This post was originally published on this site.
The latest headlines from the rugby world
Here are your rugby morning headlines for Monday, January 12.
Cardiff through to knockouts
Cardiff have qualified for the knockout stages of the Challenge Cup with a match to spare after EPCR announced it would ne awarding Ulster a 0-28 win and five points for their cancelled match with Cheetahs.
The Arms Park club were left in limbo yesterday when Ulster’s clash with the South African side – which had been switched to the Netherlands – was called off just 40 minutes before kick-off.
An initial pitch inspection saw the referee deem the pitch playable but it was reported the teams were unhappy with the conditions at the Duke Rugby Club pitch after snowfall and freezing conditions and the initial call was reversed.
Only a bonus-point win for the Cheetahs would have stopped the Welsh side progressing, but now with official confirmation coming late last night of the cancellation, Cardiff are through to the last 16.
“EPCR has made the decision to cancel the EPCR Challenge Cup Pool 3 Round 3 fixture between Toyota Cheetahs and Ulster Rugby,” the governing body said in a statement on Sunday night.
“Upon review of all the information available, the match result should be recorded as 0-28 win to Ulster Rugby, and five points will subsequently be awarded to Ulster Rugby.
“Despite the obvious challenges connected with the playing of this fixture, and noting the incredible efforts of the Toyota Cheetahs and Rugby Nederland to ensure the fixture could take place, it is the hosting club’s responsibility to ensure the match can go ahead; and therefore the match result must be recorded as a 0-28 four-try bonus point win for Ulster Rugby, with five match points being awarded as a consequence, pursuant to EPCR regulations.
“EPCR would like to thank Toyota Cheetahs, Rugby Nederland and Ulster Rugby for their support throughout this process.”
Reffell desperate to make Six Nations squad
Wales flanker Tommy Reffell says he really wants to get back into the national team’s squad after being overlooked in the autumn.
The Leicester Tigers openside missed out on Steve Tandy’s first squad last year, having been a mainstay since making his debut in 2022. Even when Jac Morgan was injured in the opening game against Argentina, Reffell wasn’t brought into the squad – with Harri Deaves called up.
Deaves wore the seven jersey on one occasion in November, with Alex Mann playing openside in two Test matches. Josh Macleod, back from injury, could also come into contention for the Six Nations.
But the form of Reffell will surely give Tandy something to think about when he names his Six Nations squad later this month.
“Of course everyone wants to play for their country,” said Reffell to Premier Sports. “I think the boys did a really good job in the autumn.
“I really want to get back in there. Indeed to play well here first.
“Hopefully my performances here can put myself back in the picture to get there.”
Ospreys rue poor first half in European defeat
Ospreys head coach Mark Jones was left to rue a poor first half as his side’s perfect start in Europe was ended with a frustrating defeat to Zebre in Italy.
Having started their Challenge Cup campaign with bonus point wins over Connacht and Montauban, the Ospreys would have been hoping for a similar result to keep up their hopes for home advantage in the knockout stages.
While the losing bonus point sealed their place in the knockout stages, it ended up being an infuriating afternoon for the Ospreys.
“It’s very frustrating,” said Jones. “We manifested a lot of the issues in the first half, we put ourselves on the backfoot and allowed Zebre to grow in confidence in the first half.
“However, I thought we did well to action at half-time a few of the issues we had in the first half around breakdown and turnover rate. We started to attack in the way we thought we could get some benefit out of it.
“We made six linebreaks but only converted two. Unfortunately we were just too loose and let those pressure moments off Zebre too often.”
He added: “We know we didn’t get the first half right. There was a lot of good intent and we created some opportunities with offloading.
“We knew they’d be a threat at the breakdown and we tried to keep the ball alive to take that threat away. But they worked harder than us.
“They created some good moments in defence and turned them into positives. We knew it was coming. They were far better in that second half. Credit to the boys in that second half. We could have and probably should have won.”
Scarlets hopeful of knockout stages despite another defeat
The Scarlets remain hopeful of a place in the European knockout stages despite a third successive defeat in the Champions Cup.
The west Walians’ hopes of reaching the Champions Cup knockout stages are slim after they followed up defeats to Bristol and Bordeaux with a loss to Pau in Llanelli.
They head into their final match against Champions Cup finalists Northampton Saints needing a bonus-point win to keep their hopes alive.
However, a place in the Challenge Cup knockout stages is still within their reach. All they need to do is finish fifth in Pool 4 ahead of the Bulls – who take on Pau next weekend.
“It’s obviously disappointing from a loss perspective,” said Scarlets head coach Dwayne Peel.
“But I did feel like there were elements of our game that were more positive than they were in the last two games, and we’re still in with a tangible opportunity of finishing in fifth place.
“The Bulls have to travel and we have to travel to Franklin’s Gardens, which is a brilliant place to play rugby – I’ve played there myself – against a team who are full of quality.
“It’s a big challenge, a big week, but we’re still in it and that’s all you can ask for is to have something to go away and chase.”
