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The latest rugby stories making headlines on Sunday, July 5
Here’s your round-up of all the latest rugby headlines for Sunday, July 5.
Tandy poised to make changes
Steve Tandy says he will consider making changes to face Argentina next week simply because of the travel demands.
His side ran out 39-24 victors over Fiji in their Nations Championship opener at Cardiff City Stadium on Saturday. However, while Tandy would likely not want to tinker with a winning side, he may be forced to simply because of the logistics.
“We’ll probably have one session in Argentina together,” said Tandy. “There’ll be separate flights over there.
“Then in South Africa, we might get two in. But again, it’s something that we’re looking at.
“I think we’re getting competitive so there are certain positions I think we can probably manage things because they are physical.
“We’ve seen the physicality today, and I think both teams… it’s unbelievable with how they put their bodies on the line. It’s something we are definitely looking at.”
Win means more for City fan Lake
Wales captain Dewi Lake says his side matched Fiji physically as the Cardiff City fan enjoyed victory at the home of his beloved Bluebirds.
After the victory, Lake admitted that he would usually spend his time “up in the Canton End”, but leading Wales to a second successive Test victory for the first time since the 2023 World Cup was a solid alternative.
“It’s unbelievable any time you get to pull that jersey on for us to get and the win in the end as well,” said Lake. “I know for some boys in that room it’s their first Test match win in a long time – maybe their first Test match winning in the jersey at all.
“So, I think building that experience of winning and that feeling of winning and of it becoming a habit for us, is really important as well.
“Look, they’re a physical team. I think a lot of players previously have spoken about Fiji being one of the toughest and most physical teams. When your body comes off the field, you know you’ve played in Test match.
“I think the set piece today – our dominance in that made things a lot easier for us. But look, I think we were physical as well.I think when we had the ball, we dominated collisions, we got on the front foot.
“So I think both sides were physical, but we showed how physical we could be as well.
“I think being in our third campaign together as a group now, everybody’s massively bonded.
“We know each other on and off the field. So I think in those little moments when you get a little win, or when something goes your way, it’s easy to kind of go and hug your mate and get together because we care a lot about each other off the field as well as on it.”
Biggar hails ‘important’ victory
Dan Biggar says the win over Fiji has laid down an important foundation for Wales ahead of their trips to Argentina and South Africa.
Biggar was impressed with what he saw from Steve Tandy’s men in possession, and was one of many to note their strength in the set-piece too.
“We’ve been really critical of this team over the last couple of years,” he said while on punditry duties for ITV.
“So today the coaching staff, the players, everyone involved deserves a huge pat on the back.
“Yes they could have gone behind early doors with Fiji having the opportunities they had.
“But when they got the ball game going, when they got the set-piece game going. That’s what we said before the game ‘can they out-ball Fiji?’ and ‘can they out-set-piece Fiji?’
“I think that’s a really important victory for Welsh rugby. They managed to get a game plan on the pitch and execute it.
“This team isn’t used to winning. So to win two Test matches in a row plus the Barbarians game, it helps with what’s to come in Argentina and South Africa.”
England slammed for limp second-half showing
Paul Grayson has blamed a limp second-half performance for England’s latest defeat, as pressure continues to grow on head coach Steve Borthwick.
Defeat to world champions South Africa stretched England’s losing run to five games, and there was seldom any danger of the tourists halting that run during a largely torrid outing at Ellis Park.
The Boks blitzed into a 17-point lead inside 11 minutes, before scores from Ellis Genge and George Martin just before half-time offered the visitors hope.
But South Africa turned the screw after the break, rolling over another three tries to ease their way to a fourth successive victory over England, leaving Borthwick under increased pressure.
“The second half was hardly a contest,” said former England fly-half Grayson on BBC Radio 5 Live.
“England never got a foothold in the game and because of that their attack was bits and pieces.
“South Africa smashed the door down, rarely played more than a couple of phases but squeezed the life out of England. They were uncomplicated and uncompromising.”
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