These are the latest rugby headlines for Wednesday, November 2.
Ken Owens on 'hugely frustrating' off-field matters
Wales and Lions hooker Ken Owens says it would be nice to go into an international campaign without the possible distractions of off-field disputes among Welsh rugby powerbrokers.
A financial deal between the WRU and Cardiff, Dragons, Ospreys and Scarlets has not been reached despite negotiations lasting several months. It means the four sides are still in the dark about their budgets for the current season and beyond, with out-of-contract players struggling to negotiate new deals.
"It doesn't help, it is hugely frustrating at times but it hasn't affected the boys at all which has been great, but it would be nice if we don't enter every campaign with the same old disagreements," Owens said.
Asked whether off-field matters were affecting the mood in camp ahead of Wales v New Zealand on Saturday, Owens — who is a player representative on the Scarlets' board — told the Scrum V podcast : "I don't think it has at all. Whether that's a little bit of naivety or boys thinking we can't control it anyway... that's where I've learnt over the years, you can't control what you can't control and the only thing we can control at the moment is putting in four performances over the next month to go 'let's sort this stuff out and give us an even bigger chance to compete on the world stage'."
WRU chief executive Steve Phillips has urged players in Wales to "stick with us". No time limit has been placed on matters, which would aim to future-proof professional rugby in Wales.
"We're quite advanced," Phillips said of the talks at the weekend. "We just need to agree on the last few things, which is a mix of rugby and financials. We meet very regularly. We've got to find a sustainable model and we've got to take our time in doing that as we've got to set ourselves up for success."
Owen Farrell set to start for England v Argentina
Owen Farrell is on course to start England's autumn opener against Argentina at Twickenham on Sunday as he closes in on making a full recovery from concussion.
Farrell only has Thursday's return-to-play protocol to complete after being knocked out against Exeter on October 22, placing him on the brink of being able to form a midfield trio alongside Marcus Smith and Manu Tuilagi for the first time. The Saracens playmaker took a restricted part in training on Wednesday and England are increasingly confident he will be ready for the Pumas' visit.
"Owen is just going through the last bits of his return to play but everything's gone according to plan so far," attack coach Martin Gleeson said. "He looked good in training, full of enthusiasm. Just his normal self, really."
England are keen to reprise the Smith-Farrell playmaking axis which was first seen last autumn only for successive ankle injuries to sideline the senior member of the attacking brains trust until the July tour to Australia.
Eddie Jones is investing in the duo with next year's World Cup in mind, although they have fired only in glimpses as a partnership. "Owen's partnership with Marcus is a big part of where we want to go as a team. They are four games in together and we want to build on that this autumn," Gleeson said.
Autumn kit clash
Kit colours are already causing something of a pre-match storm ahead of Ireland hosting South Africa for the first time in five years.
Irish Independent rugby correspondent Ruaidhri O’Connor says the home side will wear their navy blue alternate kit against the Springboks, which will cause a kit clash against the Springboks' dark green. A similar situation unfolded the last time the two teams played in 2017, when Ireland wore a greyish alternate jersey.
"Once again, rugby not doing itself any favours with this stuff," O'Connor said on Twitter.
While Ireland's home kit is emerald green, it would arguably present less of a clash against the 'Boks dark green than the Irish alternate kit.
Unless a kit change is agreed for one side, the teams are likely to be visually hard to separate on screen. The onus is on the home side to change if there is a kit clash.
Sexton: Ireland building real competition for 2023 World Cup
Captain Johnny Sexton says Ireland must keep striving for improvement in order to avoid complacency and a repeat of previous World Cup failings. The in-form Irish are preparing to begin their autumn campaign against world champions South Africa, having shot to the top of the global rankings following a historic summer series win in New Zealand.
Ireland were tipped for big things at the 2019 World Cup in Japan on the back of Six Nations Grand Slam glory and victory over the All Blacks the previous year before slipping to a familiar quarter-final exit. With the start of the 2023 tournament in France just over 10 months away, fly-half Sexton has credited the Irish coaching staff with increasing competition for places and not allowing established players to slide into their comfort zones.
Head coach Andy Farrell has been training with a squad of 49 in Dublin ahead of Saturday's showdown with the Springboks, which is preceded by Friday evening's fixture between an Ireland A team and an All Blacks XV.
"You've got to keep evolving, you've got to keep getting better," said Sexton. "If you stay the same, other teams will pass you out. We need to build a real competition for places so that no one can get comfortable and that is exactly what the coaches are doing.
"They're challenging us in how we play the game, they're challenging us by putting all these extra fixtures in, with the Emerging Ireland tour, the Maori games, now the New Zealand A game, so all these guys are getting chances to impress the coaches and to play under the coaches, to listen and put what the coaches want out on the pitch.
"There were 50 players at training and I was thinking to myself 20 of them are going to be left at home for the World Cup. And I couldn't pick who is going to be left at home, there are going to be some good players left out. That's exactly where we want to be and keep cultivating. Those are the lessons we learnt that we're implementing."
Ireland and South Africa are poised to lock horns for the first time in five years before meeting again next September at the World Cup.
Gray relishing Scotland recall
Veteran lock Richie Gray is relishing being back in the Scotland squad after drifting out of the international picture in recent years. The 33-year-old won the first of his 67 caps in 2010 but has made only three appearances under current head coach Gregor Townsend and has not featured for his country since the 2021 Six Nations.
After impressing for Glasgow this term, Gray was named in the squad for the Autumn Series. Having missed last weekend's defeat by Australia, injuries to fellow locks Scott Cummings and Sam Skinner have paved the way for him to potentially mark his return to action against Fiji on Saturday.
"I'm delighted to be here, it's always an honour to represent your country and be involved in these camps," he said. "There's been a lot of hard work gone into getting back into it. I've tried to adapt my game this season to give me a few more moments round the park, which I feel I'm doing with Glasgow. It's just a case of trying to replicate that on the international stage. That's the challenge going into the weekend."
Gray has enjoyed "reconnecting with some familiar faces" since the squad met up last week although, with more than a decade having elapsed since he first played for Scotland, he notes "there are also a huge number of young guys coming through who are bringing real energy".
"Things have moved on a bit but the squad is a really good place to be," he said. "There's a buzz around the camp; I can't believe how well everyone has connected with each other. The team room is absolutely packed every night with everyone having a blether. It's been great. Everyone's enjoying training and looking forward to the weekend."
Gray could be reunited in the Scotland side with his younger brother Jonny, the Exeter lock. "He certainly sets the standard in terms of work rate," Richie said of his 28-year-old sibling. "Can I keep up with that these days? Who knows. He certainly sets the marker in training and makes everyone pull along with him."
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