Tuesday Afternoon Round Up

February 28, 2017
4269
Ultimate Rugby

Josh Strauss Joins Sale Sharks

Sale Sharks have announced the signing of Scottish International Back Row Forward Josh Strauss on a three year deal.

“Josh is a world class forward," commented Director of Rugby Steve Diamond.

"He has been performing well for both Glasgow and Scotland over the past five years and will compliment the squad in the ball carrying department..."

Josh has been capped eleven times by Scotland after making his international debut against Japan in the 2015 World Cup at Kingsholm.

He is currently playing for Glasgow Warriors who he joined in 2012 from The Lions and Golden Lions where he was captain.

Shaun Knight leaves Newport Gwent Dragons

Newport Gwent Dragons can confirm that Shaun Knight has been released from his contract.

Following his loan spell with Premiership side Bath Rugby, Knight has been offered a permanent contract with the English outfit.

“Shaun was a pleasure to work with, he is a consummate professional and very good young player," Head Coach Kingsley Jones commented.

“However due to the excellent performances of Brok Harris coupled with the progression and emergence of our other three Welsh qualified props Lloyd Fairbrother, Leon Brown and young Chris Coleman, future opportunities would be limited.

“Bath is an excellent opportunity for Shaun to play rugby at the top level and we’d like to wish him well for the future.”

The RFU announces 10 clubs to play in new Women's Super Rugby

The Rugby Football Union (RFU) has announced that 10 clubs have been offered a place, subject to contract, in the new women’s domestic competition from September 2017.

Women’s Super Rugby is a major development for the women’s game in England and will significantly raise the standards of rugby domestically and help support the Red Roses’ ambition to be the number one team in the world, along with growing participation numbers.

All applicants will be required to deliver against a set of minimum operating standards, which are designed to create an infrastructure within the clubs to support an increasingly professional game.

The competition's structure has all the teams playing each other on a home and away basis. The top four teams at the end of the home-and-way season qualify for the play-offs which follow a 1 v 4, 2 v 3 system. All clubs must meet the RFU's Minimum Standards Criteria to remain in the competition. There is no promotion or relegation in the first two seasons of the competition.

Following a rigorous and independently-chaired application process, the 10 successful teams that have been offered a place in the Women’s Super Rugby, subject to contract, are:

Bristol Ladies Rugby Ltd
Darlington Mowden Park Sharks
Firwood Waterloo Ladies
Harlequin FC
Gloucester-Hartpury Women’s RFC
Loughborough Students (Lightning)
Richmond FC
Saracens Women
Wasps FC Ladies
Worcester Valkyries

Wasps sign Alex Rieder extension

Wasps have announced that versatile back-rower Alex Rieder has signed a contract extension at the club.

Rieder joined Wasps ahead of the 2015/16 season and has 24 appearances for the club, including 17 this season.

The former Championship Player of the Year commented on his extension:

"To be able to extend my contract at Wasps is a great honour. To not only be able to play for a club with such an amazing history, but also to potentially contribute to it, is a privilege.

Bath sign Chris Brooker on loan

Bath have confirmed the loan signing of hooker Chris Brooker. The Bristol-born Brooker returns to Bath having previously played at the club earlier in his career.

The 30-year old was capped at England Saxons level in 2012. His Premiership club history include Harlequins, Worcester and Bristol.

Director of Rugby, Todd Blackadder, said:

“We’re really pleased to have been able to bring someone who has as much experience as Chris in at this stage in the season. We’ve lost Tom Dunn and Jack Walker in recent weeks to injury, so to have Chris in the squad will be a huge boost heading into a critical part in our season.”

SA Rugby announce new national club rugby competition

Sunday rugby, triple-headers, regional championships and a new competition name on the rugby calendar are all part of a major makeover for the opening provincial competition of the South African season.

The SuperSport Rugby Challenge will kick off on the weekend of 22/23 April and will feature the country’s 14 provincial unions together with Namibia’s Welwitschias in a 13-week tournament that is set to take rugby in a whole new direction.

As part of the new look, the SuperSport Rugby Challenge will SuperStack matches with as many as three games hosted back-to-back at a single venue – one of which will be a local club rugby match.

“The SuperSport Rugby Challenge will take professional rugby to places it has never been before - both literally and metaphorically,” said Jurie Roux, SA Rugby CEO.

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Front row duo commit to Bath

Bath have confirmed that front row duo Shaun Knight and Michael van Vuuren have both agreed contract extensions with the Club.

Knight arrived on loan from Newport Gwent Dragons in September, but has now agreed a permanent deal to remain in the West Country until the end of the 2017/18 season.

Former South African U20 hooker van Vuuren arrived at Bath from Leicester Tigers following spells with Top 14 side Stade Francais and Super Rugby’s Cheetahs and Kings.

Director of Rugby, Todd Blackadder, said: “It’s been a busy month or so with contract renewals, but we’re delighted to have secured a number of players in preparation for next season.

“Shaun and Michael are another two players that we had identified as playing an important role at the Club and I have no doubt they will offer a great deal to the squad during their time here.”

Warriors sign Wasps’ Tom Howe

Warriors have signed Wasps Academy starlet Tom Howe ahead of the 2017/18 season.

The winger, who will be part of the senior squad at Sixways when joining in the summer, has been a regular through the England age-groups, having helped the Under 20s to the Junior World Championship title last year.

He has made 13 appearances for Wasps, having crossed the whitewash on two occasions – one of which came against Warriors in November’s Anglo-Welsh Cup encounter at the Ricoh Arena

Scarlets Assistant Coach Ioan Cunningham pens new deal

Scarlets have confirmed that Assistant Coach Ioan Cunningham has penned a new deal keeping him at his home region for the next few years.

Glanaman born Cunningham joined the Scarlets in 2000 as part of the region’s inaugural Academy year group, combining his training with a HND in Sports Science from Coleg Sir Gar.

After hanging up his playing boots Cunningham began his coaching career as Elite Youth Development Manager with the Ospreys before returning to his home region in January 2011 as Academy Skills Coach.

Sunwolves sign Jamie-Jerry Taulagi for Super Rugby 2017

The Sunwolves have confirmed the signing of Jamie-Jerry Taulagi from Munakata Sannix Blue for Super Rugby 2017.

The 23-year old represented the Reds in Super Rugby from 2014-2016 making 10 appearances for the Queensland side.

He moved to the Japan in 2016 where he represented the Munakata Sannix Blues on 11 occasions scoring 29 points.

Katy McLean suspended for three weeks

The England player, Katy McLean, appeared today before an independent Disciplinary Committee, having been red-carded by the referee for a dangerous tackle.

Ms McLean accepted that she had committed an act of foul play which was worthy of a red card.

The categorised offense normally carries a 6-week ban, but The Committee determined that there were no aggravating factors and the player had met all mitigating factors permitted, and therefore decided to reduce the suspension by three weeks.

She is therefore suspended for a total of three weeks. Taking into consideration that she has no scheduled matches for this weekend, she is suspended until mid-night on Sunday 26March.

McLean still has the right to an appeal.

Tomane and Spies set for Montpellier return

Montpellier will be able to call on South African international Pierre Spies and Australian international Joe Tomane this weekend against Lyon.

Head Coach Jake White will be pleased at the news as he will hope his side can make up some ground on table toppers Clermont and La Rouchelle, who lead Montpellier by 8 points.

Super Rugby:

Western Force and Reds name thier squads.

The Reds named an unchanged starting line-up and made only a single change on the bench as Taniela Tupou replaced Marcus Vanzati.

The Force have made 2 changes to their starting line-up with Ben Daley been promoted from the bench to replace Pek Cowan takes his place.

Matthew Phillip will be making his starting debut at lock for the Force as he comes in for Ross Haylett-Petty who moves to the flank in the absense of Richard Harwick.

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