These are your evening rugby news on Wednesday, April 24.
Former Wales international dies
Former Wales and British & Irish Lions sponsor John O’Shea has died aged 83.
O’Shea, who also captained Cardiff, died in Australia after a long illness. He won five caps for Wales in the 1960s, after making his international debut against Scotland in February 1967.
The following year he was selected for the 1968 Lions tour to South Africa, playing eight games and making history twice. He became the first Lion to be sent off for foul play in a match after punching an opponent during a clash with Eastern Transvaal, while he became involved in a fight as he left the field after being hit by a spectator .
During that tour he also became the first Lions prop to score two tries in one match when he grabbed a brace against Rhodesia.
O’Shea played 213 games for Cardiff between 1963 and 1970, scoring 19 tries and captaining the side in his final season at the club.
After his death was announced, the club paid tribute, describing him as a “great character”. Cardiff added: “John was a very popular and respected member of the club where he made many lifelong friends and he will be sadly missed and fondly remembered by all who knew him.”
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Springboks face a selection crisis for the Wales match
South African star Cheslin Kolbe has been tipped to play a surprise role in his side’s match against Wales this summer amid a Springbok selection crisis.
The two-time World Cup winner’s regular position is on the wing, while he has also played as a full-back, but a likely shortage of players at Rassie Erasmus’ disposal means he may have to line up at fly-half against the side of Warren Gatland. on June 22. He has only donned the No. 10 jersey twice in his career, both times for former club Toulouse, while also providing international cover at scrum half.
According to reports in South Africa, Erasmus could be without more than a dozen key players for the match with Wales at Twickenham, with the match falling outside the testing period. This means players from Great Britain, Ireland and France will not be available for selection, while the Stormers and Bulls are also among the sides vying for a place in the URC play-offs, the final of which is the same day as the match in Wales.
All this means Stormers fly-half Manie Libbok and Leicester Tigers 10 Handre Pollard are unlikely to be available for selection for South Africa’s first summer Test. Probably also missing are the props Steven Kitshoff and Frans Malherbe, the locks RG Snyman and Jean Kleyn, the back rowers Marco van Staden, Jasper Wiese and Siya Kolisi and the backs Cobus Reinach, Canan Moodie, Kurt-Lee Arendse and Willie le Roux.
However, players from Japan, including Tokyo Sungoliath star Kolbe, will be available for selection and with specialist fly-halves Libbok and Pollard absent, he has been tipped to fill in for them. While Erasmus is not known to shy away from a bold call-up, among other options he could also call up Lions fly-half Sanele Nohamba or opt for scrum-half Faf de Klerk to fill in at 10.
May leave Gloucester
England’s Jonny May has confirmed he will leave Gloucester at the end of the season, with a move abroad likely.
The 34-year-old’s contract with Kingsholm expires at the end of the current season and despite his intention to remain at the Premier League club, negotiations with the club have failed. He is now set to leave Gloucester for a second time, having returned to the Cherry & Whites for a second spell in 2020 after leaving Leicester Tigers.
But despite being linked with a move to league rivals Saracens next season, May says he plans to move abroad after spending 15 years in the Premier League. It has been suggested that Japan or the French Top 14 are his most likely destinations.
The England star said on The Good, The Bad and The Rugby podcast: “My update for next season is that it is unlikely I will be at Gloucester. That’s just one of those things. But I am fully committed to giving everything I have for the remaining matches and it is great to take part in this European competition and hopefully I can play in the semi-finals in a week’s time.
Asked about his next move, he added: “I would imagine it will be abroad, just because I wouldn’t really want to go to another Premier League club, I don’t think. I sound old fashioned now. I think I played 15 seasons in the Premier League and my intention was to stay at Gloucester after the World Cup and do another season and I really wanted to do that and it didn’t work out and that’s no one’s fault.
“Gloucester has been a great club for me, a great club, it’s my home and I really wanted to stay. It hasn’t quite worked out yet, but I don’t think that will change by the end of the season. I might go play abroad for a season or two with my little baby. There is nothing concrete for me yet, hopefully something will come of it, but I am fully focused on Gloucester until the end of the season.”
O’Gara is open to coaching France
Ireland legend Ronan O’Gara says he is open to becoming France boss after sharing his ambition to win a Rugby World Cup as a coach.
The former fly-half has spent almost his entire coaching career in France, joining Racing 92 in 2013 before becoming head coach of La Rochelle in 2021. Appearing on French radio station RMC’s Super Moscato Show, he said he dreams of disbanding the Webb Ellis. Cup with Ireland or his adopted country.
“I would like to win a World Cup. “I dream of winning things, whether it is with Ireland or France – I like it,” he said
However, O’Gara’s ambitions could be halted by the attitude in France towards hiring a foreign head coach for the national team. In 2019, when the likes of Warren Gatland and Joe Schmidt were touted as potential replacements for Jacques Brunel, a referendum among French amateur clubs saw 59 percent of participating clubs reject the idea.
“I’m not French,” O’Gara said when the point was put to him. ‘I’m trying to prove myself and get my name into the debate. It is possible that the next coach for Ireland will come from New Zealand, South Africa or Australia, that’s just the way it is.”
However, if he does become involved in the French national set-up, the Irishman has made it clear he wants to be in charge rather than in the backroom team.
“Being a member of the staff?” he asked. “I do not think so. When you’ve tasted the number one position, those responsibilities, it’s hard [to not be in charge].”