Sunday Snippets

Wilko Honour: According to reports emanating out of England, former international flyhalf Jonny Wilkinson is set to be knighted in this year’s New Year’s Honours list. Wilkinson, who only retired this season after a stellar career both domestically with Newcastle and Toulon more recently, and internationally with England, is set to be included in the Queen’s list. Having helped Toulon to domestic Top 14 and European glory in his final season in the ten jersey last year, Wilkinson is affectionally known as ‘Sir Jonny’ in the South of France already, after a glittering five years at the Mourad Boudjellal funded club. As a result of his achievements on the field, including dropping the goal to seal the 2003 World Cup victory for his country, in conjunction with his tireless charitable efforts off it, Wilkinson’s name is expected to be heard come Thursday’s honours list. 

Ospreys hold off Scarlets: Steve Tandy’s Ospreys side had to survive a late comeback from local rivals the Scarlets yesterday, as the hosts at the Liberty Stadium came away with a narrow 17-15 win. The hosts were quickest out of the blocks in the initial stages, with replacement winger Aisea Natoga crossing for the game’s opening try after a break from fellow wing Hanno Dirksen. What followed was a dubious try for the home side, this time Dmitri Arhip was the benefactor off the back of a driving maul, taking the Ospreys’ lead to 17-9 at the break, after Steven Shingler had nudged over three penalties in response for the Scarlets. The second period saw a significant momentum shift with the Scarlets in command of many facets of the game. However, crucially the hosts’ defence held out and restricted the visitors to a range of penalty attempts, eventually holding out to seal a win which sends them back to the summit of the Guinness Pro12 table.

Ryan Sheady