Today's rugby news as European Welsh derby on cards and star major Six Nations doubt after 'freakish' injury
These are your morning rugby headlines on Sunday, January 19.
Cardiff through to Challenge Cup knockout stages
Cardiff have qualified for the round of 16 of the Challenge Cup.
Matt Sherratt's sides hopes were hanging by a thread after they slipped to a 28-19 defeat at home to Connacht on Friday night. But Lyon's 68-21 thrashing of the Cheetahs mean Cardiff are now safely through to the knockout stages where they will play either the Ospreys or Connacht away from home.
READ MORE: Warren Gatland reveals World Cup winner's message minutes after Wales defeat
READ MORE: Scarlets survive late scare from Vannes to progress in Challenge Cup
Three Welsh clubs have now progressed to the knockout stages of the Challenge Cup with only the Dragons missing out. The Scarlets' 38-28 victory over Vannes in Llanelli was enough to qualify but their lacklustre second half might have cost them a home draw.
If Perpignan beat Zebre with a bonus point in Parma and by a winning margin of 14 points then the Scarlets will be away from home.
Tuipulotu major doubt
Scotland star Sione Tuipulotu is reportedly a major doubt for the Six Nations after picking up an injury in training.
The Glasgow Warriors centre, who is his country's skipper, picked up the knock on the paddock. He is said to have suffered an upper body injury and will now be assessed by medics ahead of the tournament, which gets under way in two weeks' time.
On Friday, Warriors coach Franco Smith said: “Sione has trained with us this week - he has some niggles. So, we'll see how it goes forward from here on.”
It was always the plan for Glasgow to rest Tuipulotu for Saturday’s Champions Cup match against Harlequins. But there are real concerns the midfielder won't be ready to face Italy at Murrayfield on February 1 - and beyond.
Speaking immediately after the defeat to Harlequins, Smith said: "He had an assessment this morning.
"I don’t know the extent of it yet – I know that the feedback around the player will be given tonight and tomorrow, As we have been involved down here, I haven’t heard the final assessment yet.
"I think he might have injured his pec. It was a freakish injury. It was just something that happened.
"We will have more clarity tomorrow."
Steff Evans returns from injury
Wales international Steff Evans played his first game back after a long spell on the sidelines.
Scarlets winger Evans turned out for Llandovery in Super Rygbi Cymru (SRC) on Saturday, January 18, as the west Wales outfit took on Pontypool RFC. It's his first action since sustaining a serious Achilles injury which he suffered against Benetton last March.
Evans helped his team to a 38-27 victory at Church Bank, with a whole host of regional rugby stars on display.
Also playing in their victory were fellow Scarlets Morgan Jones and Ed Scragg. Pooler, on the other hand, had three Dragons RFC players in their team - Solomone Funaki, Dane Blacker and Jordan Williams. They also had former Scarlet Scott Williams in their ranks for the Saturday afternoon clash.
The result puts The Drovers at the top of SRC for now.
Welsh team beaten 57-5
Brython Thunder were put to the sword for the second time in as many weeks by Wolfhounds in the Celtic Challenge.
Taking place at UCD Bowl in Dublin, the Irish club ran in nine tries against their Welsh opposition, to take the aggregate score for the past two weeks to 105-5.
Gabby Healan got Thunder's single score of the match, in what was a frustrating day for the Welsh side. Despite this, the likes of skipper Natalia John, Hannah Marshall and Jess Rogers put in a solid shift against strong opposition.
Wolfhounds winger Anna Doyle put in a stunning performance, bagging herself four tries, whilst teammate Aoife Dalton grabbed a hat-trick herself.
Thief raids team room
A thief entered the team room of DHL Stormers and stole a coach's laptop and wallet, reports Rugby365.
Stormers are in Paris ahead of their big Champions Cup clash against Racing 92 on Saturday, January 18. According to the report, some Stormers players were actually still in the room while the incident took place.
Apparently, the players thought it was simply a 'lost' guest at first, looking for a conference room at Radisson Blue hotel in Paris. However, it transpired that their intentions were more sinister than that.
The Paris police force are now investigating the theft as the team prepared to face their French opponents.
