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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."
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Mass. attorney general cites rehab company for $1.1M for unpaid wages to nearly 500 workers
The Massachusetts Attorney General's Office has cited a nursing rehabilitation company with multiple locations across the state for failing to pay hundreds of its employees on time for work completed during a two-week period last year, the office announced Tuesday. The citation against Swansea-based Alpha Healthcare and its owner, William Segal, includes both penalties and wages, and totals nearly $1.1 million, the attorney general's office said in a press release. Alpha Healthcare did not respond to a request for comment from MassLive Tuesday evening. Massachusetts' wage and hour laws require that employers compensate employees for their work within six days of the end of a pay period. State worker protections also demand that this compensation include full and complete payment for all work that was completed during that pay period. The attorney general's office began investigating Alpha Healthcare after receiving complaints from multiple employees reporting that the company had not paid their wages on time, the office said. It determined that Alpha Healthcare failed to pay its workers for work performed between Sept. 15, 2024, and Sept. 28, 2024, in a manner that complied with state wage and hour laws. The attorney general's office asserts that the company's failure to make timely wage payments impacted all of its nearly 500 employees across each of its five private rehabilitation facilities, the office said. Alpha Healthcare operates locations in Fall River, Franklin, Newburyport, Swansea and Stoughton. Restitution for the company's unpaid wages was paid directly to the impacted employees when a receiver was appointed to oversee financial management of Alpha Healthcare, the attorney general's office said. 'When employers violate our laws, including by failing to make timely wage payments, the economic security of workers and their families is unfairly put at risk,' Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell said in the release. 'My office will continue to enforce our laws to protect and empower workers, reminding employers that Massachusetts is serious about protecting workers' rights.' Mega Millions numbers: Are you the lucky winner of Tuesday's $243 million jackpot? Four-year-old boy drowns in Lake Quinsigamond in Worcester Double shooting in Brockton leaves woman and boy injured Springfield Council takes 1st step to ban unregulated 'gas station weed' Springfield grants $3.5M for 19 preservation projects, rejects 1 housing request Read the original article on MassLive.
Scottish Sun
07-06-2025
- Sport
- Scottish Sun
Swansea set to have stunning new beachside stadium built with club to leave 21,088-seater current home
The 8,000-seat venue will be built in two phases BEACH LIFE Swansea set to have stunning new beachside stadium built with club to leave 21,088-seater current home Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) OSPREYS have unveiled plans for an ambitious makeover of St Helen's stadium. The Swansea-based rugby union side are moving to the beachside venue for next season. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 3 Ospreys are preparing to move to a new home later this year Credit: Reuters 3 Plans have been submitted for a makeover of St Helen's on the city beachfront Credit: Osprey Rugby 3 The rugby and cricket venue is located just off the sand Credit: Alamy Ospreys have been sharing with Championship side Swansea City at the 21,088-seater Liberty Stadium. But they are making the switch to St Helen's midway through the 2025/26 campaign. The venue - which hosts both rugby and cricket - is located just metres from the beach in the Welsh city. And the club are planning an ambitious makeover to create an 8,000-seater hub for elite rugby in the region. READ MORE ON SPORT AZT TO CHANGE World Cup stadium looks unrecognisable with cranes on pitch & seats ripped up Phase one of the work will see a 4G pitch installed with a cover built over the existing terrace. Three new stands will then be built, as well as a new fan zone. Following completion of the ground, state-of-the-art training facilities will follow later. Ospreys chief executive Lance Bradley said: "This is a vital step toward bringing our long-term vision to life. BEST ONLINE CASINOS - TOP SITES IN THE UK "It reflects our belief not only in the transformation of St Helen's, but in the strength of our future, rooted in Swansea and powered by our supporters. "This is about more than new stands or improved facilities. Shocking moment enormous brawl breaks out in rubgy league after 'horrendous hit' "It's a statement of intent about who we are, where we belong, and where we're going. "Our goal is a world-class home for elite rugby, community sport and shared experiences that inspire pride across the region." The plans come despite Ospreys being in dispute with the Welsh Rugby Union over funding. Bradley added: "We are still talking with the WRU about the situation and if we were not confident of a positive outcome that would make things a lot more difficult. "The fact we are proceeding full steam ahead with the development does shows a level of confidence." Swansea Cricket Club share the St Helen's site and will remain playing at the venue for the 2025 season. As a result, Ospreys will likely not play at the site until at least December.
The Irish Sun
07-06-2025
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
Swansea set to have stunning new beachside stadium built with club to leave 21,088-seater current home
OSPREYS have unveiled plans for an ambitious makeover of St Helen's stadium. The Swansea-based rugby union side are moving to the beachside venue for next season. Advertisement 3 Ospreys are preparing to move to a new home later this year Credit: Reuters 3 Plans have been submitted for a makeover of St Helen's on the city beachfront Credit: Osprey Rugby 3 The rugby and cricket venue is located just off the sand Credit: Alamy Ospreys have been sharing with Championship side But they are making the switch to St Helen's midway through the 2025/26 campaign. The venue - which hosts both rugby and cricket - is located just metres from the beach in the Welsh city. And the club are planning an ambitious makeover to create an 8,000-seater hub for elite rugby in the region. Advertisement READ MORE ON SPORT Phase one of the work will see a 4G pitch installed with a cover built over the existing terrace. Three new stands will then be built, as well as a new fan zone. Following completion of the ground, state-of-the-art training facilities will follow later. Ospreys chief executive Lance Bradley said: "This is a vital step toward bringing our long-term vision to life. Advertisement Most read in Rugby Union BEST ONLINE CASINOS - TOP SITES IN THE UK "It reflects our belief not only in the transformation of St Helen's, but in the strength of our future, rooted in Swansea and powered by our supporters. "This is about more than new stands or improved facilities. Shocking moment enormous brawl breaks out in rubgy league after 'horrendous hit' "It's a statement of intent about who we are, where we belong, and where we're going. Advertisement "Our goal is a world-class home for elite rugby, community sport and shared experiences that inspire pride across the region." The plans come despite Ospreys being in dispute with the Welsh Rugby Union over funding. Bradley added: "We are still talking with the WRU about the situation and if we were not confident of a positive outcome that would make things a lot more difficult. "The fact we are proceeding full steam ahead with the development does shows a level of confidence." Advertisement Swansea Cricket Club share the St Helen's site and will remain playing at the venue for the 2025 season. As a result, Ospreys will likely not play at the site until at least December.
Business News Wales
06-06-2025
- Business
- Business News Wales
'Productivity Heroes' Could Unlock Economic Potential in Wales
Investment in skills and a new generation of productivity champions could be the key to transforming the Welsh economy. That is according to leading business owners, policymakers, and industry experts gathered at the second of a series of briefings hosted by the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), Development Bank of Wales, and Economic Intelligence Wales. Designed to address the critical challenges facing business, the event focused on how closing skills gaps can unlock higher productivity levels and drive growth. The discussion, which explored the opportunities for boosting SME performance, was chaired by John Hurst, newly appointed Policy Chair for FSB in Wales, with opening remarks from Rhian Elston, Wales Investment Director for the Development Bank of Wales. 'If we are serious about bridging the productivity gap, investing in skills must be a top priority,' said Rhian Elston. 'Increasing productivity isn't just about improving efficiency—it's about empowering businesses with the tools, funding and talent to grow, innovate, and contribute to a thriving Welsh economy.' A key highlight of the event was the panel discussion featuring Jane Wallace-Jones, Founder and CEO of Swansea-based Something Different Wholesale; Dr. Ali Wright, Founder and Owner of Needle Rock in Ceredigion and Professor Stephen Roper, Director of the Enterprise Research Centre. In anticipation of two forthcoming reports by Economic Intelligence Wales, which will explore the role of 'productivity heroes' and productive investment in Wales, Professor Roper highlighted the urgent need for businesses to drive growth and employment through higher output. He also pointed to the critical role of mental health and well-being in fostering a productive workforce. 'Businesses that lead in productivity—those that innovate, upskill their workforce, and create jobs—hold the key to closing the productivity gap between Wales and the rest of the UK,' Professor Roper said. 'We need to address not just the technical skills gap but also the broader issues that affect workers' mental health, which directly impact performance.' The conversation also delved into practical solutions for tackling the productivity challenge, including aligning educational qualifications with employer needs, expanding R&D activity, supporting infrastructure improvements, and ensuring better access to business support. 'At the Development Bank of Wales, we understand that productivity isn't a one-size-fits-all solution,' said Rhian. 'It's about providing businesses with the capital and support to invest in people, technology, and skills—so they can achieve sustainable, long-term growth. By working together across sectors—business, education, government, and finance—we can build a pipeline of talent and opportunity that drives Wales forward.' Ben Cottam, Head of FSB Wales, said: 'The productivity issue in Wales is multifaceted. It's not just about increasing output; it's about unlocking the potential within our workforce. Every business, large or small, needs the right skills to succeed. We need to ensure that our people are equipped to tackle the challenges of the future—because only then will we see the growth, innovation, and job creation that will elevate our economy.' Economic Intelligence Wales collates and analyses data to create independent, robust and reliable insight to help better understand and improve the Welsh economy. The latest quarterly report is available to read at Quarterly report – Dev Bank
