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Here are your rugby morning headlines for Monday, January 19.
Seismic day arrives for Welsh rugby
A seismic day has arrived for Welsh rugby as the Welsh Rugby Union board meets to decide the future ownership of Cardiff Rugby – a decision that could shape the professional game in Wales for years to come.
The WRU board is meeting today to choose its preferred bidder to take Cardiff back into private ownership, almost a year on from the club entering administration and being taken over by the governing body last April. Two final bids are on the table, with submissions lodged last Tuesday after months of negotiations.
One bid is led by former Cardiff director Martyn Ryan and includes Rhino CEO Reg Clarke alongside three prominent Hollywood producers. The other interested party is understood to involve Y11, the majority shareholders of the Ospreys, although neither side has publicly confirmed details.
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WalesOnline understands the WRU will today select a preferred bidder and offer a period of exclusivity, during which talks with the other party would cease. That window would allow negotiations to move into the final phase, covering key details such as the level of debt a new owner would assume and the long-term structure of the deal.
While a final sale is unlikely to be rubber-stamped immediately, today’s decision is expected to set a clear direction of travel for Cardiff – and for Welsh rugby as a whole.
The ownership of the capital city club is a central pillar of the WRU’s wider plan to reduce the number of professional sides in Wales from four to three. The governing body is keen to press ahead with proposals that would see it exert near-total control over rugby operations at the remaining regions, a stance that has caused significant friction with existing funding directors.
If Y11 were to emerge as the preferred bidder for Cardiff, that could present a route towards a three-team model by consensus. However, WalesOnline understands the consortium featuring the Hollywood producers is viewed as extremely strong financially, with a bold and ambitious business plan.
That proposal is said to include plans for a scripted television series based in Cardiff, alongside wider ambitions to grow the club’s global reach and, in time, propel Cardiff back towards the elite end of European club rugby.
As the WRU board convenes, the stakes could scarcely be higher. The decision taken today will not only influence Cardiff’s immediate future but could also determine how – and how quickly – Welsh rugby undergoes its next major structural overhaul.
By the end of the day, the picture may not be complete, but the direction of the professional game in Wales is set to become significantly clearer.
Top French player emerges as injury doubt for Wales clash
France could be without one of their key playmakers for their Six Nations visit to Cardiff, with Romain Ntamack reportedly facing a spell on the sidelines after picking up an injury at club level.
According to reports in France, the Toulouse fly-half is unlikely to be fit for Les Bleus’ opening Championship fixture against Ireland on February 5 and is now a doubt to feature in the early rounds of the tournament.
The 26-year-old sustained the problem during Toulouse’s Top 14 campaign last month. Ntamack completed the full 80 minutes in their emphatic 60-14 win over La Rochelle on December 28, but concerns emerged soon after. He was withdrawn early from the starting line-up in their subsequent defeat to Perpignan and did not feature among the replacements, fuelling speculation over his fitness.
Ntamack has been a cornerstone of Fabien Galthié’s France side in recent seasons, earning 43 caps and establishing himself as first-choice at number 10. However, the latest reports suggest he could miss the opening round against Ireland and may not return until the second weekend of the Championship, when France travel to face Wales in Cardiff.
If confirmed, his absence would be a significant blow for the reigning champions, with Ntamack having started three of France’s five matches in last year’s title-winning Six Nations campaign.
The Toulouse star also played a central role in the latter stages of that tournament, returning to the starting XV for the decisive victory over Ireland in Dublin and the Super Saturday win against Scotland which sealed the title, after serving a suspension earlier in the competition.
France have yet to issue an official update on Ntamack’s condition, but his availability will be closely monitored in the coming days, with Wales and Ireland both keeping a keen eye on developments ahead of a potentially decisive Six Nations campaign.
Harlequins stun La Rochelle
By Press Association
Harlequins defied their abysmal domestic form to stun La Rochelle 27-17 at Stade Marcel Deflandre and secure home advantage in the Investec Champions Cup round of 16.
England fly-half Marcus Smith was sent to the sin bin for a high tackle on Jules Favre in the 56th minute but upon his return, Quins produced the match-winning moment against the 2022 and 2023 champions.
It was Tom Lawday who delivered the decisive score with eight minutes remaining by storming over with a strong run down the right wing after being given sight of the line by a long pass from Jarrod Evans.
Man of the match Smith converted the try and added a late penalty to begin the celebrations, in the process leaving European heavyweights La Rochelle to reflect on their shock group exit from the competition.
With the score tied at 17-17 heading into the final 10 minutes, Harlequins kept their nerve to complete a famous win that means they finish Pool Three in second place behind Leinster.
The success in European action has proved to be a refuge for the London club, who have sunk to ninth in the Gallagher Prem and recently issued an apology to fans.
McCall admits Sarries beaten by better team
PA
Director of rugby Mark McCall admitted Saracens had been beaten by the better team after going down 28-3 to Glasgow at Scotstoun.
A victory in Scotland could have seen the London club clinch home advantage in the Investec Champions Cup round of 16 but instead their fate is an away tie to Bath on the first weekend of April.
This was Glasgow’s fourth bonus victory in the pool stage to earn them a knockout tie at home to the Bulls after tries from Ollie Smith, Kyle Steyn, George Horne and Seb Stephen.
Saracens’ only points came from an Owen Farrell penalty and McCall had little complaints about the outcome.
He said: “We were playing a very good team. We obviously started the game slowly. It was 7-3 after 24 minutes but it didn’t feel that way. I felt that they were the team on the front foot, we were the team on the back foot.
“We had a hill to climb in the second half and I thought our effort and our fight in the second half was great. But at the minute we’re just not joining up that effort and fight.
“I think we had 70 per cent territory in the whole game and to come up with three points we’ve got 70 per cent territory is not good enough. We just couldn’t get speed of ball, we couldn’t take the odd five-metre lineout opportunities that we got and they defended brilliantly.
“They’re really good. They’re obviously well into this team’s cycle. They’ve been together for three or four years and there are a lot of familiar combinations there.”
Glasgow will be seen as Champions Cup dark horses and head coach Franco Smith praised his players’ effort.
He said: “I’m really proud, the fact that we stuck to it till the end. They (Saracens) are a quality side, we all know that. The fact that the way they attacked in the second part of the game and kept the ball away from us was really good.
“Yes, we made some uncommon errors in the second part of the game, dropped the ball and small things like that. But the fact that we stuck to it all the way to the end, I’m really proud.”
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