially announced in New Zealand, Patchell said: "The opportunity to head to Dunedin was too good to turn down.
"Having watched Super Rugby from afar, I’m excited for the 2024 season to begin. I look forward to getting started and contributing as much as I can on and off the field."
Highlanders coach Clarke Dermody said it was 'fantastic' to have Patchell on board and says his creative "mindset and skillset should align well with the way we want to play the game."
Dermondy continued: “He defends well, has a sound kicking game and his ability to cover full-back will be a real asset to us during the season.”
Boks delighted with Etzebeth return
South Africa hope the return of their veteran lock Eben Etzebeth as captain can help give them the edge in the huge Rugby Championship showdown with New Zealand at Eden Park this weekend.
The game could decide the destiny of the title in World Cup year, with the two teams recording comfortable opening day victories.
Etzebeth returns from a shoulder problem sustained playing for the Sharks in April which has kept him sidelined. He is among 10 new players coach Jacques Nienaber has chosen in his match-day 23 after their thumping of Australia last weekend.
A number of Springboks did not feature against the Wallabies, having been sent to New Zealand a week earlier to acclimatise. Nine of those comes straight into the starting XV.
“We planned to select a squad with a few key combinations of players who are fully acclimatised and settled in in New Zealand, while also selecting some players who started last week, and we are pleased with the balance we were able to strike,” said Nienaber.
“Eben has been working very hard in the last few months to make a full recovery from his shoulder injury and it’s great to see him return to the field in this important fixture. He’s a vastly experienced player with 110 Test caps, he’s captained the Springboks before, and he has been with the group of players in New Zealand for over a week, so he is the ideal person to lead the team this weekend."
South Africa: Willie le Roux, Cheslin Kolbe, Lukhanyo Am, Damian de Allende, Makazole Mapimpi, Damian Willemse, Faf de Klerk, Jasper Wiese, Franco Mostert, Kwagga Smith, Lood de Jager, Eben Etzebeth (capt), Frans Malherbe, Bongi Mbonambi, Steven Kitshoff.
Replacements: Malcolm Marx, Thomas du Toit, Vincent Koch, RG Snyman, Pieter Steph du Toit, Duane Vermeulen, Grant Williams, Manie Libbok.
Wales prop stands aside
Wales Women's forward Cara Hope is taking a break from international rugby to focus on her medical career.
The 27-times capped Welsh prop explained: "I'm sad to be making this decision and it wasn't easy. After years of playing rugby I have decided that it's best for me to take a step away from the international stage for the time being.
"This isn't a retirement or a goodbye to rugby, rather a break so that I can refocus and ensure my future is stable and a career I enjoy is possible."
Hope plays at club level for Gloucester-Hartpury, who have won the English Premier 15s league.
URC early fixtures an 'unprecedented and positive move'
United Rugby Championship boss Martin Anayi reckons releasing the fixtures for next season so early is a significant moment for the league.
Games for the 2023-24 campaign were announced on Tuesday afternoon, with the Scarlets away to the Vodacom Bulls and the Ospreys at Connacht. Cardiff begin with a home fixture against Benetton, with the Dragons hosting Edinburgh.
Champions Munster kick off their title defence with a home game against South African side Sharks.
"The fixture list is the central pillar to our league and teams, and providing certainty to fans, clubs and broadcasters earlier than before will have a positive impact," URC chief executive Anayi said.
"To deliver this fixture list 102 days ahead of kick-off is unprecedented for our league and gives us another target to beat again next year."
Ospreys consider London home games amid Swans clash
The Ospreys have discussed playing a couple of their home fixtures away from Swansea, with venues in London having been talked about.
Venues for the home matches with the Sharks and Lions, plus the New Year's Day Welsh derby clash with Cardiff, have yet to be determined.
Swansea City have priority over the ground. Michael Duff's side are down to host West Brom on January 1, causing a fixture clash.
WalesOnline has learned Ospreys powerbrokers are exploring alternative venues in South Wales, and across the Bridge.
Twickenham Stoop, home to Gallagher Premiership outfit Harlequins, is one ground which has been mooted. Playing the South African sides in London could tap into the capital's strong South African population, potentially bringing bigger crowds and more revenue through the turnstiles.
