Here are the latest rugby headlines on Monday, June 19.
Ioan Lloyd reports for Scarlets duty
New Scarlets signing Ioan Lloyd has linked up with his new teammates ahead of the 2023-2024 season.
The utility back's move to Llanelli from Bristol Bears was announced in April, so 22-year-old Lloyd will be plying his club trade in the United Rugby Championship next term as he bids to also force his way back into the national set-up after making two appearances for Wales under Wayne Pivac.
The Scarlets released a short video clip of the players arriving for the first day of pre-season on Monday.
Lloyd was seen carrying a box into Parc y Scarlets with a smile on his face, while Jonathan Davies, Wyn Jones and Ryan Conbeer could also be seen turning up for the first session of the summer. New signing Alex Craig, whose arrival was announced on Monday, also met his team-mates for the first time.
The new URC season is set to begin on October 20, the same weekend as the Rugby World Cup semi-finals in France.
Ex-Springbok 'fighting for his life' in hospital
Former Springbok fly-half Derick Hougaard remains in a critical condition as he fights for his life in a Pretoria hospital.
The 40-year-old South Africa international, who represented the 'Boks in eight Tests between 2003 and 2007, has been in a coma for more than a week after being admitted to hospital after being found unconscious by his partner, Afrikaans singer Nadine. Her representative said: “At this moment he is still the same as yesterday and the day before, the last eight days. He is still critical."
It has been reported that Hougaard, who represented the Bulls in more than 100 matches and also had stints with Premiership sides Leicester Tigers and Saracens, has inflammation of the lungs.
His parents, Riana and Bontes Hougaard, have shared their prayers for his recovery. His mum wrote: "I wish you can see and hear how many people care and pray for you. Sometimes something like this happens and then you realise how loved you really are, things you should have heard a long time ago when the beats of life wanted to break you.
“Our last conversation was, 'I am proud of mom, mom was a little too brave.' Now mom is no longer brave. Mom and Dad are holding on to our faith, we also hold each other and the tears tear our bodies. I pray that you can just wake up. You played rugby with broken fingers, cracked ribs, torn ligaments. Boeta, this final whistle has not blown yet. Dad and I love you so much — fight, my child, like only you can fight.”
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Gloucester change name of famous ground
Gloucester Rugby are changing the name of their famous ground Kingsholm to Queensholm to celebrate their women's team reaching the final of the Premier 15s, which is being staged at the venue this Saturday.
Gloucester-Hartpury Women, with 16 Welsh players in their ranks coached by Swansea native Sean Lynn, are in the final of England's top women's domestic league for the first time, and will face Exeter Chiefs. Read about the Welsh influence on the team here.
A club statement said: "In celebration of the Allianz Premier 15s final coming to Kingsholm, the home of Gloucester Rugby will adopt a new name for one week only: Queensholm. The stadium was selected as the host for the Allianz Premier 15s final in October 2022 and will see its own team – Gloucester-Hartpury – run out after their top-of-the-table finish."
“It’s amazing”, Red Roses legend and Gloucester co-captain Natasha 'Mo' Hunt said. "It’s a dream to run out to a packed Kingsholm in Cherry & White. The fact that we’re now doing that at ‘Queensholm’, in honour of the final that we’ve fought so hard to get to… it means so much."
Tickets for the Allianz Premier 15s final are available here from £5 for juniors and £10 for adults.
Axed Italy boss linked with new job
Italy head coach Kieran Crowley has been linked with taking the reins of Honda Heat in Japan Rugby League One following the World Cup, after his contract with Italy was not extended.
According to media reports of Japan, Honda Heat are being heavily linked with the former All Blacks full-back who oversaw the Azzurri ending their 36-game losing streak in the Six Nations, against Wales in 2022, and them beating Australia for the first time later that year.
The New Zealander previously coached Canada during the 2015 World Cup and became the Italy boss in 2021.
ran’s time with Italian rugby has been very positive,” Innocenti stated, emphasizing Crowley’s role in nurturing and developing the players into competitive Test athletes.
England expect Ollie Lawrence and Jack Walker to be fit for World Cup
By Andrew Baldock, PA Rugby Union Correspondent
England expect Bath centre Ollie Lawrence and Harlequins hooker Jack Walker to be available for World Cup selection after they both suffered injuries during training. Premiership player of the season Lawrence is recovering from a knee injury, while Walker has a calf muscle problem.
Both players were hurt in England squad training last week and they are understood to each be facing a minimum of six weeks' rehabilitation. England's opening World Cup warm-up game is against Wales in Cardiff on August 5, while head coach Steve Borthwick is due to name his final 33-player squad for the tournament two days later.
Lawrence and Walker will join a 38-strong group for treatment during England's preparation camp in Brighton this week.
Borthwick's training resources have been bolstered by players from beaten Premiership semi-finalists Leicester and Northampton. The likes of Courtney Lawes, Ben Youngs, Dan Cole, Freddie Steward, Anthony Watson, Lewis Ludlam, Alex Mitchell and Tommy Freeman all feature. Saracens number eight Billy Vunipola, Leicester forward Ollie Chessum and Exeter hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie all remain in camp to continue their rehabilitation from injury.
Players from Premiership finalists Saracens and Sale, meanwhile, remain on rest periods.
There are no places for London Irish wing Ollie Hassell-Collins, Bristol scrum-half Harry Randall and Bath number nine Ben Spencer, who were all part of last week's 28-strong training contingent.
Borthwick said: "We are pleased to welcome players from Northampton Saints and Leicester Tigers, who can now start to integrate themselves into the group, and we look forward to players from Sale Sharks and Saracens joining us in a fortnight. The first phase of our preparation continues to focus on ensuring the players are physically equipped for what we need to do in a World Cup campaign.
"That means the training will be tough and purposeful. The players are rising to the challenge. We will work hard again this week and we will enjoy some time together off the field too, which is also an important part of our preparation."
Training squad: Backs - H Arundell (London Irish), D Care (Harlequins), J Cokanasiga (Bath), F Dingwall (Northampton), T Freeman (Northampton), W Joseph (London Irish), J Marchant (Harlequins), J May (Gloucester), A Mitchell (Northampton), C Murley (Harlequins), G Porter (Leicester), H Slade (Exeter), F Smith (Northampton), M Smith (Harlequins), F Steward (Leicester), J Van Poortvliet (Leicester), A Watson (Leicester), B Youngs (Leicester).
Forwards - J Blamire (Newcastle), D Cole (Leicester), A Dombrandt (Harlequins), T Dunn (Bath), C Ewels (Bath), E Genge (Bristol), J Heyes (Leicester), T Hill (Bath), C Lawes (Northampton), L Ludlam (Northampton), J Marler (Harlequins), G Martin (Leicester), Z Mercer (Montpellier), B Obano (Bath), T Pearson (London Irish), V Rapava-Ruskin (Gloucester), D Ribbans (Northampton), K Sinckler (Bristol), W Stuart (Bath), S Underhill (Bath).
