Here's your round-up of all the latest rugby news for the evening of Wednesday, January 25.
Moriarty out for nearly two weeks as talks over future set to open
Dragons coach Dai Flanagan says he won't rush Ross Moriarty's return to action, after the back rower was forced out of the recent clash with the Emirates Lions with a head injury.
The Dragons will be without the 28-year-old for the visit of Glasgow Warriors to Rodney Parade this weekend, and Flanagan insists he's not prepared to take any unnecessary risks over his fitness.
"Obviously it's too short a turnaround to even bring him back this week," Flanagan said when quizzed on Moriarty's fitness. "He's had a couple of days off now to let it settle. We'll protect our players as best we can and do what's best for them. That's what we do around here."
Pressed on a possible timeframe for his return, he added: "You could bring him back in 12 days because that's the concussion return protocol. A nasty knock is going to be a bit longer than that to make sure he's alright."
Moriarty is one of several players whose future looks uncertain at Rodney Parade, with question marks over WRU funding to the regional game hampering the Dragons' chances of offering new deals to several high-profile players.
However, there is growing hope that a financial agreement can be reached - a state of affairs that will likely come as a boost to the region's hopes of keeping Moriarty and others.
"We've been working hard on valuing players and how we make it fit. There's a massive shortage of money as the chairman's said many times in Welsh rugby.
"We want to keep the best players we can possibly keep and make it work and that's tough. Once the players realise what their [WRU banding] offer is then I'm sure the conversations will start.
"It's important we do it correctly, but also important we try to keep the best players we possibly can here."
New Wales coach promises entertaining attack
New attack coach Alex King says Wales are determined to play an entertaining brand which is rooted deep in the country's DNA.
King joined up with the rest of Warren Gatland's coaching staff on Monday, with the New Zealander having chosen the former England fly-half to replace Stephen Jones as attack coach.
The 47-year-old has little time to get his messages and methods across ahead of the Guinness Six Nations opener against Ireland on February 4, but King is confident that he can do so to mark Gatland's Wales return with a winning start.
"Gats got in touch with me a couple of weeks before Christmas and it went from there," said King, the former Gloucester attack coach.
"We've done a lot of preparation before coming into camp, and there's a real hunger in the squad to put things right from the previous campaign.
"It's about clear messaging because there's some fantastic players in this squad and what we want is to be really positive what we do with the ball.
"We want to try and get everybody on the same page and use the the players' strengths.
"We want to play a brand of rugby that the (Principality) stadium will be proud of seeing - the DNA of Welsh rugby that I've grown up with and seen.
"Gats coming back into the fold brings a hard edge, a real work ethic, and that's the bedrock of any successful team.
"You layer on your defence strategy and attack on top of that, but there has to be fundamentals we can hang our hat on going into the campaign."
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WRU chair to set up taskforce
Welsh Rugby Union chair Ieuan Evans has vowed that a taskforce that includes "external expertise" will be established to help tackle allegations of racist, homophobic and sexist bullying within the governing body.
A number of former WRU employees took part in an investigation by BBC Wales - which was screened on Monday night - with accusations about their time at the organisation.
Charlotte Wathan, general manager of women's rugby until her resignation last February, claims offensive comments by a colleague left her in tears and feeling sick, while another unnamed contributor says she was left contemplating suicide by her experiences of bullying and sexism at work.
Incidents of racism and homophobia are also alleged.
It has sparked calls from fans for WRU chief executive Steve Phillips to be sacked, while major sponsors of the game in Wales have expressed grave concerns during the damaging fallout.
Asked specifically about Phillips' future, former Wales captain Evans said: "I have total confidence that we will get this right.
"That includes Steve. He is the chief executive of the Welsh Rugby Union. We will get this right.
"I can only sincerely and heartfelt apologise to all affected.
"As a father of two young women, I found it deeply distressing, and I can only apologise to all affected by this.
You can read the full transcript of Ieuan Evans' press conference here.
England suffer injury blow
Exeter boss Rob Baxter has confirmed that Luke Cowan-Dickie will play no part in England's upcoming Six Nations campaign after suffering an ankle injury against Northampton earlier this month.
The news leaves England with depleted resources at hooker heading into their opener with Scotland, with Jamie George suffering a concussion, while George McGuigan is still battling back from a knee injury.
It means uncapped Jack Walker could potentially start in the number two jersey.
"The length of Luke’s injury means he should be back before the end of the season. The challenge will be whether it’s one or two weeks before the end of the season," Baxter said.
"It’s not going to be a big chunk of the season that he gets back available for."
IRFU back Farrell for Lions gig
IRFU chief Kevin Potts says the union would be 'honoured' for Andy Farrell to become British and Irish Lions head coach in 2025.
Farrell is leading the frontrunners to take charge of the Lions on their tour of Australia in two years time, having been an assistant to Warren Gatland for tours of Australia in 2013 and New Zealand in 2017.
Gatland himself has shown his support for Farrell taking the job, and Potts says his appointment would come with the IRFU's blessing,.
"I think if Andy Farrell or any Irish coach was to have the honour of being selected as head coach for the Lions, Irish rugby would of course be honoured," Potts told The Daily Telegraph.
"I think any coach or assistant coach or player to be stepping up to Lions would be seen as a good thing for Irish rugby.
"We've had people - logistics people, administrative people - and they're asked, and we say, 'of course’, it’s never a question of saying that they can’t do it. The Lions are the pinnacle of our sport.
"And if Andy Farrell or anybody else, of course, they’d have our blessing and full support and it would be an honour for us to have somebody associated with the Lions. I’m sure this is not a topic that’s at the forefront of Andy’s mind at this point."
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