Here are your rugby morning headlines for Wednesday, May 13.
Under-fire Welsh boss gets public backing
Wales scrum-half Keira Bevan has publicly backed under-pressure head coach Sean Lynn ahead of this weekend’s crunch Women’s Six Nations clash with Italy.
Wales head into Sunday’s showdown at Cardiff Arms Park desperate to avoid a third consecutive Wooden Spoon after slipping to a ninth straight defeat in the competition following last weekend’s loss to Ireland.
Lynn only took charge at the start of last year’s Six Nations campaign after winning three successive Premiership Women’s Rugby titles with Gloucester-Hartpury, but pressure has intensified after a disappointing World Cup campaign and another difficult Six Nations.
Despite the scrutiny, Bevan insists the squad remain fully behind the coach and his staff.
“Yeah, 100%,” she said when asked if the players still backed Lynn. “And the help he has in the background, it’s massive.
“(Defence coach) Tyrone Holmes has been incredible for us. That’s probably one of the shining lights of this campaign, how good we’ve been defensively.
“And obviously Ash [Ashley Beck] has got such a way of attacking rugby and he wants you to express yourself. We’ve got the right people in the right place, it’s just about us being able to execute what they’re asking.”
Wales have dropped to 12th in the world rankings and criticism has mounted after another winless campaign appeared on the horizon.
Bevan admitted the players understand the frustration among supporters, but urged patience as the squad continues to rebuild.
“Nobody is more frustrated and disappointed than us,” she said. “Yes, we probably haven’t had the wins we want, but we are performing and getting better every game.
“It’s such a cliché, but stick with it because it’s going to come and hopefully soon.”
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The scrum-half also acknowledged Wales are currently operating without specialist kicking and breakdown coaches, additions she admitted would help strengthen the backroom team.
While there had been positives in earlier defeats to Scotland, France and England, Bevan conceded the performance in Belfast against Ireland felt like “a backwards step”.
Attention now turns to Italy, who travel to Cardiff full of confidence after impressive displays against Scotland and England.
“We’re under no illusions of what Italy can do,” she said. “It wasn’t a one-off last year because we’ve seen glimpses in this campaign of how physical and dominant they can be, so for us we’ve got to be on it.
“To get the win would be massive. It would set us up nicely heading into pre-season and then obviously the new WXV tournament as well, but we know we’re going to have to work for it.”
URC club launch review after major backlash
Munster Rugby have commissioned an independent governance and organisational review following the backlash surrounding the proposed appointment of New Zealander Roger Randle as attack coach.
Randle’s arrival was announced on April 15, but controversy quickly followed after a 1997 rape allegation resurfaced. The alleged incident took place in Durban, South Africa, during his time playing for Super Rugby side Hurricanes. The charge was later dropped by the complainant and Randle has always denied the allegation.
The fallout led to a series of resignations within the province. Former players Billy Holland, Killian Keane and Mick O’Driscoll stepped down as independent nominees on Munster’s Professional Game Committee, while members of the club’s voluntary Commercial Advisory Group also resigned.
On April 30, Munster confirmed that Randle would no longer be joining the province, describing the outcome as a “mutual agreement”.
General manager Ian Costello admitted at the time that it had been “a difficult conclusion”, but said it became clear ending the arrangement was “the best course of action for Roger, his family and Munster Rugby”.
Munster announced on Tuesday that an external review will now “assess the organisation’s governance, leadership, culture and communications structures and provide recommendations back to the board”.
The process will be carried out by The Governance Company, an independent consultancy specialising in corporate governance, and overseen by an independent chairperson who is expected to be appointed in the coming days.
Chief executive Ian Flanagan said: “It is clear that the past number of weeks have been difficult for staff, players, coaches, supporters, and everyone who cares about Munster Rugby.
“We recognise the impact that recent events and decisions have had on our stakeholders. This independent review is an important step in ensuring we can learn from past events and strengthen how we can positively operate going forward.
“We look forward to working fully with The Governance Company and independent chair to support an effective review process. The primary and clear objective of this important exercise is the overall wellbeing of Munster Rugby.”
Munster are currently sixth in the United Rugby Championship standings ahead of their final regular-season match against Lions on Saturday, May 16.
Lions star accuses South Africa of ‘getting personal’
Mack Hansen has opened up on the fierce rivalry between Ireland and South Africa, admitting clashes with the Springboks become “personal” and leave players feeling like they “hate their guts”.
The British and Irish Lions tourist was discussing Ireland’s growing rivalries on the For the Love of Rugby podcast when he gave a candid insight into the mentality inside the camp before facing the world champions.
Relations between Ireland and South Africa have intensified in recent years, particularly around the 2023 Rugby World Cup, when Andy Farrell’s side beat the Springboks in the pool stages before later being knocked out by New Zealand in the quarter-finals.
Hansen admitted the animosity ramps up significantly in the build-up to those huge Test matches.
“It does then become so personal leading up to the weeks when we’re playing South Africa or New Zealand,” he said.
“Again, you talk to them off the field and they’re like anyone in rugby — good fellas, you get on with them, they’re great blokes — but leading up to that week you despise them.
“You’re like: ‘These are some of the worst people in the world at this moment.’
“There’s a lot going on in the world and you’re like: ‘I honestly hate their guts.’ Then once it’s finished, it’s done.”
The full-back insisted that edge is ultimately good for the sport and helps bring the best out of players.
“But I think that’s what’s good about it,” he added.
“A bit of passion and intensity adds to the game. When you know there are two teams that genuinely dislike each other, you give it your everything.”
The Connacht wing also revealed Ireland’s Six Nations rivalry with Scotland has become increasingly heated in recent seasons.
“Another one in the Six Nations for us is probably Scotland,” Hansen said.
“There’s a bit of a thing going on there. We’ve maybe got the better of them recently, but whenever we’re playing them they’re normally on a bit of a roll, we’re locked into it, we dislike them and we want to beat them.
“We don’t want them to get one over on us. That’s a testament to them. It adds a lot to you as a person when you have those rivalries going into a game.”

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