Here’s the latest rugby news for Thursday 22nd December.

Wales Lake star returns to Ospreys

Ospreys hooker Dewi Lake is up for selection in the West Wales derby against Scarlets on Boxing Day as the Swansea side look to use last weekend’s victory over French champions Montpellier as a springboard to improve their form in the league.

Toby Booth’s side kept their Champions League ambitions alive with a brilliant victory in what has become one of the best displays in the Welsh region. And having won just one of their nine Rugby Championship matches this season, the hope is that they can use their French exploits to set the bar for the future.

“There’s a lot of pride and it was nice to get a result that definitely justified the performance, which we don’t always get,” said Booth. “It was great going up the ‘W’ column.

Booth also shared good news about Welsh international Lake, who has been sidelined since October with a shoulder injury. He returned to training a few weeks ago and is in contention to face the Scarlets at Swansea.com Stadium.

“He’s free this weekend,” added Booth. “He’s completed another week and that’s great. Getting it up and running in the coming weeks will be very, very important as we move forward.”

Another Wales international, George North, has returned to training after undergoing surgery for a cheek injury but is unlikely to feature against the Scarlets.

“There are some bumps and bruises but I hope they will go away by the weekend. There is nothing so bad.

“George North trained with us today. He’s making progress. About a week to go, but it’s good to have him back.”

URC Demands Action Against Secret Racist Santa Claus

United Rugby has ordered Benetton to take action against anyone involved in Sheriff Traore’s racial abuse.

Traore, Italy’s mainstay, revealed on social media that he received a rotten banana in the club’s secret Santa Claus and that his teammates reacted to the gift with a laugh, leaving him “insulted”.

Benetton was condemned for its poor response to the incident, with Ellis Genge, Luther Burrell and Paolo Odogwa among those expressing outrage.

Benetton’s initial statement made no mention of an investigation or possible punishment, and while the team apologized to Traore, it was the 28-year-old Guinean who publicly spoke out against the club’s attempt to play down the controversy.

The URC now demands that Benetton launch a full investigation until those responsible are punished.

“URC has contacted Benetton about the incident, which was first discovered in a social media post by Sherif Traore, the Italian international striker,” the statement said.

“Benetton has been asked to provide a full description of what happened and what significant action will be taken as a result.

“Racism and discrimination of any kind is abhorrent, completely unacceptable in society and completely at odds with the values ​​of rugby and the URC.”

The URC’s intervention comes after England supplier Genge insisted there had to be consequences for racial discrimination against the player, who won 16 caps for Italy, including two in this year’s Six Nations.

“You’re welcome, you’re absolutely right, ‘giving’ your ‘partner’ a secret rotten Santa banana is no big deal, and a simple apology will suffice!” Genge announced this on Twitter.

“If Benetton doesn’t act on this then everything we’ve done for ‘rugby against racism’ has been flagged for the majority.”

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Hansen is surprised that Jones drops the ax

Former Wales and All Blacks manager Steve Hansen has expressed surprise at England’s decision to sack Eddie Jones so close to the World Cup.

Hansen will lead the XV World Cup to face Jones’ Barbarian FC at Twickenham on Sunday 28th May (3pm start time).

“It was amazing that they replaced him now that Eddie kept saying, ‘Look, this is what we’re building it for.’ He was the most successful coach in history. Some might say that Clive [Woodward] because he won the World Cup, but the record speaks for itself, right?” said Hansen.

“I know Eddie was focused on the World Cup and he probably struggled towards the end because he didn’t have a good autumn and people were disappointed about that.

“But obviously it’s their problem and they have to do what they want. Eddie moved on, so can the rest of us.”

It will be Jones’ first return to the field as manager since being relieved of his England duties earlier this month.

Hansen has competed against the 62-year-old Australian on numerous occasions throughout his career and believes Jones will leave no stone unturned in his preparations to create an unmissable rugby spectacle.

“You take every chance you get to face Eddie,” he said. “We’ve known each other for a long, long time and he’s a good rugby player.

“He cares a lot about the game and I consider myself a person who also cares about the game. It is an opportunity to be a part of something that can be special on this day.”

English rugby ‘for disaster’

Over six years, top English league clubs have accumulated £300m in debt, according to an investigation into the precarious financial situation of the English Premier League.

Wasps and Worcester have already been put into administration this season, the Warriors are still looking for new owners, and a Daily Telegraph report suggests other teams are in contention, naming London Irish and Harlequins separately.

The £300m total does not include a £200m investment in a 27% stake by CVC Capital Partners in 2018. The private equity firm has received £27.5m in dividends over the past two financial years.

Research by private equity director Mike Ryan described the London Irish as “high risk” due to low turnover, while the Harlequins are a concern after borrowing £48m in 2021.

“The structure of the club has historically been unstable. It was never profitable,” Ryan told the Daily Telegraph.

“Right now it is leading to disaster. I would like the 2022 fiscal year numbers to be more comfortable, but I would be surprised if they are better than the 2019 fiscal year. [financial year 2019]🇧🇷 General competition continues to lose money.

“On the field he is a professional and off the field he is semi-professional at best. In my opinion, this is the biggest problem facing rugby worldwide.”

Irish prostitute fired at 31

Former Irish hooker James Treacy has announced his retirement from professional rugby union due to a neck injury.

The 31-year-old Leinster striker has not played since he discovered the problem during training in April.

Between 2016 and 2017, Tracey was capped six times for his country, scoring a try and representing his province 141 times.

“It is with a heavy heart that I say this: I am retiring from rugby due to injury,” he wrote in a statement published by Leinster.

“I have cherished every moment of my career and it has been a great blessing to play this sport for so long.”

In November 2016, Tracey made his All-Ireland debut as a substitute in a 52-21 win over Canada, making five more Test appearances the following year.

He made his Leinster debut in 2012 and made his last appearance in a 26-21 Heineken Champions Cup win against Connacht on 8 April. His career included a Champions Cup medal in 2018, as well as four PRO14 titles.

Leinster manager Leo Cullen said: “It’s always a sad day when a player has to end his career early through injury, so we were all shocked by the news that James was forced to hang up his boots.”

Rob Howley and two-time Grand Slam winner, both in the draw to join Warren Gatland’s coaching staff in Wales.

Scarlets boss warns ‘one or more’ regions will not survive while he publicly attacks Welsh rugby ‘madhouse’

New rugby laws announced for 2023 as changes galore

Wales international devastated by top talent departure amid ‘nightmare confusion’

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