The latest rugby news from Wales and around the world

These are your evening rugby headlines on Wednesday, March 25.

Welsh sides agree short-term deal

Scarlets have signed Dragons hooker George Roberts on a short-term loan deal.

Interim director of rugby Nigel Davies is without hookers Ryan Elias and Marnus van der Merwe for his side’s trip to Dublin to face Leinster in the United Rugby Championship on Friday after the duo suffered head knocks against Zebre last week.

With Elias and van der Merwe going through return-to-play concussion protocols, Roberts joined up with the west Wales side this week to provide cover amid the absences.

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The 28-year-old joined the Dragons from English Championship side Doncaster Knights in December and has since played four times for Filo Tiatia’s side.

One of those appearances saw the front rower – who hails from Wrexham – come off the bench to score a try as his side beat Scarlets 28-5 on New Year’s Day.

Confirming the short-term deal on Wednesday, Scarlets thanked the Dragons “for their assistance in allowing George to link up with the squad this week.”

Before moving to Rodney Parade, Roberts spent five seasons with Doncaster, having also represented Wrexham RFC and RGC.

Tributes pour in after Wales star’s announcement

Liam Williams has been flooded with tributes after the Wales and British & Irish Lions full-back announced his retirement from rugby.

The 34-year-old called time on his international career in January but has now decided to hang up his boots altogether after struggling with a recurring knee injury in recent years.

Williams won 93 caps for Wales, scoring 21 tries and winning two Six Nations titles, while he also played at three Rugby World Cups and toured twice with the British & Irish Lions.

At club level, he won the Pro12 title with the Scarlets and both the Premiership and Champions Cup with Saracens, while he also had stints with Cardiff and Japanese side Kubota Spears before joining Newcastle Red Bulls at the start of the season.

Announcing his retirement in an Instagram post on Wednesday afternoon, an emotional Williams said it was “the right time” to step away, with a “new chapter about to begin”. You can read his announcement in full here.

Tributes have since poured in for the Wales icon from former team-mates and clubs, with a comment from the official Newcastle Red Bulls account reading: “It’s been a pleasure having you with us, Sanj. Congrats on an incredible career.”

Wales and Exeter lock Dafydd Jenkins wrote “Goat [Greatest Of All Time]” while Ospreys front rower Gareth Thomas said: “Legend! Congrats on a class career my guy.”

A post from the Welsh Rugby Union read: “Diolch Liam & congratulations on an incredible career,” while Cardiff wrote: “Diolch Liam!” and the Scarlets said: “What a career. Congratulations Sanj, Scarlets legend.”

Ireland and former Scarlets star Tadhg Beirne wrote: “Congrats Sanj! Was a pleasure my man. Serious career,” while Wales centre Nick Tompkins added: “What a boy. Good work spaghetti.”

Welsh back-rower Aaron Wainwright wrote: “Class Sanj” and prop Dillon Lewis said: “What a man,” while England international Courtney Lawes added “Hell of a shift brotha”.

Scotland star departs

Scotland lock Jonny Gray has left Bordeaux-Begles with immediate effect, joining fellow Top 14 side Perpignan until the end of the season.

A statement issued by Bordeaux on Wednesday said that the move had been made at the request of the 32-year-old second row, whose deal at the club expires at the end of the season.

Gray will swap places with fly-half Hugo Reus, who was meant to leave Perpignan for Bordeaux in the summer but will now make the move earlier than originally planned.

The 22-year-old joined Perpignan in December but will now provide midfield cover for Bordeaux duo Joey Carbery and Nicolas Nicolas Depoortère, who have suffered ACL and shoulder injuries respectively.

Gray will also provide cover in the Perpignan engine room, which has lost his Scotland teammate Jamie Ritchie after he fractured his leg against England in the Six Nations.

He will try to keep the Top 14 strugglers from relegation, with Perpignan 12 points clear of bottom side Montauban but still facing the prospect of facing the Pro D2 runners-up in an ‘access match’ play-off at the end of the season.

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On top of this, the government had also offered to cover some out-of-pocket expenses resident doctors face, including exam fees, as well as increase the number of training posts to address what the BMA has described as a jobs shortage at the start of year three of their training.

Nintendo Switch Online has grown from a disappointing Virtual Console replacement to a formidable subscription service, so here’s a rundown of some of it’s must play titles.

While some might still look begrudgingly at Nintendo Switch Online, as the deathbringer of the Virtual Console, the subscription service has gradually evolved into a compelling catalogue of gaming history.

The service began with only NES games in 2018, but over the years titles for the SNES, Nintendo 64, Sega Mega Drive, Game Boy, Game Boy Advance, GameCube, and most recently, Virtual Boy have been added to the roster. GameCube titles are exclusive to the Switch 2, while Virtual Boy titles require a separate accessory for the stereoscopic vision.

If you’re overwhelmed by the huge number of games on the service, or simply need some throwback recommendations, we’ve amassed a list of the 10 best games you can play right now. We’ve tried to mix in overlooked classics with more obscure titles (you don’t need us to tell you to play Zelda: Ocarina Of Time or Super Mario World), but if you’ve got unusual recommendations of your own let us know via the usual email address.

Metroid: Zero Mission

Game Boy Advance

Super Metroid might be the best game in the series, but we’d recommend this Game Boy Advance remake of the 1986 original for newcomers. The original is difficult to play nowadays, for anyone that didn’t grow up with it, but the remake is fantastic, with fleshed out new areas, mini-bosses, and items. The best part? You can clear the whole thing in a day, if you’re savvy.

F-Zero GX

GameCube

There is an impressive stack of F-Zero games on Nintendo Switch Online, including the once Japan-exclusive F-Zero Climax, but the series’ high-speed thrills are at their propulsive best in F-Zero GX on the GameCube. Beyond the entrancing visuals, soundtrack and track design, it might be one of the most difficult games ever published by Nintendo (in a good way).

Densetsu No Starfy

Game Boy Advance

If you’ve played Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, you might recognise Starfy as a spinning assist trophy. His history, however, goes back to a string of underwater 2D platformers which were only ever released in Japan, until they landed on the Nintendo Switch Online in 2024. The first three games are available on the service, and while they don’t rival Mario’s 2D greats, they’re interesting alternatives for the cool kids.

Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island

Game Boy Advance/SNES

Some people of a certain age are still stuck in a debate as to whether Super Mario Bros. 3 or Super Mario World is the greatest 2D platformer of all time. However, you can easily throw the argument into disarray with the imaginative, and beautifully animated, Yoshi’s Island. It’s a shame all Yoshi’s mainline adventures since then haven’t hit in quite the same way, but this is a reminder of when he went egg-to-egg with Mario’s best.

Sin And Punishment

Nintendo 64

Few hidden gems deserve the spotlight more than Sin & Punishment, an arcade-style rail shooter by cult developer Treasure, that’s filled with awesomely over-the-top action and enemies. It was originally exclusive to Japan on the Nintendo 64, but finally made its way to the West in 2007 through the Virtual Console. If you’re after a Star Fox fix, this might soothe the craving.

EarthBound

SNES

If you’re a fan of quirky role-playing games, or wondering where that annoying ‘PK Fire!’ boy from Super Smash Bros. Ultimate came from, EarthBound (known as Mother 2 in Japan) is the answer. You can play the first game, EarthBound Beginnings, on the service too, which is the only place it’s ever been available in the West. Alas, the third game in the series, Mother 3, is unlikely ever to get the same treatement.

Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga

Game Boy Advance

Mario & Luigi: Brothership wasn’t quite the grand return many hoped for, but the plumbing duo’s role-playing games are still some of the most underrated around. Bowser’s Inside Story aside, the best might still be the original, where you travel to the Beanbean Kingdom to stop the locals from harnessing the power of the Beanstar. Ignore the silly names, and sink into the dynamic turn-based combat instead.

Blast Corps

Nintendo 64

Like Sin & Punishment, Blast Corps is another forgotten gem from the Nintendo 64 era. It’s a puzzle-action game developed by Rare, which sees you using vehicles to destroy buildings in the path of a runaway nuclear missile carrier. It’s very different from Banjo-Kazooie, and most of their other stuff, and it’s a real shame there was never a sequel.

Soulcalibur 2

GameCube

Few fighting games from the PlayStation 2, Xbox, and GameCube generation have aged as well as Soulcalibur 2, which still marks the series’ peak. Each version had a unique fighter, but between Heihachi, Spawn, and Link from The Legend Of Zelda, there was no question as to which console got the best deal.

The Legend Of Zelda: Oracle Of Seasons/Ages

Game Boy Color

It’s very easy to recommend The Legend Of Zelda: A Link To The Past or Ocarina Of Time as undisputed classics, but it’s just as easy to overlook Zelda’s adventures on the Game Boy Color. While they do have some connectivity, Oracle Of Seasons and Oracle Of Ages are actually quite different games, albeit built with the same top-down graphics borrowed from Link’s Awakening.

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The number killed in floods in Kenya has risen to 88, the government has said, as two rivers burst their banks causing more displacement.

More than 34,000 people have been displaced and at least 21 countries affected by the floods, which started earlier in March.

On Monday, the Nyando River in western Kenya overflowed, submerging sections of the Ahero Bridge along the Kericho-Awasi-Kisumu road and disrupting transport in the region.

The government has urged motorists to avoid the flooded route and seek alternative roads.

“This advisory is especially critical during the hours of darkness, when it may be difficult to accurately determine the depth and strength of the flowing water,” a statement said.

Rescue efforts led by the Kenya Red Cross Society have intensified in the worst-hit areas.

In the Nyando area, rescue teams have evacuated more than 200 people and over 200 livestock, while at least two families were pulled from immediate danger.

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Authorities are also working to evacuate more than 900 students from the Ahero Girls National School as floodwaters continue to rise.

At least 265 households have been affected in the area, Kenya’s Ministry of Interior and National Administration said on Tuesday.

Displaced residents are being sheltered in public facilities, including government offices, churches and health centres.

Six unaccompanied children were among those rescued and are currently under care.

Flooding has also been reported in other regions.

In Tana River county, the River Tana burst its banks, flooding farms in Mbalambala and surrounding areas, including Asako village, and threatening food production.

In Uasin Gishu county, a multi-agency team is assessing the impact of rising water levels along Sosiani River in Lower Elgon View, where residential and hospitality facilities have been affected.

It comes just days after Karen Hauer, the programme’s longest-serving female member of 14 years, announced she was also leaving, following in the footsteps of hosts Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman.

However, although Nadiya’s time as a professional dancer has come to an end, the 36-year-old has teased that her Strictly journey is “evolving” and this “isn’t the end”.

Strictly’s Nadiya Bychkova breaks silence on exit after nearly a decade

In a post on Instagram, she told her followers: “After 9 wonderful years, this part of my journey with Strictly Come Dancing is evolving.

“There is something truly special about being part of a programme that plays such a big part in so many people’s lives and I want to thank all those who have sent beautiful messages over the last few weeks and those who have voted, shouted, supported, celebrated and cheered during every series.

“I also want to take a moment to appreciate all those who have helped me along the way: my partners, my fellow professionals, the judges and brilliant people behind the scenes.

“I joined the show as an athlete and a double world champion. Along the way I have learned so much about myself and other people. I have grown, not only professionally, but personally and creatively.

“Strictly has allowed me to discover new sides of myself, develop new skills, and evolve as an artist in ways I will always be grateful for.”

Nadiya added: “This isn’t the end… I look forward to being part of the Strictly world for many years to come in ways I am beginning to explore.

“I’ve changed a lot since I first stepped onto that dance floor, not just as a performer, but as a person and I can honestly say I’ve never felt more like myself.

“I’m excited to have time to focus on new projects, and to spend more precious time with my beautiful daughter. Life feels full of possibilities.

“I danced before Strictly, I loved dancing on the show and I plan to keep dancing for many years to come.

“Thank you for all the love and support along the way.”

Fellow Strictly star Johannes Radebe commented: “YOU are elegance personified.”

Karen added: “You are wonderful.”

In a statement, Strictly shared on social media: “We would like to say a huge thank you to Nadiya Bychkova for her incredible contribution to Strictly Come Dancing.

“Since joining the show nine years ago, Nadiya has brought elegance, artistry, and unwavering dedication to the ballroom, and she will always remain a cherished member of the Strictly family.

“Over the years, Nadiya has delivered countless memorable performances, showcasing not only her exceptional talents as a dancer and choreographer but also her brilliance as a teacher to all her celebrity partners.

“A consummate professional, Nadiya embodies the very best of what Strictly stands for.

“We are deeply grateful for everything she has given to the show and wish her every success for the future.”

Other Strictly professional dancers reported to have left the show in recent weeks include Gorka Marquez, Luba Mushtuk and Michelle Tsiakkas.

Will you miss Nadiya as a professional dancer on Strictly? Let us know in the comments below.

William and Kate, who had no active role in the ceremony, listened to the first sermon by the new Archbishop, in which she spoke of her hopes for peace in the Middle East, and acknowledged failures on safeguarding in the church, referencing “victims and survivors” and the “pain experienced” by those harmed by “actions, inactions, and failures of those in our own Christian churches and communities”.

​Savings of up to £300,000 from cutting first class mail could be made by the York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust as part of a multimillion-pound cost-cutting programme that is currently underway.

​Bosses at the health trust have been told that “much of the post that leaves the organisation doesn’t need to be first class” as part of a move to digital communication and second class mail.

​The NHS trust has a revised forecast deficit of £28.5 million, with £5.1 million of savings planned for the fourth quarter of the financial year.

​A report on ‘corporate expenditure cessation programme’ that was presented to the trust’s board on Wednesday, March 25, stated that cutting first class post could save £300,000.

​A first class stamp currently costs £1.70 but is set to rise to £1.80 in April. At current prices, around 170,000 stamps could be bought for £300,000.

Royal Mail executives are currently under scrutiny over letter delivery performance and improvement plans.

​Andrew Bertram, finance director and deputy chief executive, said: “It is phenomenal in terms of what goes out.

​“It’s not just clinic appointments, but lots of information, results, copied letters to GPs, multiple letters for individual patients.

​“There’s a lot of correspondence within the organisation.

​“It absolutely is the case now that we have raised the awareness of the spend, and we’ve challenged the need for first class post.

​“It absolutely is the case that much of what leaves the organisation doesn’t need to be first class, and working with the care group, significant changes have been made.”

​The amount spent by the trust on second class mail was not revealed at the meeting.

​The Government wants the NHS App to become the go-to method of communication between the health system and patients, avoiding the need for “at least 50 million costly letters to go through the postal system”.

​Last year, Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said: “The NHS still spends hundreds of millions of pounds on stamps, printing and envelopes. By modernising the health service, we can free up huge amounts of funding to reinvest in the frontline.

​“Through the investment and reform in our Plan for Change, we will make the NHS App the front door to the health service and put power in the hands of patients.”

​However, bosses at the York and Scarborough NHS Trust said they would not implement a “blanket” move to digital communication as many patients still rely on physical mail.

​Clare Smith, chief executive, said: “There is also a cohort of our patients who choose not to engage with us digitally or don’t wish to engage with us digitally.

​“What we’ll take away is to review this further, to understand what our opportunities are, because we’ve got a massive challenge ahead of us next year.

“What we can’t do is to have a blanket move to electronic, because we will end up with digital exclusion of some of our population, and we just need to be mindful of that as we work through this.”

If I told you that one Coronation Street resident had a surprise connection to Miley Cyrus, you’d probably think I’d had one too many pints in the Rovers’ Return.

However, a Weatherfield legend did indeed star alongside the singer, songwriter in actress in the Hannah Montana movie – and fans are losing their minds.

The classic Disney series first launched back in 2006 and ran for four seasons, following the life of teenager Miley Stewart (Miley Cyrus) who had a secret alter-ego; the international pop megastar Hannah Montana.

Twenty years later, Disney recently unveiled a 20^th anniversary special starring Miley, including live musical performances and a candid interview with Miley reflecting on the Hannah Montana phenomenon.

Amazingly, it has recently emerged that a classic Cobbles character was sharing the big screen with the Party In The USA singer long before they were scarfing down a bacon barm in Roy’s Rolls.

Of all the Weatherfield residents past and president, the very last person you’d imagine kicking it with Miley is Brian Packham, the loveably eccentric former headmaster turned proprietor of the Kabin.

Peter Gunn – who has played Brian since 2010 – portrayed journalist Oswald Granger in the Hannah Montana film, which earned over $150 million in cinemas worldwide.

His character was a scoop-hungry newshound obsessed with uncovering a story about Hannah Montana, ultimately tracking the diva to her home town and uncovering her shocking secret – that she was simply schoolgirl Miley Stewart in a blonde wig.

Reflecting on his role in the Hannah Montana film, Peter talked about his experiences on the Sofa Cinema Club podcast, hosted by fellow Corrie stars Colson Smith, Jack P. Shepherd, and Ben Price.

‘The weird thing is that I didn’t know who Miley Cyrus was when I was up for the part’ Peter admitted. ‘I can remember asking my eight-year-old son, ‘Have you heard of this Miley Cyrus?’”

His character was determined to uncover an exclusive story about pop icon Hannah, portrayed by Miley Cyrus. He ultimately tracked her to her home town and uncovered her enormous secret – that she was simply schoolgirl Miley Stewart disguised in a blonde wig.

Hollywood is a long way from Weatherfield, and Peter reflected on how it took some time to get used to the sheer scale of the production. “We’re in Nashville, which is her hometown, and I’m thinking ‘yeah, she’s a Nashville girl, so she’s going to be popular.’

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“But then the first week I’m there, in the evening I’m in the hotel room and put the television on and there’s a discussion about what Miley’s done that day. I thought why are they discussing that? Because they did every day.”

‘This was on the local news, and I’m thinking, ‘Flipping hell, she is big isn’t she?’ And then you realise as we’re going around wherever we go, she has security, people just go absolutely berserk.’

But Miley wasn’t the only pop sensation that Peter got pally with onscreen. Global pop sensation Taylor Swift also made a cameo in the film, and Peter recalls the chats they had between scenes.

“She was on tour and she turned up when we were filming and remember being sat on the makeup bus and she sat next to me and went, ‘Hi, I’m Taylor, and we were just having a chit chat.’ She was telling me about the tour and how she’s come to help Miley.”

Brian Packham first turned up on the Cobbles as a victim of identity theft courtesy of the most hapless serial killer in Soap history, John Stape, who had been using the name of a colleague to teach. Sticking around, Brian has become one of the most colourful and beloved characters on the Cobbles – and the fact that he’s part of the Hannah Montana legacy is sure to make fans love him even more.

Diehard Corrie viewers took to Facebook to express their shock and delight over Brian’s unlikely link to Miley. “Curious is this Brian that works in The Kabin in The Hannah Montana Movie,” Someone else responded: “Omg it is.” A third remarked: “All this time and I had no idea.” Another exclaimed: “Didn’t expect that!”

Miley Cyrus, if you’re reading this, one good turn deserves another. We need a Hannah Montana cameo on the Cobbles. Maybe her tour bus breaks down outside the Rovers and she comes in like a Wrecking Ball?

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Students Grace O’Malley-Kumar and Barnaby Webber were killed by Valdo Calocane in Nottingham on June 13, 2023. He also stabbed caretaker Ian Coates, 65, more than an hour later.

TWO students fatally stabbed by a paranoid schizophrenic were tested for alcohol and drugs after they died – but their killer Valdo Calocane was not.

Grace O’Malley-Kumar and Barnaby Webber, both 19, were killed by Calocane in Nottingham on June 13, 2023. He also stabbed caretaker Ian Coates, 65, more than an hour later.

After stealing Mr Coates’ van, Calocane ran over and seriously injured three pedestrians. Calocane admitted manslaughter and attempted murder and was indefinitely detained at a high-security hospital on the grounds of diminished responsibility in January 2024.

READ MORE: “I don’t know how the police could sleep at night”: son of Nottingham attack victimREAD MORE: Nottingham attacks: Victim’s body kept at crime scene for 15 hours, inquiry hears

Grace’s father, Sanjoy Kumar, told an inquiry into their deaths he felt it was “disgusting” that they had been tested.

He said they were told to sign human tissue forms – forms he had never seen himself as a GP and a forensic medical examiner with the Metropolitan Police – otherwise their daughter’s body would not be released to them.

Dr Kumar said: “You had to sign them, but what was not highlighted was that this is a point in time where you are also signing to say that samples could be taken. That was absolutely not pointed out.

“They took samples from our children to test for drugs and alcohol. I was really struck by that being really quite disgusting.

“Our children were tested, but the culprit wasn’t and from there on in, in terms of previous interactions and mental health, that was not made into a big thing at all, that was a flyaway comment.”

Dr Kumar said he found it “shocking” that police notes mentioning a “very minor” assault by Calocane on a police officer two years before the fatal attacks did not reflect how serious the incident was.

He told the inquiry: “When a police officer sustains a punch to the face where you have a haematoma, that is the definition of an ABH injury.

“You have senior police officers coming to the inquiry saying it was a minor offence – I feel very strongly about that. It is unacceptable to strike a police officer in my view.

“To downplay their injuries and not even know the classification of their injuries, is, for someone in that position, really quite despicable.”

Dr Kumar also said he was “dissatisfied” the killer’s mental health at the time of the Nottingham attacks had not been properly examined.

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He told the inquiry: “I vociferously complained about the fact that this person’s mental health had not been looked at properly on the day. I was totally dissatisfied that a 360-degree view had been taken.”

He added: “This is a person who, I was told, had been arrested on Tuesday and had been there (in custody) on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and went to magistrates’ court on a Saturday.

“And none of those officers had complained about seeing someone who’s acutely mentally unwell. That is enormously, enormously unusual.”

Dr Kumar said he believes his previous experience as a forensic medical examiner affected what information the police told him.

He said: “My belief on reflection is that I think detectives… knew what I did, what I had done, what my experience was, and I think there was possibly a strategy not to tell me things, because at every point I was being told things, I was questioning things.”

He added: “At each point we are having to cling on to little things and extract as much information as we can because really at every point we are not being given information.”

He also said he “just couldn’t understand” why a hair sample was not taken while Calocane was in custody, adding: “It may have proved nothing but it may have proved everything.”

Dr Kumar said a hair sample did not require Calocane’s consent: “If you’re a detective of any description at all, and I think every detective watching this is going to agree, if you are here to detect crime, that means forensics is really important.

“And a basic part of that forensics is head hair. It may have proved nothing but it may have proved everything. The point is that it wasn’t done and it wasn’t taken, and I just couldn’t understand that.”

The inquiry continues.

The victim suffered swelling, bruising, and hair loss

A 28-year-old woman punched, kicked, and stamped on another woman while demanding money. Natalie Renton, 28, approached the victim, asking for a lighter, in the morning of January 30 in a car park near Maskew Avenue in Peterborough.

The victim, a woman in her 30s, told Renton that she did not have one. But Renton became aggressive and verbally abusive before punching the victim, dragging her to the ground by her hair, and repeatedly kicking and stamping on her face.

Renton, of Bushfield Court, Orton Goldhay, Peterborough, demanded money throughout the attack, but none was handed over. The victim suffered swelling, bruising, and hair loss, and was treated in hospital. Renton fled the scene but was arrested shortly after in Lincoln Road, Millfield.

Renton appeared at Huntingdon Law Courts on Monday, March 23, and was sentenced to 32 months in prison after pleading guilty to assault with intent to commit robbery. The court also imposed a restraining order until 2030, ordering Renton to not approach the victim or attempt to contact her directly or indirectly.

Detective Constable Tisha Morris, who investigated, said: “This was a completely unprovoked attack, with a clear financial motive, which has had a significant impact on the victim, both physically and mentally.

“I hope this result gives the victim some closure in the knowledge that justice has been done.”