Latest news with #SamDavies
BBC News
13 hours ago
- Business
- BBC News
Roxwell pub to reopen thanks to £600k fundraising effort
A Grade II listed village pub is due to reopen its doors with new tenants after a two-year long campaign to save the historical Chequers in Roxwell near Chelmsford is about 300 years old but was forced to shut its doors in 2020 after the long-standing owners was under threat of permanent closure but more than £600,000 was raised by local people to buy tenant Sam Davies said she and business partner David Wheeler felt "so lucky" to be opening the doors on 28 June. The fundraising by the Roxwell Chequers Community Benefit Society (RCCBS) earned the venture a national "pub saving award" from the Campaign for Real fundraising included a £276,000 grant from the government's Community Ownership new tenants have run five pubs together in the past, including the Foresters Arms in Loughton where the pair met."We fell in love, what a pub. We made our decision and the rest is history," said Ms duo have plans to keep the old-fashioned pub events alive such as karaoke, Christmas grotto and curry management committee member Emma Drakeford said: "After everything the community has achieved to get us here — from forming RCCBS, to raising the funds, to restoring the building — we can't wait to see The Chequers thriving once again." Follow Essex news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
Wales Online
2 days ago
- Sport
- Wales Online
Rugby fans storm pitch and fight as top players chased into dressing room
Rugby fans storm pitch and fight as top players chased into dressing room 15 riot police attempted to break up the violence as players fled to safety Grenoble and Perpignan fans stormed the pitch after their huge Top 14 promotion play-off match and traded blows in ugly scenes. The two teams had clashed for a place in the Top 14 next season before chaos erupted and players fled to the sanctuary of the dressing room. Grenoble, who Welsh international Sam Davies plays for, lost the match 13-11, but it's the behaviour of fans that's become the story. Footage published by Ovalie Media on X shows fans appearing to throw punches and kicks as others attempt to dispel the chaos. Fifteen French riot police officers (known as CRS), holding shields and wearing helmets, took to the field to calm things down. Sign up to Inside Welsh rugby on Substack to get exclusive news stories and insight from behind the scenes in Welsh rugby. Perpignan president Francois Riviere confirmed supporters allegedly chased Perpignan players into the changing rooms after the game. He said: "I had two players chased all the way to the locker room entrance. "They were guys who were in the locker room area, a controlled zone, but who wanted to fight my players. Article continues below "It's incredible, I've never seen anything like it! While the Grenoble staff were perfect and very kind." A wider view of the violence can be viewed below. Content cannot be displayed without consent Riviere added: "I am sorry for this atmosphere, which is not (a good) one. I have rarely seen such hostility in my career. "I was struck by this atmosphere, struck to see that you had CRS (riot police) who were forced to enter a rugby field wearing helmets. "My shirt was completely stained with blood, because I came to help supporters in difficulty! I have never seen anything like that." Article continues below For Wales international and former Dragons fly-half Davies, the loss was a second blow in as many weeks, after losing the initial Pro D2 play-off match against Montauban, who will play Top 14 rugby next season. It's three seasons in a row, now, that Grenoble have lost out on promotion. It comes as an even more frustrating outcome considering that they topped the Pro D2 with 98 points, 21 more than Montauban. Davies' electric performances have captured the French second division and his services have reportedly attracted interest from other clubs in Europe, although he signed a new deal with the club in January.
Wales Online
6 days ago
- Sport
- Wales Online
Today's rugby news as Wales international left heartbroken again and new cap reveals tearful phone call
Today's rugby news as Wales international left heartbroken again and new cap reveals tearful phone call The latest rugby news from Wales and around the world Sam Davies of Grenoble during the Top 14 Access Match between Grenoble and Perpignan (Image: Getty Images ) Here are your rugby headlines for Sunday, June 15. Sam Davies heartbreak after play-off defeat Sam Davies was left heartbroken once again after his Grenoble side were narrowly beaten by Perpignan in the play-off match for a spot in France's Top 14 next season. Grenoble were defeated in the Pro D2 play-off final against Montauban last week, however they were granted another opportunity for promotion in what is called the 'Top 14 Access Match' – a play-off between the runners-up and the 13th-placed team in the Top 14. However, Wales international Davies, who has been sensational for Grenoble this season, was unable to steer his side to victory, with Perpignan coming out 13-11 winners. Perpignan made a flying start, with Tavite Veredamu crossing the line in just the third minute. Grenoble thought they had hit back through winger Wilfried Hulleu, but the officials correctly ruled out two potential tries. Thomas Lainault eventually got Grenoble on the board, and a Davies penalty nudged them into an 8–7 lead at halftime. The second half remained tense and tactical. Tommaso Allan restored Perpignan's advantage with a penalty in the 65th minute, only for Romain Trouilloud to level things up ten minutes later. But Allan had the final say, slotting over a decisive kick two minutes from time to seal the victory and secure Perpignan's place in the Top 14. Article continues below For Grenoble, it's back to the drawing board — yet again — with questions continuing to mount. It's their third promotion play-off defeat in a row. Sign up to Inside Welsh rugby on Substack to get exclusive news stories and insight from behind the scenes in Welsh rugby. Wales prop's dad left in tears Uncapped Wales player Garyn Phillips has revealed that his father was in tears after his call up. The Ospreys front row was one of six players called up by Matt Sherratt who have never played international rugby. Teammates Keelan Giles and Reuben Morgan-Williams were also given the call. The three Swansea-based players featured in a recent interview on the Welsh Rugby Union's social channels, with Phillips explaining what it was like getting called up for the first time. "I was sat on the settee with my missus," began Phillips. "The first person I told was my old man, gave him a ring and he was a bit teary on the phone. I gave my old girl a call then." Speaking about how he has settled in to camp, Phillips explained that knowing the Ospreys boys has helped him to integrate. "I've played with a lot of the boys before in the U20s and U18s," he continued. "Obviously familiar with Nicky (Smith) and Gar (Thomas) as well. It's been pretty easy to settle in." Join our WalesOnline rugby WhatsApp community here. Leinster crowned URC champions By PA Sport Staff Leinster lifted their first trophy since 2021 after a convincing 32-7 BKT United Rugby Championship grand final win over the Pretoria Bulls at Croke Park. The wet weather failed to deter an attendance of 46,127 - a record for a league decider in Ireland - as Leo Cullen's men became the first table-topping team to win the title in the URC era. Despite Jamison Gibson-Park's pre-match withdrawal, Leinster roared into a 19-0 half-time lead with tries from captain Jack Conan, Jordie Barrett and Josh van der Flier. Beaten finalists in 2022 and 2024, the Bulls crossed in the 50th minute through replacement Akker van der Merwe to cancel out a Sam Prendergast penalty. Prendergast took his haul to 10 points and replacement Fintan Gunne's closing try was fittingly converted by the Gloucester-bound Ross Byrne. Conan pointed the way for the hosts with a fifth-minute try, crashing over following an initial maul and Prendergast quickly converted. Departing All Black Barrett got his right boot to Luke McGrath's deft dink in the 13th minute, opening up the Bulls' back-field to brilliantly score beside the posts. Van der Flier emerged through a maul to make it 19-0, as penalties continued to prove costly for the Bulls. The South Africans finally got some momentum, battering away before Willie le Roux was guilty of a poor kick and then a forward pass. Although Prendergast opened the second-half scoring, the visitors hit back when Van der Merwe drove over for Johan Goosen to convert. It remained 22-7 with the Irish province failing to capitalise on a tap penalty, while Prendergast pushed another one wide. The young fly-half was back on target in the 67th minute and Gunne then scored from a neat wraparound move - a fine finish to the campaign for Leinster's 12 British and Irish Lions representatives. 'Sky's the limit' for Bath after ending 29-year title drought By Rachel Steinberg, PA Bath captain Ben Spencer declared "the sky's the limit" after his side ended a 29-year wait for a Premiership title and secured an historic treble with a 23-21 triumph over Leicester at Allianz Stadium. Leicester came up just short of a fairytale farewell for scrum-half Ben Youngs and prop Dan Cole, who have both called time on their careers after this season and were introduced after the break. Bath held on after a late Tigers surge narrowed the deficit to two points - despite going down to 14 men after Cole was controversially sent to the sin bin - through a late Emeka Ilione try to raise the Twickenham tension. "Just relief, pride," said Spencer, when asked to sum up his feelings. "This has taken a lot of hard work from a lot of people. Relief not just for me, but for the players, the staff, and the fans. The fans are a massive part of why I joined the club. "I think the future of this club is unbelievably bright, no matter who pulls on the shirt. I can't speak highly enough of the guys coming through. Their work ethic is second to none, and as long as we keep our feet on the floor and wanting to get better, the sky's the limit for this team." Bath's tries came from Thomas du Toit and Max Ojomoh on what became a brilliant afternoon for Scotland's Finn Russell, who overcame early frustrations to kick 13 points, also teeing up Ojomoh after snatching an interception from inside his own half. Jack van Poortvliet opened the scoring with a try for Leicester, while second-half tries from Solomone Kata and Ilione nearly sparked a comeback. Handre Pollard added three Leicester conversions but the World Cup-winning South African fly-half will rue what might have been after a rare penalty miss. Tigers twice had men sent to the sin bin - departing captain Julian Montoya late in the first half, while Cole's swansong concluded unceremoniously with a controversial yellow. Bath head of rugby Johann van Graan said: "Our whole focus this season was on winning the Premiership. We gave ourselves that goal, kept that within the circle." The South African coach said he would now pause for a moment of reflection before focusing on next season. He added: "The day you stand still is the day somebody catches you. You must always train like number two because the other guys are coming. The best is yet to come." Article continues below Leicester head coach Michael Cheika - to be replaced by Geoff Parling - will leave this summer at the end of his one-year contract, in addition to Argentina hooker Montoya, Pollard and former England back Mike Brown. And although he felt he would get himself "in strife" for disclosing what he felt about some of the decisions that went against his side - vowing to take it up with the RFU's officiating chief Paul Hull as a "final bit of banter" - Cheika was delighted by his team's resilience and felt the future of the club was bright. He added: "I feel like if we can take those things that are intangible around belief and the standards you need to have to be able to compete, then it won't be long before they are on that podium themselves."
Wales Online
07-06-2025
- Sport
- Wales Online
Wales international left heartbroken amid wild promotion celebrations
Wales international left heartbroken amid wild promotion celebrations Sam Davies and Grenoble were hoping to make it third time lucky in the Pro D2 play-off final, but underdogs Montauban spoiled their day Sam Davies looks crestfallen as Montauban fans celebrate their promotion to the Top 14 (Image: FR-UK YouTube ) Wales fly-half Sam Davies once again suffered Top 14 heartbreak as Pro D2 leaders Grenoble were beaten in a dramatic promotion play-off by Montauban in Toulouse. For the third year in a row, Grenoble were once again beaten in the Pro D2 play-off match - with Montauban sealing their place in the top flight of France ahead of next season. Davies' Grenoble had finished the season top of the Pro D2 with a dominant 98 points - 21 more than sixth-placed Montauban. However, as was the case in 2023 and 2024, Grenoble were unable to win - as Montauban continued their remarkable play-off run with a spirited 24-19 victory. All is not lost for Grenoble and Davies though, with the Top 14 access match still to come. That will see them face the second-to-last team in the Top 14 from this season, with the winner playing in the top flight next season. Having signed a new three-year deal with Grenoble this season, the hope for Davies would have been that the French club could finally make the step back up to the Top 14. Article continues below Ultimately, despite 11 points from the boot of the 10-cap Wales international, that wasn't to be. The Welshman was forced off injured after just six minutes of the match, using his jersey as a makeshift sling for his arm as he left the pitch. However, his absence was short-lived - returning to the field 10 minutes later with Grenoble leading 3-0. Soon after, he extended their lead from the tee with a penalty of his own. Sign up to Inside Welsh rugby on Substack to get exclusive news stories and insight from behind the scenes in Welsh rugby. However, underdogs Montauban rallied back - taking a 21-6 lead in the early stages of the second-half. The boot of Davies - as well as a try from Wilfried Hulleu - dragged Grenoble back to within two points. Article continues below With 13 minutes left on the clock, Davies had a penalty out wide to nudge Grenoble ahead, but his effort was agonisingly wide. Thomas Fortunel knocked over a long-range penalty six minutes from time to extend Montauban's lead. Desperately needing a try, Grenoble couldn't find a score late on - leading to wild celebrations from the Montauban fans.
Wales Online
05-06-2025
- Sport
- Wales Online
Welsh star 'killing it' for club side backed for Wales recall as fans stunned he's been forgotten
Welsh star 'killing it' for club side backed for Wales recall as fans stunned he's been forgotten The PRO D2 is home to a handful of Welsh players Sam Davies (R) of Grenoble (Image: Getty Images ) England great Joe Worsley has tipped Sam Davies for a Wales recall after another sensational season in French rugby's PRO D2. Davies has been a revelation for Grenoble this season and will be a key figure in the PRO D2 grand final against Montauban at the Stade Ernest-Wallon in Toulouse on Saturday. The former Ospreys and Dragons playmaker has racked up 237 points for Grenoble this season and has spearheaded the French club to within touching distance of the Top 14. Davies won the last of his eight caps for Wales in 2017 and is not even sure if he is captured by the controversial 25-cap law owing to the fact he did not receive an offer from a Welsh club before signing a new contract with Grenoble. But Worsley, who is defence coach at PRO D2 outfit Brive, has kept a close eye on Davies for the past couple of seasons and believes the next Wales coach should seriously consider selecting the 31-year-old outside-half. Sign up to Inside Welsh rugby on Substack to get exclusive news stories and insight from behind the scenes in Welsh rugby. "Sam Davies has been killing it for a couple of years now," the former England flanker told WalesOnline. "People in France don't understand why he's not involved with Wales. Article continues below "From what I've seen he's definitely good enough to play international rugby but you'll have to gear up a team in the style that suits him. "If you want a team that plays quickly without too much structure he'll be fantastic but if you want a team which plays structured then you want Dan Biggar mark two. "The Grenoble team really suits how he plays. He is an all-court 10 who is a very good kicker and also attacks the line while defending isn't an issue for him. "When Sam is playing Grenoble are a far more dangerous side. Sam last year was the 10 that was picked in the team of the season and he'll be picked there again this year. His kicking has been phenomenal. "Grenoble are a team who like to keep the ball in play and attack the line. He's been making the right calls, making the right passes and running the right lines. "When he doesn't play they are not nearly as dangerous and I think they'll be playing in the Top 14 next year which in large parts is down to Sam." Professional rugby is struggling everywhere apart from France which has three professional leagues, a bumper TV deal which blows everything else out of the water and packed stadiums every week. While the Top 14 is the premier competition in French rugby, the second division PRO D2 is equally as compelling and is the home for a plethora of Welsh players. Alongside Davies there is Welsh legend George North at Provence and experienced tighthead Tomas Francis, while former Dragons centre Tyler Morgan plies his trade at Biarritz and Owen Lane is at Valence Romans. "Sam Davies from all the Welsh players has had the biggest impact rugby wise," Worsley tells WalesOnline. "Ross Moriarty has had a few injuries this year but last year he was in the team of the season in PRO D2. "George North did his Achilles and had a couple of little injuries after he came back. He's only played about 10 games for Provence but the head coach there is saying he's the best player he's ever coached. "He drags up the whole team even when he was injured and he learnt French in four months. He's been helping out with the youngsters and he's just got fully stuck in, so his character is shining through." While Premier Sports have the rights to the Top 14 up until a few weeks ago the PRO D2 was not shown in the UK. Join WalesOnline Rugby's WhatsApp Channel here to get the breaking news sent straight to your phone for free But that has all changed after an ambitious broadcaster and podcaster named Tim Cocker set up a YouTube channel called FR-UK Rugby and bought the rights to show the PRO D2 in the UK and Ireland. The deal has allowed him to acquire the PRO D2 play-offs this season along with 35 matches next term. Worsley works alongside Cocker and is working hard to make the PRO D2 popular in the UK and Ireland. "I realised nobody was watching it and I found out the price of the rights was relatively doable," said Worsley. "I met three other guys - one is called Tim Crocker who is a presenter who does the EggChasers podcast. "I met him through a friend Dougie Andrews, who is a producer. With those two we initially got going and started making some content. "James Lewis joined us shortly after who is an industry figure who ran Sky Sports rugby. We realised it had to be free and he also believes TV is going to change because there are so many subscription models going on. "If you want to watch rugby in the UK you've got to have three different subscriptions to different channels to watch all the various rugby competitions. "We will have a number of short-form and long-form interviews throughout the week as well as showing live games. "For 18 months we negotiated with Canal+ and LNR because it's a new concept and they were really nervous about it. "Eventually we ended up with PRO D2 rights and if we prove the concept works we will be able to bid for more. "Our ambition is to have games Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday because in France the second division plays on Thursday and Friday and Top 14 plays Saturday and Sunday. "The PRO D2 is different to every other rugby competition in the world. The crowds watching those games are more than the English Premiership. "TV deals are also going up and it is well funded. The top budget in the league is 22m euros. "It's very hard to compare to what happens in Wales and England because of taxes and how it works but put it this way the playing budgets are more like the lower half of the Premiership in England. "One of the reasons the TOP 14 is successful is because there is jeopardy and loads of play-offs. "You create these incredible moments where everything is on the line whereas in England and Wales there's so many dead rubbers where nobody gives a damn." The PRO D2 is already the home of many Welsh players and given the lowly state of the professional game in Wales, more are likely to venture across the channel over the coming seasons. Get the latest breaking Welsh rugby news stories sent straight to your inbox with our FREE daily newsletter. Sign up here. "There are big cultural differences so when you first come over it shocks you. "The season is really long. It's 11 months and because of that sometimes people switch off and they get encouraged to do so whereas in the UK we are always on it. "It fluctuates the level of commitment and engagement in terms of training, doing weights and eating correctly. "That's one of the aspects that is different. "If you've got a young family it's an amazing place to bring them up especially George in Provence because Aix-en-Provence is one of the best cities in the world to live in. "In France there's a lot of flair and for some foreign players that takes getting used to because it can be very abstract learning about it. "Some players struggle with what they perceive to be a vague game plan. "It would probably strike more of a cord with Welsh fans because historically you did have a team which could play instinctively. "You then went to Warren who had a very structured team but you've also had teams who play instinctively. Article continues below "Where Welsh rugby goes now I'd imagine they are going to have to introduce that side of the game to be able to have success. "I can definitely see more Welsh players coming to play in France over the next couple of seasons." The PRO D2 final between Grenoble and Montauban is live on FR-UK Rugby's YouTube channel at 4.30pm on Saturday.
