These are your rugby headlines on Tuesday, August 29.
Rhys Webb request at meeting
Rhys Webb has requested his B sample be tested and maintained his innocence at a meeting with the French Anti-Doping Agency on Monday, according to reports in France.
Webb was given more information around the positive drugs test he recorded for a growth hormone last month and remains suspended while an investigation continues. He is unable to play, train or access the facilities of new club Biarritz.
L’Equipe report Webb’s B sample will be tested to check if any procedural mistakes have been made.
The former Wales international, who retired from Test rugby earlier this year, is yet to make any public statement on the positive test and has removed his social media accounts.
He faces a potentially career-ending ban if found guilty.
Shane reserves judgement on Wales
Wales legend Shane Williams says he is reserving judgement on Wales’ World up chances until after the Fiji game.
Warren Gatland’s men face the Pacific Islanders in their tournament opener in Bordeaux on September 10.
They head into the tournament off the back of a stunning win over England at Twickenham – the first time they have beaten the Red Rose in their history.
It has sent out a warning to Wales and pool C rivals Australia.
“Wales face Fiji in Bordeaux, while England open with Argentina in Marseille,” he wrote in his Rugby Paper column. “The pressure that will mount on both teams if they don’t get off to a winning start could be insurmountable. I was asked last week how I felt Wales will go in France and my answer was, ‘I’ll tell you after the Fiji game’.
“The Fijians have never had as good a build up to a World Cup as they have had for this one, especially after beating England at home. That match was their fifth game and they have had their squad together at home in between games.
“But for me, the key difference is they have a coach in Simon Raiwalui who understands their mentality, knows northern hemisphere rugby through and through and has identified and worked on their traditional weaknesses of discipline and fitness. Add in the fact the Drua, their team playing in Super Rugby, provides the basis of the squad, and their credentials to compete against the top teams are much greater than ever before. Star quality they have, but it will be their collective power that will make them more dangerous than at previous tournaments.”
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All Black cleared to play
All Blacks star Scott Barrett has been cleared to play at the upcoming World Cup after his double yellow card against South Africa on Friday night was deemed sufficient.
Barrett faced a panel following his red card at Twickenham in match the Kiwis lost 35-7.
The independent judicial committee decided “that his ordering off in the RWC 2023 Warm Up match against South Africa on 25 August 2023 was sufficient” and that no further sanction was necessary.
“The facts are he got a yellow card, the first yellow card was not for foul play. The second yellow card was a yellow card, so it wasn’t a red card,” said All Blacks head coach Ian Foster on Saturday.“The judiciary, fortunately, don’t judge people on the reaction of people on the opposition, they judge it on the facts.”
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England hammering ‘had been coming for years’
Sir Clive Woodward says England’s humiliating defeat to Fiji on Saturday had been in the post for years.
The Pacific Islanders stunned Steve Borthwick’s men at Twickenham to record their first-ever victory over the Red Rose.
The reaction from supporters and the media has been ferocious and Woodward says he has sympathy for the England head coach.
“Saturday’s first defeat by Fiji in front of a very poor Twickenham crowd was a hugely sobering day for English rugby,” he wrote in his Daily Mail column.
“It was one that has been coming for years. The current predicament has not just happened overnight and it’s been left to Steve Borthwick to pick up the pieces.
“I feel sorry for Borthwick that he is in this position but he cannot hide away. He cannot control what has happened with England in the past. But he can control the present and the future.
“It is a difficult position to be in as a coach when it feels as if everything is going wrong. I’ve been there with England. The 1998 ‘Tour of Hell’ saw us hammered by each team we faced.
“Back then, we were heavily criticised by the press and rightly so. If I was in Borthwick’s shoes now, I’d accept the media scrutiny and tell the players to do the same.”
