Amy Wilson-Hardy Cleared in Racism Investigation
The Rugby Football Union (RFU) has announced that it will take no further action against Amy Wilson-Hardy following an investigation into an alleged racist message. The investigation was triggered by a screengrab of a WhatsApp message that appeared to be from the Team GB sevens player, posted on Instagram during this summer's Paris Olympics. The 33-year-old was accused of racism.
The RFU stated that Wilson-Hardy had “expressed great remorse” for the “historical private message.” The investigation was initially initiated by the British Olympic Association and later handed over to the RFU following the conclusion of the Olympics.
“The RFU has investigated this case and will not be taking any further action,” an RFU statement read. “Amy expressed great remorse for a historical private message with a former partner. She missed two games and has committed to undertake an inclusion and diversity awareness education course.”
Wales Women Clinch Maiden Victory Over Australia
Wales head coach Ioan Cunningham expressed pride after his team secured a historic victory over Australia, marking their first win against the Wallaroos at Rodney Parade on Friday night. The match served as preparation for the upcoming WXV2 tournament in Cape Town, where Wales will face Australia once again in a rematch.
Despite a challenging year, which saw them win only one Six Nations match, Cunningham emphasized the valuable lessons learned from this maiden victory. He commended his team's unwavering determination, their ability to execute their game plan, and their composure under pressure.
“I was really proud in the way we stayed in the fight, credit to Australia, a great team, scored some nice tries, but we never lost faith,” said Cunningham. “We stuck to our systems and had that calmness as well, we've shown a bit of maturity in our team coming off the Six Nations to get that win.”
All Blacks Edge Past Wallabies in Bledisloe Cup Encounter
The All Blacks secured a hard-fought victory against Australia in their Bledisloe Cup encounter on Saturday, overcoming a spirited fightback by the Wallabies to win 31-28.
New Zealand got off to a blistering start, with Will Jordan breezing through the Wallabies’ defence just two minutes into the match. Rieko Ioane added a second try just seven minutes later, and on 16 minutes Caleb Clarke sealed a third try, leaving the hosts in a precarious position.
Fraser McReight put the home side on the scoreboard, but Ardie Savea swiftly secured the bonus point with just 28 minutes played after capitalizing on a mistake by Hunter Paisami. Matt Faessler brought Schmidt’s side back into the contest, bringing the score to 28-14 at the break.
The All Blacks were reduced to 13 men towards the end of the match due to two yellow cards, but a late try by Tom Wright narrowed the gap to three points in a chaotic finish. Despite the Wallabies’ determined comeback, the All Blacks ultimately held on for the victory.
A Look at the Line-ups
Australia Starting XV:
15 Tom Wright, 14 Andrew Kellaway, 13 Len Ikitau, 12 Hunter Paisami, 11 Marika Koroibete, 10 Noah Lolesio, 9 Nic White, 8 Harry Wilson (c), 7 Fraser McReight, 6 Rob Valetini, 5 Jeremy Williams, 4 Nick Frost, 3 Taniela Tupou, 2 Matt Faessler, 1 Angus Bell.
Australia Replacements:
16 Brandon Paenga-Amosa, 17 James Slipper, 18 Allan Alaalatoa, 19 Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, 20 Langi Gleeson, 21 Tate McDermott, 22 Tom Lynagh, 23 Dylan Pietsch.
New Zealand Starting XV:
15 Will Jordan, 14 Sevu Reece, 13 Rieko Ioane, 12 Jordie Barrett, 11 Caleb Clarke, 10 Damian McKenzie, 9 Cortez Ratima, 8 Ardie Savea, 7 Sam Cane, 6 Wallace Sititi, 5 Tupou Vaa’i, 4 Scott Barrett (c), 3 Tyrel Lomax, 2 Codie Taylor, 1 Ethan de Groot.
New Zealand Replacements:
16 Asafo Aumua, 17 Tamaiti Williams, 18 Pasilio Tosi, 19 Sam Darry, 20 Luke Jacobson, 21 TJ Perenara, 22 Anton Lienert-Brown, 23 Harry Plummer.
A Look at the Future: Welsh Stars Set to Shine Across Europe
Several Welsh internationals are set to showcase their talents for various clubs across Europe this weekend. Jarrod Evans and Leigh Halfpenny will lead the charge for Harlequins in their season opener against Sharks on Sunday. Nicky Smith, a former Ospreys prop, will start for Leicester Tigers, while his Wales teammate, Tommy Reffell, will be on the bench.
Joe Hawkins is poised to start at inside centre for Exeter Chiefs, alongside fellow Wales international Christ Tshiunza who will be on the bench.
In Gloucester, a trio of Welsh stars – Max Llewelyn, Tomos Williams, and Gareth Anscombe – will take on Saracens, while Nick Tompkins and Rhys Carre will be in the opposing ranks.
Scrum-half Lloyd Williams will start for Ealing Trailfinders, forming a half-back pairing with former Scarlets man Dan Jones in the Championship.
In France, prop Tomas Francis will captain Provence for the first time as they face Beziers.
Cardiff's URC Opener: Mixed Bag of Results
Cardiff coach Matt Sherratt expressed satisfaction with his team’s bonus point victory over Zebre in their URC opener, despite acknowledging that the performance left room for improvement. The Blue and Blacks established a comfortable 22-3 lead midway through the second half but conceded two late tries in a sloppy performance, finishing the match as 22-17 victors.
While Sherratt was pleased to start the season with maximum points, he emphasized the need for improvement ahead of their upcoming Welsh derby. He attributed the team's performance to the presence of eight new players and new coaches, highlighting the need for cohesion.
“It was perfect in terms in terms of five points but not perfect in terms of performance,” he said. “There were eight new players, new coaches and it will take a bit of time to be cohesive. Before the game I would have taken five points, job done and then onto the Scarlets next weekend.”
