By David Williams Wales’ four rugby regions have been left counting the cost after new restrictions imposed by the Welsh Government to combat the spread of the Omicron variant of Covid-19 saw professional sport effectively forced behind closed doors. A strict limit of 50 spectators was placed on sport at all levels in the country […]

The Welsh rugby regions are weighing up whether or not to seek postponements of their festive fixture list after they were ordered to play their matches behind closed doors. The Scarlets, Ospreys, Cardiff and Dragons are all facing the prospect of having to play their Christmas and New Year matches in empty stadia after the Welsh Government’s decision to ban crowds. The decision – announced by Welsh economy minister Vaughan Gething late on Monday night – will have a devastating effect on the regions’ finances.

Ospreys hooker Ifan Phillips has revealed he plans to use funds donated through a crowdfunding page to pay for a prosthetic leg following an amputation. The 25-year-old had his leg amputated after being involved in a motorcycle crash earlier this month. Police said Phillips was being treated for “life-changing injuries” when he was admitted to Morriston Hospital on December 5 after a road traffic collision involving two motorcycles.

Cardiff City and Swansea City could both be hit by new rules that may impact Welsh sport across the festive fixture lists. Both clubs have already seen their weekend Championship matches postponed because of Covid outbreaks and now they are waiting on an announcement from the Welsh Government over possible new restrictions. First Minister Mark Drakeford has revealed his officials are set for talks with the clubs as well as representatives from others sports including rugby and horse racing. Cardiff are due to be at home to Coventry City on Boxing Day, while the Swans are scheduled to be at Millwall.

By Rob Carbon The Ospreys were beaten 21-13 by Sales Sharks in their Heineken Champions Cup opener. Toby Booth’s side warmed up with Ifan Phillips’s name on the back of their shirts after the 25-year-old suffered life-changing injuries in a road traffic accident. Ospreys head coach Booth said: “It’s been an emotional week, for sure. […]

By Tom Prosser Ospreys head coach Toby Booth pledges “continuous” support to Ifan Phillips but insists “the show must go on” after an emotional week for everyone at the region.   Phillips suffered “life changing” injuries after being involved in a motorcycle accident on Sunday and Booth says it’s important that everyone at the club is professional in the aftermath of this tragic injury. “It would be artificial for us to pretend that this has been a normal week because it hasn’t,” says Booth.

Ospreys and aspiring Wales hooker Ifan Phillips has suffered “life-changing injuries” after being involved in a serious road traffic accident in Swansea on Sunday. Phillips is in a stable condition and is being treated at Morriston Hospital following a collision between two motorcycles. The 25-year-old, who is the son of Neath rugby legend Kevin Phillips, is being supported by his family and friends as well as his Ospreys team-mates.

By Rob Carbon The Ospreys have asked European rugby bosses to confirm their players will not be Cup-tied before they lend some of them to the Scarlets. The Swansea-based region are willing to help out their rivals following the Scarlets’ enforced quarantine which has wrecked planning for their opening match of their Heineken Champions Cup […]

With the autumn internationals over, two of the Welsh regions are back in action this weekend. The Dragons host Edinburgh on Saturday, while on Friday night it’s the Ospreys who kick things off away in Connacht. The Scarlets and Cardiff are both attempting to return from South Africa after the postponement of their fixtures due […]

By Steffan Thomas Y-11 Sports & Media, the majority shareholders at the Ospreys, are weighing up a move to buy the Melbourne Rebels.  The Hong Kong based sports marketing group bought a 75.1 per cent stake in the Ospreys in May 2020 creating a new holding company Ospreys International Group. They claimed at the time that all the financial benefits from the transaction would be put back into the Welsh side. 

Alex Cuthbert has been backed to deal with any flak which may be fired his way when he returns for Wales this weekend after four years away. The Ospreys wing will make his first appearance in a Wales shirt since 2017 as one of five changes for the Test against Fiji on Sunday. His most recent and 47th cap came against Georgia in the autumn series four years ago, during a period when he had become a target for booing from some fans, unhappy with his continued selection, as well as personal abuse on social media.

By Steffan Thomas The United Rugby Championship will take a month off after this weekend with the intention of not clashing with the autumn internationals. This break will give Dai Young, Dean Ryan, Toby Booth, and Dwayne Peel an opportunity to look at their wider squads. TRP understands Cardiff favour giving their players more exposure […]