Here are the latest rugby headlines on Thursday, January 20.
Two Wales players ask for £300,000
Wales and Ospreys duo Gareth Anscombe and Alex Cuthbert, along with business partner Dean Jones, are searching for £300,000 of investment to grow their business.
They launched fitness and wellbeing app Fitap in 2020, and are looking for financial backing to build a sales team and increase marketing, Insider Media reports.
“Our aim is to leverage technology to make staying fit easier, cheaper and more enjoyable,” Cuthbert told the outlet.
“Sometimes people get intimidated about physically going to a gym or exploring activities to help their mental health and wellbeing, but this makes access easier.”
Anscombe, who worked on the joint venture while recovering from knee ligament damage, added: “The gym isn’t for everybody and, when it comes to wellbeing, it’s important to provide support for those who’ve had a few setbacks in life.
“For me, in rugby, there’s been great times, but it’s not always smooth sailing. I feel it’s important to provide support and make talking about fitness and mental health more accessible.”
The free app charges businesses to be listed in return for promotion to members of the public who want to find new ways to get active.
Read more: Alex Cuthbert banned for Six Nations opener but handed a get-out clause if he wants
Wayne Pivac explains selection of four fly-halves
Wayne Pivac has explained his surprise selection of four outside-halves in Wales’ Six Nations squad.
It had been expected one of Gareth Anscombe, Rhys Priestland or Callum Sheedy would miss out on the squad as teams generally only pick three 10s for the tournament.
Wales did actually pick four during the autumn for the first time under Pivac because the opening match was outside of the Test window, meaning Sheedy and first-choice Dan Biggar were both unavailable.
But they have opted for the extra man this time around too, despite players being available for all matches.
Pivac told the BBC : “We wouldn’t normally select four. We did in the autumn because of the game outside the window.
“We have two that will be going back to England in the down weeks and, depending on selection , we could lose one during the working week so we do need the four for training purposes.
“We also know Gareth can play 10 and full-back. As you can probably see from the back five we have picked, that gives us a bit of comfort.”
England-based players not selected for an international matchday squad have to be released back to their English clubs for the latter part of a Test week.
Cardiff planning for Toulouse match going ahead
Cardiff are set to fly out to France on Friday lunchtime and are working on the assumption their game against Covid-hit European champions Toulouse is going ahead until they hear otherwise.
“It’s in the media that there are cases out there,” director of rugby Dai Young told a press conference on Thursday.
“Obviously that’s something we don’t get involved in. It’s for them to speak to the relevant parties.
“We’ve had no communication from anyone to say the game is in doubt, so we’re just planning as the game is going ahead. We’ll crack on.
“One thing that Covid has taught us is to be adaptable and expect the unexpected because something seems to get thrown up every week.
“I’m sure Toulouse are going to do everything in their power to get this game to go ahead because they’re in a position where they need to win to qualify.
“They’re reigning champions, so I’m sure they’ll do everything they can but, in saying that, I’m sure the health authorities will do the right thing for everybody as well.”
Under French government rules, all athletes have to be vaccinated against Covid in order to attend and compete in sporting events in France.
But Young says that doesn’t present any issues to the Cardiff camp.
“Everyone has ticked that box,” the former Wales and Lions prop said.
“So, apart from injuries, we are picking from a full-strength squad. Vaccinations isn’t a factor for us.”
One of the players who won’t be available through injury is Welsh international back-rower James Botham as he recovers from the heavy knock to the head he suffered against Edinburgh earlier this month.
But it’s hoped he will be back in the mix for next week’s United Rugby Championship clash with Leinster.
England boost as Henry Slade available for Montpellier trip
Henry Slade’s availability for England’s Guinness Six Nations away fixtures against Italy and France has been confirmed after Exeter revealed he is in contention to play in Montpellier on Sunday.
Slade, a type 1 diabetic, stated in May that he would decline the Covid vaccine, questioning whether “you can trust it” and pointing to the extensive testing programme in place at Gallagher Premiership clubs.
The 28-year-old later clarified those remarks that appeared in a national newspaper interview, revealing that because of his medical status he had experienced “issues in the past with the use of vaccines”.
It raised the prospect that England’s first-choice outside centre would be ruled out of the Six Nations trips to Italy and France, where Covid passes are compulsory to take part in any sporting event.
But Exeter director of rugby Rob Baxter has revealed that Slade can be selected for this weekend’s Heineken Champions Cup clash with Montpellier at the GGL Stadium in France and the PA news agency understands he has now been vaccinated.
“Henry’s available, yes. Put it this way, if you don’t see him picked it won’t be because he’s injured, unless he gets injured in training,” said Baxter, who names his team at Friday lunchtime.
“The truth is, and I know Henry doesn’t mind me saying this, Henry never said he wasn’t going to get vaccinated.
“He said at the time he wanted to see what the situation was and that was months and months ago. That’s all I’m prepared to say.
“He never said he wasn’t going to have it, he said he wanted to see what the situation was. Everybody else seems to have surmised what they want from that.”
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