Today's rugby news as Wales international on crutches hours before Gatland announcement
Here are your rugby headlines for Monday, January 13.
Cai Evans on crutches
Wales international Cai Evans left the ground on crutches last night after suffering an injury while playing for Dragons against Pau.
Just 26 minutes into the match, the Dragons full-back sustained a lower limb injury and was tended to by the medics at Rodney Parade. He was unable to continue and was ultimately replaced by Lloyd Evans.
READ MORE: Wales squad announcement Live: Warren Gatland names his Six Nations players
READ MORE: Welsh rugby's winners and losers as pair do all they can to grab Gatland's attention
Son of Wales legend Ieuan, Evans has earned two caps for the senior national team and has been called up previously by Warren Gatland as fly-half cover, too. You can follow the Six Nations squad announcement LIVE here.
Given the concerns Gatland currently has in that position - Gareth Anscombe is currently dealing with a knee issue and Sam Costelow was forced off on Friday night with a shoulder problem - hours before his squad announcement, Evans might have fancied himself as being in with a shout to be included for the Six Nations. Whether he was in contention or not is another matter.
Either way, the sight of him limping off, aided by crutches, last night does not augur well for any potential involvement he might have had in the tournament.
Tomos Williams: Wales form 'very difficult' but I'm hopeful for change
Tomos Williams admits the dreadful form of the Wales national team has been "very difficult" but believes there is light at the end of the tunnel.
Wales are on their worst-ever Test losing run, having tasted defeat in their last 12 matches, as they head into this year's Six Nations desperate to turn that form around.
The Gloucester scrum-half will be central to that, given his importance to Warren Gatland's side and the white-hot form he has continued to show since crossing the Severn from Cardiff to Kingsholm in the summer.
Speaking to The Times about Wales' woes, when asked about how tough it has been for him, he said: “The short answer is, very difficult.
“It’s part of sport that you want to win every game; it is part of competing. We are in a tough spot at the moment but there is a new year coming up, fresh start, fresh tournament and there are a lot of youngsters coming through. A lot can happen within a couple of weeks and from where I’m standing there is light at the end of the tunnel.”
A lot of responsibility rests on the shoulders of Williams, who is one of very few world-class stars Gatland has at his disposal. When asked whether that brings added pressure, the 30-year-old said: “I try not to worry about that or look too much into it.
“There will always be people criticising and hating and there will always be good people supporting you, so the only people you should really listen to are friends and family. People you are close to and people you can trust because others can turn all of a sudden.
“These days if you are getting a lot of credit it only takes a week or a bad game before people to turn, so I try to stay as far away from that as I can.”
Bath have ‘all to play for’ in crunch clash against Leinster
By Andrew Baldock, PA Rugby Union Correspondent
Johann van Graan says it is “all to play for” after Bath put themselves firmly in the mix for an Investec Champions Cup last-16 place.
Bath’s first win of this season’s Champions Cup campaign – a 40-21 success against Clermont Auvergne – came in bonus-point fashion at the Recreation Ground after Clermont had prop Giorgi Akhaladze sent off for a dangerous 25th-minute tackle.
Bath could need at least a point from a testing Pool Two finale against Leinster in Dublin next Saturday to stay on course for one of three remaining qualifying places alongside the Irish heavyweights.
Clermont, La Rochelle, Bristol and Benetton also remain in the mix, yet Bath made it an initial job done by claiming the five-point maximum they required.
“It is all to play for – I think that’s why this competition is so great,” Bath head of rugby Van Graan said.
“You can make two choices. You can speak about how good Leinster are, because they are a phenomenal side, or you can just focus on yourselves.
“I have had some fond memories in the Aviva, and some big disappointments, and what a great place to go and play against one of the best teams in world rugby, certainly from a club point of view.
“It is a massive task. They are sitting way in front in the United Rugby Championship, and they are in front in our pool, and we are in front in the Premiership.”
Social media star Ilona Maher marks first Bristol start with a try
By PA Sport Staff
Ilona Maher celebrated her first start for Bristol by powering over for a try as part of an impactful display in a 41-31 victory against Exeter at Sandy Park.
Maher, the game’s most popular player on social media with more than eight million followers, ran over half the pitch and bumped off two tackles in a 55th-minute try made possible by her pace and power.
The United States sevens star also showed her value as a provider when she stepped off her wing to suck in three defenders before releasing Meg Varley to score the bonus-point try that keeps Bristol in contention for the Premiership Women’s Rugby play-offs.
“It felt like sevens a little bit. My team-mates did the work to put me through and I had to get through a couple of defenders. I thought ‘oh, this is sevens!’” Maher told TNT Sports.
“I don’t go around people, that’s never been my thing – ever! I don’t go around them, always go through. It’s really not natural for me.
“Now it’s going to be figuring out when I have three people in front of me, how do I get through them?
“I was more proud of the try assist. I did a little step there, which I’ve never done before.”
Maher won a bronze medal at last summer’s Olympics in Paris and has set her sights on winning a place in the USA squad that will compete in the World Cup, which is being hosted by England later this year.
A week ago she made her first appearance in 15s since 2021 when she stepped of the bench in a 40-17 defeat by Gloucester-Hartpury.
