These are your evening rugby headlines on Tuesday, May 28.
Cuthbert weighs up options
Wales international Alex Cuthbert has dismissed suggestions that he will retire this summer and says he is now weighing up his options after leaving the Ospreys.
The wing was one of seven players confirmed to be leaving the region earlier this month, having suffered a serious hamstring injury against Munster in March. That setback came just weeks after he made his return from nearly a year out on the sidelines in a devastatingly cruel blow.
But 34-year-old Cuthbert – who was linked with a move to Japan before his latest injury – is determined to keep his career going, as he told the Scrum V podcast: “No, I’m not retired. I’m getting myself back fit. I’ll get back fit and weigh up my options and it’s got to be right for myself and my family.
SIGN UP: Get the new exclusive Inside Welsh rugby newsletter for full insight into what’s really going on around all the big issues. This special offer will get you full access for the entire year for just £10 instead of £40.
READ MORE: The best combined regional XV of the season and the easiest pick of the lot
“My partner is working and I’ve got kids in school, so if I’m going to go abroad it’s going to have to be worth it. I’m all for the lifestyle but at the end of the day, we’ve got to pay the bills, so it’s got to be financially good. It also depends on how my body is. I’ve come back from this other injury, I had a pretty bad Grade 4 hammy, which had to be reattached – [but] rehab is going well.”
Asked if he would enter conversations with coaches at this stage, he replied: “Little conversations, yeah. I’d probably have to prove my fitness.It’s frustrating really, because I got to a point where I was playing three or four games in a row. Munster would have been a good talking point to probably see where I was going to go next year and obviously I got injured in that 80th minute when a lot of people were watching, so that scuppered my plans a little bit.
“I’ve had good relationships with a lot of my coaches,” he added. “Whether that’s at Exeter or Cardiff – I had a fair few at Cardiff, I think I had about nine! They’re distributed around the world, I’ve got Wayne Pivac who I’m good mates with in Japan and Matt Sherratt back at Cardiff and I get on well with him.
“Obviously they will look for references and how I am as a person, but all these guys know what I’m like, I’m 110 per cent in anything I do and this last year or so I’ve been in and around with a lot of the youngsters. I’m experienced, I’ve been there and done it all.”
Cardiff get Sheedy injury boost
Cardiff coach Matt Sherratt has revealed that new signing Callum Sheedy’s injury is “not as bad as it looked” with the fly-half expected to make a full recovery in time for next season.
The Wales international was carried off in agony during his final Bristol Bears game, falling to the ground shortly before half-time. Following the game it was believed that he had suffered a posterior cruciate ligament injury in a huge blow not only to Sheedy himself but to Warren Gatland and his new coach Sherratt.
But while he is still out of contention for Wales’ summer tour of Australia, he should be on the sidelines for around two months and back in action in time for the start of the 2024/25 season at Arms Park.
Asked if he had spoken to Sheedy since his injury, Sherratt told the Scrum V podcast: “I have actually, yeah. He’s alright. It’s not as bad as it looked. Obviously, it was at the same time that we were playing the Sharks, so I had a flurry of text messages after the game.
“When I looked at it, it reminded me of Gareth Anscombe’s, I did worry because it wasn’t in contact,” he added. “But yeah, it’s not like an ACL or anything like that. It’s probably going to be like an eight-weeker, so everything will be fine for next season.”
Wales youngsters handed tough draw
Wales U20s have been handed a challenging draw for this summer’s World Rugby U20 Championship.
Richard Whiffin’s side will return to the Western Cape in South Africa for the second successive year as they battle it out with the other 11 best teams in the world. Wales finished sixth in last year’s competition, before ending this year’s Six Nations in fifth place, just behind Italy.
This time around, Wales face another tough draw as they take on three-time champions France, World Rugby U20 Trophy 2023 winners Spain and the Junior All Blacks in Pool A of the tournament, which will be played over five match days between June 29 and July 19.
Elsewhere, Australia, Georgia, Ireland and Italy will battle it out in Pool B, while Pool C will be contested between Argentina, England, Fiji and hosts South Africa.
The teams will compete across three venues, with Danie Craven Stadium and Athlone Stadium staging pool matches while Cape Town Stadium will play host to key fixtures, including the opener, semi-finals and the final.
The tournament will also be the first international competition to feature World Rugby’s three new law amendments implemented to promote ball in flow and diversity of attacking options, while supporting player welfare. A package of six law trials will also operate, including the simplified red card sanction process.
Exeter star forced to retire at 27
Exeter Chiefs lock Matt Postlethwaite has retired from rugby on medical grounds at the age of 27.
Postlethwaite moved to Sandy Park from Sale Sharks last summer but made just three appearances for Rob Baxter’s side at the start of the campaign before being sidelined with injury. He played his final game for the club in a friendly against the Royal Navy in March.
Announcing his retirement, he said: “It’s been a tough period of time for me, getting injured and then trying to come back following my operation. This is not how I would have wanted my time in the sport to come to an end, but I’ve loved every minute of my time at Exeter Chiefs.
“This club has a very special group of lads and I feel proud and privileged to have been a part of the team this year. I’d like to sincerely thank Rob Baxter [director of rugby] and all the Chiefs staff for giving me the opportunity to have played for such a great club. The help they have also given me off the field has been invaluable.
“I’ve enjoyed my time in Devon so much that I plan to remain here with my family,” he added. “I must thank them, especially my wife Kate, for the endless support they have given me throughout my career. I can’t wait to see what the club can go on to achieve, and I wish all of the boys the very best for the future.”
