by Here’s your round-up of the latest rugby news for Friday, August 16.
Coaching staff suspended
The entire training staff of France’s Under-18 rugby team has been suspended following the tragic passing of a player.
Medhi Narjissi was swept out to sea on Wednesday, August 7, during a player rehabilitation session at Diaz Beach at Cape Point in South Africa as the team competed in the Under-18s international league. He was swept away by powerful rip currents, with the French Rugby Union’s initial investigation into the incident declaring the beach chosen for the session to be dangerous.
It means that all members of the training and support staff have been suspended, pending the outcome of the internal investigation.
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The FFR statement said: “The initial evidence gathered by a member of the national technical management on the spot confirms that the site chosen for a player’s rehabilitation session was dangerous. This is an error of judgment that could be attributed to individual fault and/or The final conclusions of our investigation will allow us to determine responsibilities.
“As it promised to do, the French Rugby Federation is still determined to bring to light the exact circumstances of the tragedy. To date, the entire team has been interviewed. The FFR is now preparing to send players from the under-18 team to be questioned, with all the precautions required by the psychological shock they have suffered.”
Erasmus defends the team’s surprise announcement
South Africa coach Rassie Erasmus has dismissed suggestions of disrespect following his decision to make 10 changes to his team for this weekend’s play-off with Australia.
The Springboks kicked off their Rugby Championship campaign with a stunning 33-7 win over the Wallabies last Saturday, and left out a number of key names for this encounter in Perth, including skipper Siya Kolisi.
“If you look at this team, there are 14 World Cup winners and only two guys with new caps, so this is no disrespect to Australia and this is no doubt about the game,” Erasmus said. .
“We are picking a team that we feel is good enough to still win for us, although it will be very tough for a team that is trying to bounce back.
“I think it would be a slap in the face of the boys playing this weekend if we think they’re not as good as the boys who played last weekend. We trust them.
“I think if they played the team last weekend, the Springbok team, they would give them hell.”
All-rounder Morne van den Berg and second row Ruan Nortje will make their Test debuts, while Salmaan Moerat will captain South Africa out of green.
South Africa: Aphelele Fassi, Cheslin Kolbe, Jesse Kriel, Lukhanyo Am, Makazole Mapimpi, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Morne van den Berg, Elrigh Louw, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Marco van Staden, Ruan Nortje, Salmaan Moerat (captain), Thomas du Toit , Johan Grobbelaar, Jan-Hendrik Wessels; Reserves: Malcolm Marx, Ox Nche, Vincent Koch, Eben Etzebeth, Kwagga Smith, Grant Williams, Manie Libbok, Handre Pollard.
Former Wales Under-20 international captaincy role
Former Wales under-20 lock Sean Moore has been named captain of Cardiff RFC ahead of the first Super Rygbi Cymru season.
Having played in 26 out of 27 games for the Blues and Blacks last season, he is ready to step up to the plate against the highly experienced Morgan Allen.
The former Mountain Ash and Pontypridd player has made a total of 75 appearances since signing for Cardiff in 2021 and has won the Indigo Premiership and the WRU Premiership Cup.
He won eight caps for Wales under-20s in 2017, and played four games in the Six Nations, and also featured in the World Junior Championship.
“It’s a great privilege to be asked to take on the role and I’m very proud to be appointed captain of such a great club,” said Moore.
“I will do my best to live up to the standards set by the captains who have gone before me. When you look at the history of Cardiff, and the players who have played in the Blue & Black jersey, then you realize how big it is to be part of this club.”
The All Blacks make four changes for the Pumas test
New Zealand have made four changes for the upcoming second test against Argentina.
Former captain Sam Cane is also on the bench, as the All Blacks look to avenge last weekend’s shock loss to the Province in the Rugby Championship.
Cane is being recalled despite announcing he will retire from international rugby at the end of the year to sign with Japanese side Suntory Sungoliath.
Asked if he ever thought there was a chance he might not leave his country again, Cane said: “I don’t think I really thought that far ahead and I thought about the worst case scenario.
“I always believed that I would recover and that I had a lot to offer, still supported by my ability. Through rehabilitation and recovery from surgery, you will always get really zoned out.
“You have to, from my experience, not think about the end result, because sometimes it seems so far away. It would often be about getting through that training week and finishing the week in a better place than you started. Then reset often and sometimes do the same week again and try to do it a little bit better.”
Coach Scott Robertson responded to the 38-30 loss to the Pumas by changing backs and forwards for Saturday’s game in Auckland.
Will Jordan, who started from the bench for that win, is better on the right wing than Sevu Reece, while Caleb Clarke takes the lead for Mark Tele’a’s Auckland Blues team on the left.
Experienced Blues center Rieko Ioane is recalled and Tamaiti Williams comes in at loosehead.
New Zealand: Beauden Barrett; Will Jordan, Rieko Ioane, Jordie Barrett, Caleb Clarke; Damian McKenzie, TJ Perenara; Ardie Savea (captain), Dalton Papali’i, Ethan Blackadder; Sam Darry, Tupou Vaa’i; Tyrel Lomax, Codie Taylor, Tamaiti Williams.
Replacements: Asafo Aumua, Ofa Tu’ungafasi, Fletcher Newell, Josh Lord, Sam Cane, Cortez Ratima, Anton Lienert-Brown, Mark Tele’a
