Today's rugby news as Wales star blows everyone away and Bristol destroyed in incredible result
These are your rugby headlines on Saturday, December 28.
Wales star blows everyone away
Cardiff and Wales star Josh Adams has been lauded by coach Matt Sherratt after his player of the match performance against the Dragons.
The 29-year-old wing showed his quality in the URC derby, as he scored his fourth try in three games with a superb solo effort and looked dangerous whenever he was in possession, with fans hailing him as "magic" and "a class act".
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It comes after Adams spent six months on the sidelines with a knee injury, with the 59-cap international missing the summer tour of Australia as well as the winless autumn campaign.
However, he has hit form at the right time and not just for Warren Gatland with the Six Nations looming, but also for Sherratt, whose side are now up to third in the league.
"He is all in for us," said the Cardiff coach as he praised Adams' talents. "I love seeing him at the end of the game for us in terms of how emotive he is.
"You are talking about somebody who has played in World Cups and for the British and Irish Lions and he is so engaged with our group. He has shown all of his attributes in terms of his resilience and ability to be 100% in games. He has that bit of match sharpness at the moment and has looked dangerous."
Bristol destroyed in shock upset
Sale stopped free-scoring Bristol in their tracks and stunned the Gallagher Premiership with an unexpected 38-0 victory at Ashton Gate.
Bristol had high hopes of going top above west country rivals Bath, but Sale pulled off perhaps the shock result of the season as they denied the hosts any time or space on the ball and Bears’ trademark running game hit the buffers.
Scrum-half Raffi Quirke set the tone when he breached Bristol’s defence inside three minutes, and the Sharks never looked back.
Tom Roebuck added a second try before half-time, then captain Ben Curry’s interception score sealed the deal midway through the third quarter, before Roebuck’s fellow wing Tom O’Flaherty secured a bonus point 14 minutes from time.
Centre Rob du Preez kicked three penalties and three conversions, while fly-half George Ford dropped a goal as Sale’s statement win served notice of their title credentials.
Bristol had collected a try-scoring bonus point in each of their last nine league games, equalling the Premiership record.
Sale, in stark contrast, were without a point of any description on their Premiership travels this term, but those statistics were shredded on a spectacular night for Alex Sanderson’s team.
England prop Ellis Genge withdrew from Bristol’s starting line-up after suffering a back spasm, while it weas confirmed before kick-off that Bears fly-half AJ MacGinty faces four months out due to a knee injury.
Sale produced a lightning start, rocking Bristol when Quirke made a blistering break from 35 metres out to claim a superb solo touchdown that Du Preez converted.
Sale then suffered an injury blow when centre Luke James departed the action after taking a knock to his shoulder, but it did not disrupt impressive early Sharks momentum as Du Preez kicked a penalty.
Bristol could not get going, and their cause was not helped midway through the first-half when Harry Randall was yellow-carded for pulling back Sale hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie off the ball.
Randall had barely left the pitch before Sharks extended their lead courtesy of impressive approach by their forwards that led to Ford freeing Roebuck with a long pass, and he applied a simple finish.
Du Preez’s conversion made it 17-0, before Bristol suffered another injury setback when their top try-scorer Gabriel Ibitoye went off due to an apparent hamstring problem.
Ford then underlined Sale’s dominance by landing a drop-goal as the visitors took a 20-point lead with them into the interval.
Bristol could find no way into the contest, and after Du Preez kicked a second penalty, Curry intercepted home skipper Fitz Harding’s speculative pass to cross from close range, and Du Preez’s conversion saw Sale hit 30 points.
He completed his penalty hat-trick midway through the second period, and all Bristol could concentrate on was trying to break their points duck in a game that had seen them emphatically outplayed.
Sale had other ideas as they raced to a five-point maximum in thrilling fashion when O’Flaherty broke clear from just outside his own 22, then linked with Quirke before finishing in style.
It said everything about a game when Sale took their chances magnificently, building on rock-solid foundations provided by an imperious defensive display.
Bristol, though, were left to reflect on failing to score a point in a Premiership game for the first time since 2016.
Welsh derby sides named
Brython Thunder and Gwalia Lightning have named their sides as they prepare to meet for the second time in a week in the Celtic Challenge.
Last weekend's contest - in which a number of Welsh internationals took part in - saw the Lightning triumph 42-22, but Thunder were encouraged by a strong second half showing.
The Thunder have made three changes to their starting side fo the rematch in Llanelli, with Hannah Lane at full-back and Evie Hill at hooker alongside prop Lowri Williams. Wales scrum-half Ffion Lewis is named on the bench as she continues her comeback from a
The Lightning, meanwhile, have made just one starting change, with Caitlin Lewis selected on the wing ahead of fellow Wales international Carys Williams-Morris.
Thunder head coach Ashley Beck said: "For a Brython Thunder side with so many new faces, we showed what we can do as a team in the first Welsh derby. We started and finished the game well but we know we need an 80-minute performance at home this Saturday.
Meanwhile, Lightning head coach Catrina Nicholas-McLaughlin added: "We were satisfied with the performance and the win at home but this is another game and we know Brython will be a different proposition at home."
Brython Thunder: Hannah Lane; Ellie Tromans, Meg Webb, Savannah Picton-Powell, Eleanor Hing, Niamh Terry, Seren Singleton; Katie Carr, Evie Gill, Lowri Williams, Gwen Crabb, Natalia John (capt), Robyn Davies, Lucy Issac, Jessica Rogers
Replacements: Poppy Hughes, Chloe Thomas-Bradley, Meg Lewis, Danai Mugabe, Anna Stowell, Ffion Lewis, Hanna Marshall, Hannah Bluck
Gwalia Lightning: Courtney Greenway; Caitlin Lewis, Kelsie Webster, Molly Anderson-Thomas, Catherine Richards, Carys Hughes, Sian Jones; Maisie Davies, Molly Reardon, Danyelle Dinapoli, Lily Terry, Alaw Pyrs, Bryonie King (capt), Paige Jones, Gwennan Hopkins
Replacements: Molly Mae Crabb, Cana Williams, Jenni Scoble, Erin Jones, Katherine Baverstock, Seren Lockwood, Nia Fajeyisan, Lowri Davies.
Glasgow challenged to win more silverware
By Anthony Brown, PA
Franco Smith has challenged Glasgow to claim the 1872 Cup in style and ensure there is no repeat of last year's bitter-sweet triumph.
Warriors claimed the silverware 12 months ago after defeating Edinburgh 36-29 on aggregate, but only after the disappointment of losing the second leg at Murrayfield 19-14.
Smith's men hold a commanding 33-14 advantage from the first leg at Hampden this time, but - with United Rugby Championship points also at stake - the Glasgow head coach wants to make sure they are heading back home along the M8 with another win under their belts on Saturday.
"Look, we don't want to lose, nobody wants to lose," stressed Smith. "So play to win. Last year in Edinburgh, it took away a little bit of the joy of winning the cup in a way.
"So for us, there's more to play for than just arriving and trying to win the game. We want to be the best version of ourselves.
"It's another URC game. We're facing a difficult opponent away from home. We always knew that the second leg was going to be challenging.
"Last year we found that out by losing in the last minutes. We obviously expect this game to be a tough one again, like any URC game should be."
