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Tonight's rugby news as Wales warned 'never waste a crisis' and WRU issue statement on coaches
@Source: walesonline.co.uk
Your rugby evening headlines on Sunday, March 16.
Gwyn Jones: Never waste a crisis
Former Wales captain Gwyn Jones says Welsh rugby needs to be altered from its foundations following the huge defeat to England.
Steve Borthwick's England hammered Wales 68-14 at the Principality Stadium, in what was the heaviest ever Six Nations loss for the home side.
Speaking on the BBC Scrum V podcast after the game, Jones says that the Welsh Rugby Union must make drastic changes if they are to have any hope of fixing the game.
"Never waste a crisis," explained Jones. "If they ever need motivation or inspiration to make significant changes and if ever there was a reason to which Abi Tierney and Richard Collier-Keywood can turn to the people in Welsh rugby, the politics, the factions, to say: 'We have to make decisions because that is unacceptable. We're going to make tough decisions and people are going to suffer.'
"Whether it's changing the regions, changing grassroots rugby, they have got all of the momentum now to be able to make significant change because that is unacceptable. They're going to ask people to pay £120 to watch Wales play three home games next year, and in the autumn, and people aren't going to pay it if it's losing by 60 points.
"And then the fabric of Welsh rugby starts to crumble, because it's the professional game that funds everything. The national stadium and the national team provides that money. So, they've got to make changes, they've got to be bold and they've got to make substantial changes to the fabric of Welsh rugby - how players are developed, who plays, the regional system... if that isn't motivation today to do that, then there will never be motivation for change."
WRU say goodbye to Matt Sherratt and Co
The Welsh Rugby Union have paid their thanks to Matt Sherratt, Adam Jones and T Rhys Thomas.
The three coaches came in on a secondment following the departure of Warren Gatland and Rob Howley earlier in the Six Nations. They got off to a fine start against Ireland in Cardiff with a spirited performance against the reigning champions.
After the completion of the 2025 Six Nations, the WRU posted a statement on their social media pages thanking the coaching trio for their efforts.
"Diolch Matt, TRT and Bomb," it reads. "A huge thank you to coaching trio Matt Sherratt, T.Rhys Thomas & Adam Jones for all their efforts on their secondment this campaign."
Welsh rugby fans took to the comment section to show their appreciation of the coaches, with some nice messages.
"My heart went out to them all yesterday. Adam looked absolutely devastated. Onwards, unified," wrote one.
"They gave us hope and Bomb...What a job he did. Wow," wrote another.
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England star insists standards must be maintained after Wales hammering
By PA Sport Staff
Alex Mitchell insists England have set the standard for future performances after dismantling Wales 68-14 in Cardiff on Saturday.
Steve Borthwick’s men finished Guinness Six Nations runners up after a record 10-try rout at Principality Stadium and have made clear progress through a tournament which began with a comprehensive defeat in Dublin.
Boos rang out at Allianz Stadium for their kick-heavy tactics used against Scotland in round three, but they have since demolished Italy and Wales by playing with ambition and conviction.
“We had a great mixture of our attacking game and our kicking game. And then we wanted to move the ball. That’s a good blueprint to push forward with,” Northampton scrum-half Mitchell said.
“Our attack’s always been there but on occasions we don’t go to it, we just go to the aerial battle. We need to move the ball to the edge and we’ve got the players to do that.
“Look at our back three and our centres – they’re quality and if you give them one-on-one chances, they’re normally going to beat their man and get us on the front foot.
“It’s an exciting time for us. Sometimes we get a lot of heat but it’s fantastic to get a win like that, especially in a stadium like this which is a tough place to go.”
Tom Jordan feels his disallowed try was pivotal moment in defeat by France
By Anthony Brown, PA, Paris
Scotland centre Tom Jordan rued the impact of his try being disallowed at a pivotal point in Paris as France regained their poise to claim the Guinness Six Nations title with a 35-16 victory on Saturday night.
The Scots appeared to have Les Bleus on the ropes in the second quarter and, after Darcy Graham had cancelled out Yoram Moefana’s try, they thought they were about to go in leading at half-time when Jordan finished after a sensational line-break from Blair Kinghorn.
However, with Finn Russell lining up a conversion that could have put the visitors 20-16 up at the break, the referee was informed by the TMO that Kinghorn’s elbow had gone into touch and the tense French – who needed a win to beat England to the title – breathed a sigh of relief.
Fabien Galthie’s side capitalised on this reprieve to score at the start of the second half through Louis Bielle-Biarrey before further tries from Thomas Ramos and Moefana allowed the hosts’ party to begin.
“It was a great run from all the boys and then Finn (Russell) put me through and I just sort of pinballed through and got over,” said Glasgow back Jordan.
“We were unfortunate to get it disallowed and then just after half-time, we had a really good attack but they ran the length to score and the momentum kind of swung.
“That was a couple of things that potentially, if they went our way and we had a bit more scoreboard pressure, it might have been a different game.
“I guess you’ve got to bounce back from those moments a little bit but we just had two negatives probably before and after half-time and unfortunately that sort of swung the momentum of the game. But overall, I’m proud of the boys for the effort we put into it.”
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