by Here are your rugby headlines for Wednesday evening, April 24.
Former Wales international dies
Former Wales and Wales Lions driver John O’Shea has died aged 83.
O’Shea, who also captained Cardiff, died in Australia after a long illness. He won five caps for Wales in the 1960s, having made his international debut against Scotland in February 1967.
The following year, he was selected for the 1968 Lions tour to South Africa, playing eight games and making history twice. He became the first Lion to be sent off for foul play in a match after hitting an opponent during a clash with Eastern Transvaal, and was caught in a melee as he left the field after being tackled by fans viewing.
During that tour, he became the first Lions hurler to score two tries in one game as he bagged a brace against Rhodesia.
O’Shea made 213 appearances for Cardiff between 1963 and 1970, scoring 19 tries and captaining the side in his final season at the club.
After his death was announced, the club paid tribute, describing him as a “great character”. Cardiff added: “John was a very popular and respected member of the club, where he made many lifelong friends, and he will be greatly missed and fondly remembered by all who knew him. on him.”
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The Springboks have a selection crisis for Wales
South African star Cheslin Kolbe has been tipped to play a surprising role in his side’s clash with Wales this summer amid the Springbok selection crisis.
The two-time World Cup winner’s regular position is on the wing, while he also plays at full-back, but a lack of players available to Rassie Erasmus means he may have to play in the semis against Warren Gatland’s side. on the 22nd of June. He only wore the 10 jersey twice in his career, both times for former club Toulouse, and also covered the volume internationally.
According to reports in South Africa, Erasmus could be without more than a dozen key players for the clash with Wales at Twickenham, with the game falling outside the Test window. This means that players based in the United Kingdom, Ireland and France will not be available for selection, with the Stormers and Bulls also among the teams fighting for a place in the URC playoffs, with the final on the same day as of Great Britain.
All this means that Stormers flyhalf Manie Libbok and Leicester Tigers 10 Handre Pollard are unlikely to be available for selection for South Africa’s first Test of the summer. Props Steven Kitshoff and Frans Malherbe, RG Snyman and Jean Kleyn, full-backs Marco van Staden, Jasper Wiese and Siya Kolisi and backs Cobus Reinach, Canan Moodie, Kurt-Lee Arendse and Willie le Roux are also likely to be missing. .
However, Japan-based players – including Tokyo star Sungoliath Kolbe – will be available for selection and with specialist flyers Libbok and Pollard absent, he has been ordered to fill in for them. However, while Erasmus is not known to shy away from a bold call, he could call on Lions half-back Sanele Nohamba or opt for striker Faf de Klerk in his 10 among other options.
May leave Gloucester
England winger Jonny May has confirmed that he is to leave Gloucester at the end of the season, with a move abroad likely.
The 34-year-old’s contract at Kingsholm expires at the end of the current campaign and despite his intention to stay at the Premiership club, negotiations with the club have broken down. He is now set to leave Gloucester for a second time, having returned for a second spell with the Cherry & Whites in 2020 after leaving Leicester Tigers.
But although he has been linked with a move to league rivals Saracens next season, May says he had his sights set on a move abroad after spending 15 years in the Premier League. It has been suggested that Japan or France’s Top 14 are his most likely destinations.
Appearing on The Good, The Bad and The Rugby podcast, the England star said: “My update for next season is that I’m unlikely to be at Gloucester. That’s just one of those things. But I’m fully committed to give everything I’ve got for the remaining games and it’s great to be in this European tournament and hopefully I’ll be able to play in the semi-final in a week’s time.
When asked about his next move, he said: “I would imagine it will be overseas, just as I wouldn’t want to go to another club in the Premier League, I don’t think. I sound ancient now. I think I’ve done 15 seasons in the Premiership and my intention after the World Cup was to stay at Gloucester and do one more season and I wanted to do that, and that didn’t work out and the nobody’s fault.
“Gloucester was a great club for me, a great club, it’s my home and I wanted to stay. It didn’t quite work out but I don’t think that changes towards the end of the season. With my little baby, I might play overseas for a season or two. Nothing concrete for me, hopefully something will come up but I’m fully focused on the Gloucester stuff until the end of the season.”
O’Gara open to training France
Ireland legend Ronan O’Gara says he is happy to be France boss as he shares his ambition to win the Rugby World Cup as a coach.
The ex-flyer spent almost his entire coaching career in France, working with Racing 92 in 2013 before becoming head coach of La Rochelle in 2021. Appearing on French radio station Super Moscato Show, he said he dreams of raising the Webb Ellis. Cup with Ireland or his adopted country.
“I want to win the World Cup. “I dream about winning things, whether it’s with Ireland or France – I like it,” he said.
However, O’Gara’s ambitions could be put on hold by France’s attitude towards hiring a foreign head coach for the national team. Back in 2019, when the likes of Warren Gatland and Joe Schmidt were presented as possible replacements for Jacques Brunel, 59 percent of amateur clubs in a referendum among French amateur clubs rejected the idea.
“I’m not French,” O’Gara said when that point was put to him. “I’m trying to prove myself and put my name into the debate. It is possible, for Ireland, that the next coach will be from New Zealand, South Africa or Australia – that’s just the way it is.”
If he does get involved with the French national set-up, however, the Irishman has said he wants to be in charge rather than in the backroom.
“Are you a member of the team?,” he asked. “I do not think so. When you have a taste of the main position, of those responsibilities, it is difficult [to not be in charge].”
