Here are your rugby morning headlines for Friday, October 1.
Jaz Joyce explains reason for viral social media post
Wales star Jaz Joyce has explained her recent viral social media post about the lack of opportunities she and others are facing in Welsh women's rugby.
After a sensational performance at the HSBC World Rugby 7s Series, Joyce took to social media to express concerns for her future in the sport.
From December, the star will no longer be a full-time athlete, as Team GB is set to be replaced with a squad of England players.
Joyce told RugbyPass : “I have come to terms with the fact that in my career Wales as a nation will not be a part of the World Series. We aren’t good enough yet and we don’t have the platform to build on that.”
And when asked the reasoning behind her social media post, Joyce said: “I wanted to be honest with how I was feeling on social media. From coming off the back of two brilliant weekends where I was literally living my dream, I needed to show that I want to do this full-time, but I can’t. I want people to know that this isn’t what I do full time, I don’t think fans understand what we have to do in day-to-day life to actually enable us to play rugby. People need to be aware of the wider picture.”
Since that post, the WRU issued a statement which promised reform in the women’s game. Chairman Rob Butcher acknowledged that mistakes had been made in the management of the women’s game.
The WRU have also appointed two interim coaches to lead the team into the autumn series but who the team’s permanent head coach will be is still unclear.
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Joe Marler slams 'disrespectful and archaic' former Premier League ref
England prop Joe Marler has hit out at former Premier League referee Mark Clattenburg over his response to a question over women’s refereeing, branding his remarks as ‘disrespectful and archaic’.
Clattenburg was a guest on TalkSport's Breakfast show alongside Marler when he said that women referees may need to decide between having a family and becoming a professional referee.
In response to a question asked by Marler on women refereeing male sport in the wake of Sara Cox becoming the first woman to referee a Gallagher Premiership game last week, the 46-year-old suggested that women referees need to choose between having children and a high-level career as a referee.
“Football has had a few more [than rugby]. We’ve had an assistant referee in the Premier League – Sian Massey – and we’ve got a woman refereeing in the Football League – Rebecca Welsh. Women are starting to develop in the men’s game.
“If you look at UEFA, a woman refereed the Super Cup final. So, UEFA are getting more and more women.”
“The problem with women, and certainly in refereeing in football is, they have a difficult path where if they get pregnant during the refereeing career, it can stop them a long ways. They have to make this choice, do they want to be pregnant and have children, or do they want to be referees.
“They’ve also got to pass the men’s fitness test. A lot of women struggle with the men’s fitness Test. If you want to be in the men’s game, you’ve got to meet the criteria. If they pass all this and they choose the right path, they should be involved in the men’s game.”
“You have to make sacrifices. I made some big sacrifices when I was coming through as a ref. Women have to make that sacrifice, because if they want to reach a certain level in refereeing and they want to reach that next level, if you become pregnant, it can cost you two or three years of your life. Once you lose that three years, somebody else takes your position and they move up.
“If you’re going to have babies, you need to do it early.
“If you have them later in your career, you can miss that opportunity. It’s sad because there are some great women [referees].
The former Champions League Final referee said that fitness was also an issue that women had to overcome.
“When you have a baby you’re out 9, 10 months, then you need another six months to recover from your body. So it’s nearly two years, and to pass that men’s fitness test is very, very demanding.”
Marler criticised Clattenburg's comments on Twitter following the interview, saying: “Jesus Christ – Clattenburg’s response to my question about female referees in football on TalkSport this morning was disrespectful and archaic – Sara Cox – leading the way with the way the world should be.”
Six Argentina players banned from Rugby Championship after Covid breach
Six Argentina players and two members of staff have been banned from the Rugby Championship in Australia following an unauthorised trip to Byron Bay.
The tournament is operating under stringent bio-security protocols and limited travel due to the number of Covid-19 cases in Queensland, Australia.
But the staff and group of players, including former Pumas captain Pablo Matera, crossed over into New South Wales to visit the tourist hotspot.
Sanzaar, the governing body that oversees the Rugby Championship, revealed on Thursday: "Sanzaar has informed Argentina Rugby that all members of this group are now ineligible to participate further in The Rugby Championship as they have breached tournament rules.
"Sanzaar is very disappointed that such a breach has occurred given the clear rules that are in place to ensure the health and safety of all players and staff, and compliance with all relevant health orders."
The Argentina rugby union have disclosed that, in addition to Matera, the group also featured Sebastian Cancelliere, Joaquin Diaz Bonilla, Felipe Ezcurra, Santiago Medrano and Santiago Socino, the team manager Lucas Chioccarelli and video analyst Rodrigo Martinez.
After being stopped at the state border by police for failing to produce the required documentation, those Argentines who travelled had to stay in a hotel in New South Wales on Wednesday night.
The players are now prohibited from playing in the team’s final game against Australia, and will remain in New South Wales until the team are set to leave the country on Sunday.
Speaking to reporters on Thursday night, Pumas coach Mario Ledesma refused to lay the boot into the rule-breakers.
“I don’t think it’s time to qualify what was the feeling or not the feeling,” Ledesma said.
“What I can tell you is that we put our minds into the solution, not the problem.
“We started thinking: ‘Who’s going to replace this player or that player? How are we going to prepare the boys to have the best game that they can and close The Rugby Championship like they deserve?’ Our mind was put immediately into the focus on rugby and to prepare as best as possible.”
Dragons face daunting Leinster challenge
Dragons coach Dean Ryan has paid tribute to this weekend's opponents Leinster and insisted their success is not just down to the superior budget they have over the Welsh teams.
The Irish province won four straight PRO14 titles before the advent of the United Rugby Championship and boast a squad packed full of established and emerging talent.
Ryan told the South Wales Argus: "It would be wrong to look at Leinster and say it's all about budget," he said. "It's a really long-term strategy from academy level and the school system, how they support that and transition [to the seniors], how they bring in overseas talent.
"It's a real lesson to everyone, it's never just about money. It's a part, but they are well supported with some fantastic coaches right the way down.
"What you see at the top end, it could be any names and you still get the same Leinster."
New Ospreys signing learning from the best
New Ospreys signing Ethan Roots has been hugely impressed with the leaders at the region since signing a two-year deal in the summer.
The 23-year-old, who can play anywhere in the back five, says he is learning every day from Alun Wyn Jones, Justin Tipuric and Dan Lydiate.
The former Crusaders player said: “They are just world class guys, they have been on Lions tours and play in my position as well, especially someone like Dan Lydiate, who is someone who does things I know I have to build my game around,” said Roots.
“To be at the Ospreys and to learn, just be around and watch them, adopting the standards they have, which they never compromise on, is living the dream.”
The Aucklander is the latest New Zealander to sign for the Ospreys and he admits the late former All Black and Osprey, Jerry Collins, is a personal hero.
“I knew Jerry Collins had been here but I didn’t realise how many Kiwis, and how many really good kiwis had come over. There are big boots to fill here. Jerry was very similar to Jerome Kaino, both knew their role inside and out, producing performances week in and week out. That is what I aspire to be.“
English Lions start to return
Kyle Sinckler is back in the Bristol team for Friday's West Country derby against Bath.
The prop will be the first of the English-based players who represented the British and Irish Lions this summer to return to action. Adam Beard became the first Lions to play again after coming off the bench for the Ospreys last weekend.
A 10-week rest period until the middle of October was mandated but there was provision for clubs to apply for players to return earlier.
Bristol rugby director Pat Lam said earlier this week: "The Lions players have requested themselves. They want to get back playing, across the board. It's all driven by each player - each player makes that decision themselves.
"What we will never do is tell a player he has got to come back and play. It's up to that player. Kyle is one of them who has requested he wants to play, and then it goes to the RFU (Rugby Football Union) and then ourselves."
Sinckler's fellow Lion Anthony Watson could also feature having been named on the bench for Bath.
Winless Bristol make eight changes, with Harry Randall, Sam Bedlow, Henry Purdy, Will Capon, Joe Joyce, Jake Heenan and Ed Holmes also coming into the side.
Bath welcome back Josh McNally and Will Stuart, with Beno Obano, Jacques Du Toit and Tom Ellis also starting, while Lewis Boyce is involved in a matchday squad for the first time in nearly a year on the bench.
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