Here are the latest rugby headlines on Tuesday, September 20.
Pivac makes Josh Adams request
Wales coach Wayne Pivac has asked Cardiff boss Dai Young to play Josh Adams at full-back in certain matches this season. Pivac is keen to see winger Adams perform the role as he nails down preparations for next year's Rugby World Cup.
Injury to new signing Liam Williams could see that switch become more likely to happen over the coming weeks, although with Jason Harries (concussion) and Owen Lane (ankle) both out, Adams will be required in his usual position out wide for now.
Young said: "Josh Adams is someone who Wayne [Pivac] would like to see playing for us at 15 on occasions because that's something that may happen in the World Cup. We think we've got a number of options but Liam has left big shoes to fill.
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"Josh has played a little bit at full-back and he certainly has all the attributes to play at full-back. He's got a good kicking game, he's good under the high ball, a very good defender and if people kick poorly to him then he certainly has the attacking ability to cause teams problems.
"It's something that I talked to Wayne about before Liam's injury. Wayne's obviously gearing up now for the World Cup and in those tournaments people get injured. There are a number of players across the four regions where, if we can help in any way by giving players experience in other positions that they may be called on for in the World Cup, then we're all trying to do that."
McNicholl out
Johnny McNicholl will miss the Scarlets' match against Ulster this weekend as he goes through the minimum 12-day return to play concussion protocols.
The full-back did not return for the second half of the derby against the Ospreys after being involved in a collision with Justin Tipuric and then failing his head injury assessment.
Under new guidelines, players have a small chance of being available for the following week's game but Scarlets boss Dwayne Peel confirmed today that the Wales international was taking no part this week.
He did, however, back McNicholl's qualities for a Wales recall after the news that Liam Williams is expected to be out until the new year, missing the autumn international fixtures this November.
Peel said: "Johnny played last autumn [for Wales] and from my end he's been a quality player since I've been here. He's played a lot at full-back and a lot on the wing as well.
"I know he prefers full-back, he likes full-back and it gives him the freedom to get on the ball as much as he can and he's a dangerous player when he's on the ball.
"Sadly for us, we didn't see as much of it last week but he's an exciting player and a guy who is very important for us."
South Africa refuse to draft in Jantjies over mental health risk
Springboks coach Jacques Nienaber has refused to draft in Elton Jantjies to solve the team's fly-half crisis to avoid putting the half-back's mental health at risk. South Africa face Argentina on Saturday in their Rugby Championship finale.
Jantjies' exit from the South Africa camp in Argentina has been well-documented, with reports claiming he was engaged in an affair with 'Boks staff member and dietician Zeenat Simjee. Both have left the camp and issued statements denying the reported conduct, although Jantjies apologised for his behaviour.
Amid injuries to Handre Pollard and Damian Willemse, Nienaber has opted to turn to veteran Frans Steyn, who starts at No. 10 at Test level for the first time in 14 years. Faf de Klerk will cover both scrum-half and fly-half from the bench. The Springboks boss admitted it would have been nice for Jantjies to return but his mental health must be prioritised.
"It would have been nice to pick Elton, but mental health is a big thing," Nienaber said. "There would have been too much external pressure on him and from a perspective of humanity, it would have been unfair to bring him back. Elton would have been under too much pressure, and with us the human side comes first."
After winning 36-20 in last weekend's round-five Buenos Aires clash, the Springboks team shows two changes to the starting line-up: Steyn, and the fit-again Pieter-Steph du Toit who is included at openside in place of Franco Mostert, who drops to a recalibrated bench of six forwards and two backs.
England name Women's Rugby World Cup squad
England have named a squad featuring six survivors from their 2014 World Cup triumph for their bid to claim New Zealand's crown this autumn.
Captain Sarah Hunter leads a 32-strong group which also includes flankers Marlie Packer and Alex Matthews, prop Laura Keates, wing Lydia Thompson and centre Emily Scarratt. Another star of 2014 fails to make the cut, however, after veteran scrum-half Natasha Hunt was omitted in favour of Leanne Infante, Claudia MacDonald and Lucy Packer.
Head coach Simon Middleton has opted for a split of 19 forwards and 13 backs for a World Cup campaign which opens against Fiji in Auckland on October 8, with 19 players making their first appearances in the tournament.
England enter the event as strong favourites after following up their Grand Slam earlier this year by amassing 125 points in their two warm-up fixtures against the USA and Wales, in the process extending their record winning run to 25 Tests.
England squad — forwards: Z Aldcroft, S Bern, H Botterman, S Brown, P Cleall, A Cokayne, V Cornborough, L Davies, R Galligan, S Hunter (capt), S Kabeya, L Keates, A Matthews, M Muir, C O'Donnell, M Packer, C Powell, M Talling, A Ward.
Backs: H Aitchison, J Breach, A Dow, Z Harrison, T Heard, L Infante, E Kildunne, C MacDonald, S McKenna, L Packer, H Rowland, E Scarratt, L Thompson.
Worcester match set to go ahead despite crisis
Crisis club Worcester's Premiership Rugby Cup game against Gloucester on Wednesday is set to go ahead as planned.
The PA news agency understands that Worcester are attempting to register a number of players on loan who would help them fulfil the fixture at Kingsholm.
The Warriors team should have been announced at midday on Tuesday, but this has now been delayed.
"Premiership Rugby can confirm that tomorrow night's Premiership Rugby Cup match between Gloucester and Worcester will go ahead as scheduled, but that the Worcester team announcement for the match has been delayed," the tournament organisers said.
The Warriors' future remains in serious doubt, although they met last Friday's deadline for safety certification set by the Rugby Football Union which allowed them to host Gallagher Premiership opponents Exeter on Sunday. The RFU has said it will continue to work with Worcester's owners regarding funding and potential takeover proposals.
Debts have spiralled as high as £25million, including a £6m tax bill, while a number of players and staff have yet to receive their full August salaries.
Warriors owners Colin Goldring and Jason Whittingham have claimed to have agreed terms on the club's sale, but rugby's authorities remain unconvinced.
Worcester's next scheduled Premiership game is against Newcastle at Sixways this Saturday.
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