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These are your latest rugby headlines on Sunday, April 3.
Coach issues update after horror incident
Leinster head coach Leo Cullen has issued an update on centre Robbie Henshaw after the Ireland international was involved in a frightening collision during his side’s Champions Cup semi-final win over Toulon.
The clash at the Aviva Stadium was brought to an abrupt halt in the 14th minute after Henshaw was knocked out and left lying motionless on the pitch having attempted to bring down powerful back rower Mikheil Shioshvili.
Referee Luke Pearce immediately stopped the game, while TV cameras panned away as medics rushed onto the field to treat Henshaw. The 77-cap international was treated for five minutes before being moved onto a medical trolley and taken off the field.
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In an encouraging sign, Henshaw raised his arm to concerned supporters that he was OK, while he was seen back on his feet at the full-time whistle as he celebrated his side’s 29-25 win.
Cullen has since issued an update on the centre, having also seen back rowers Jack Conan and Josh van der Flier, as well as wing Tommy O’Brien, forced off with injury.
“Robbie and Josh got two head knocks,” he said. “They’ll go through the graduated return-to-play (protocols) as standard. The two of them are OK there now. Listen, we’ll get them checked out and make sure everything is OK.
“Jack obviously hobbled off with his knee. He’s pretty bullish in there, saying he’s fine. Again, we’ll get him checked. Tommy went off as well. I think he’s cramping is what’s going on there. That’s the majority of it, I think.”
“Generally, I think the lads are not bad. A game of this magnitude, everyone has thrown themselves into the contact area. Nobody is leaving anything out there. It’s all out there.”
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Six Nations match ends 113-0
France scored 17 tries as they thumped Scotland 113-0 and continued their dominant start to the Six Nations Women’s U21 Series with a remarkable victory in Tarbes.
Les Bluettes were seven tries up at half-time, with loosehead prop Mailys Mailagi scoring four of those in the opening 40 minutes, despite sending 10 minutes in the sin bin.
The hosts ran riot again in the second half with a 10-try haul, with wing Alice Grandhomme also finishing the game with four tries to her name.
France’s mammoth victory follows their opening round win against Wales last month, which they won 76-5, as they prepare to take on England in their final match of the series next weekend.
Mailagi opened the scoring against Scotland after barely a minute, with Grandhomme’s first and conversions from Charlie Gauyat making it 14-0 after just six minutes.
The loosehead then powered over for a second try, with Grandhomme following suit moments later before scrum-half Lylou Pédussaud finished off a superb breakaway move which started within the French 22.
Returning from the sin bin after being penalised for playing the ball on the floor, Mailagi completed her hat-trick before scoring her fourth with the final play of the half, with France heading into the break 47-0 up.
Jade Gamon scored the host’s eighth of the afternoon early in the second half, with Anais Peralez and Oihana Tome Belmonte also crossing before Garance Merle and Justine Ogier got in on the act.
Grandhomme brought up her hat-trick, before tries from Marine Kazmierczak and Anna Daniel took France to three figures. Aelig Tregouet then got on the scoreboard before Grandhomme scored her fourth and Les Bluette’s 17th of the afternoon to complete a remarkable performance.
Ulster sink Exeter in Challenge Cup semi
By Press Association Sport Reporters
Ulster booked an EPCR Challenge Cup final place after brushing aside Exeter 29-12 following a dominant display in Belfast.
Iain Henderson’s team will tackle Montpellier or the Dragons in Bilbao on May 22, and the Chiefs could have few complaints.
They were unable to crack a resilient and well-organised Ulster side, comfortably finishing second-best as their opponents made the most of home advantage.
Former Northampton number eight Juarno Augustus, fly-half Jack Murphy, flanker Dave McCann and hooker Tom Stewart scored tries, with scrum-half Nathan Doak adding a penalty and three conversions.
Exeter replied through tries for number eight Ross Vintcent and wing Campbell Ridl, plus one Henry Slade conversion, but Ulster effortlessly eased away from them during the second period.
Doak drifted a 10th-minute penalty attempt wide, and while Ulster remained on the front foot they then saw a try disallowed after full-back Mike Lowry crossed, being ruled out for foul play earlier in the move.
Exeter should have been 10 points down, such was Ulster’s profligacy, although Chiefs then wasted their first scoring chance as a Slade penalty missed the target and ended a scoreless opening quarter.
Ulster continued to press, and the deadlock was broken 12 minutes before half-time when they were rewarded for patient work by their forwards, with Augustus touching down and Doak converting.
Exeter could not get their attacking game going, but Ulster then saw wing Jacob Stockdale yellow-carded following head-on-head contact with Chiefs’ England star Immanuel Feyi-Waboso.
Feyi-Waboso departed for a head injury assessment, and Exeter immediately made their temporary numerical advantage count by drawing level as Ulster regrouped courtesy of a Vintcent score and Slade conversion.
Exeter’s hopes of inflicting further punishment before the break were dashed, though, and Doak nudged Ulster into a 10-7 interval lead through a short-range penalty.
Feyi-Waboso did not return for the second half, with Chiefs soon falling further behind following some sharp work from Ulster’s attack near their line that resulted in a try for Murphy.
Doak’s conversion opened up a 10-point advantage, putting the ball firmly in Exeter’s court for a response, yet Ulster continued to control possession and territory.
And they gained a fitting reward after strong work by replacement wing Ethan McIlroy, whose pace stretched Exeter’s defence and set up a try for McCann.
It left Exeter 15 points adrift entering the final quarter, but Ulster had no intention of taking their foot off the accelerator and Stewart claimed try number four after a powerful close-range maul with try number four.
Exeter’s miserable evening then reached a suitably fitting conclusion when full-back Ben Hammersley was yellow carded, leaving them emphatically down and out.
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