Today's rugby news as Wales star likely to be hurt 'bad', Farrell sacked and North wins
Here are your rugby morning headlines for Saturday, January 10.
Scarlets hurt by Costleow injury
Scarlets coach Dwayne Peel rued the early 'big loss' of fly-half Sam Costelow, after the Wales playmaker was forced off minutes into the west Walians' Challenge Cup defeat to Gloucester.
Peel's side fell to a 31-7 loss at Kingsholm, with Costelow picking up a shoulder injury early on that is a concern for Wales coach Warren Gatland ahead of the announcement of his Six Nations squad on Monday.
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Peel admitted afterwards Costelow must have "done something decent" to come off, adding: "He's with the medics so we don't know how bad it is, but Sam is a tough boy and doesn't usually come off unless it's something bad," Peel said.
The loss of the fly-half was felt immediately - with the Scarlets' gameplan affected by the early disruption.
"It was a big loss because he's a leader for us," said Peel. "He'd trained well in terms of the preparation. It was really disappointing to lose him.
"Blair Murray was struggling in the second half then. It was one of those days."
Ioan Lloyd, who is set to move to Cardiff next season to get more opportunities at fly-half, was moved from full-back to outside-half - although Peel noted he too was feeling the effects of an early knock.
Chris Farrell sacked
Ireland international Chris Farrell has been sacked by French club Oyonnax following his conviction last month.
Farrell, 31, received a four-year sentence, with two years suspended, for failure to prevent a rape crime. He was one of five people convicted by a French court in connection with the rape of a woman in April 2017, while they were all playing for Grenoble.
The court was told County Tyrone-born Farrell, who played 15 times for Ireland, would not be sent to prison but would have to wear an electronic tag for two years and remain in France.
At the trial at Bordeaux's Cour d'Asisses, former Ireland Under-20 international Denis Coulson was sentenced to 14 years in prison after he was found guilty of the rape of a woman in Bordeaux in 2017.
The two men were on trial with three other rugby players. All five men were once team-mates together at FC Grenoble.
Loick Jammes, 30, from France, was found guilty of rape and given a 14-year sentence. Rory Grice, 34, from New Zealand, was found guilty of rape and given a 12-year sentence. Fellow New Zealander 30-year-old Dylan Hayes was given a two-year suspended sentence for failure to prevent a crime.
North wins on French debut
George North enjoyed a winning start to life in France as he made his long-awaited debut for Provence.
The 32-year-old joined French second-tier side Provence for the start of the 2024-25 season.
However, he's had to wait to make his debut after suffering a ruptured Achilles in his final Test for Wales against Italy in last year's Six Nations.
However, he made his comeback on Friday night off the bench in the Pro D2 clash with Agen - with his new club running out 17-10 victors.
England dealt Six Nations blow
By Duncan Bech, PA England Rugby Correspondent
England flanker Sam Underhill is unlikely to play any part in the Six Nations after his club Bath revealed he requires an ankle operation.
Underhill sustained the injury when coming on as a replacement in Sunday’s 35-34 defeat by Northampton and with no date given for his return, he looks set to miss the entire championship.
“Sam will undergo surgery to rectify a new ankle injury. There is no set timeframe on his recovery,” a Bath medical update said.
England are well stocked for back rows but losing Underhill is still a major blow for head coach Steve Borthwick.
After being overlooked for the World Cup squad in 2023, the 28-year-old re-established himself last year by starting throughout the Six Nations and in all three Tests on the summer tour to Japan and New Zealand.
An ankle issue sustained on tour required surgery, delaying his start to the new campaign and forcing him to sit out the opening two matches of the autumn against the All Blacks and Australia.
But he was restored at openside for the clashes with South Africa and Japan that closed out the campaign, scoring a try in each game and impressing with his overall play.
A veteran of 40 caps, Underhill brings physicality to England’s pack, especially in defence where he is among the game’s most destructive tacklers.
It is the latest injury setback for Borthwick, who looks set to be without wing Immanuel Feyi-Waboso for the entire tournament because of a dislocated shoulder, while full-back George Furbank is struggling with a broken arm.
Flanker Ollie Chessum is closing in on his comeback from a knee injury, however, while scrum-half Alex Mitchell has fully recovered from a neck problem.
Borthwick names his Six Nations squad on Tuesday and faces a tricky opener against Ireland in Dublin on February 1.
Hogg abuse ‘incredibly disappointing’, says Swinney
By Craig Paton, PA Scotland Deputy Political Editor
The domestic abuse perpetrated by former Scotland rugby union captain Stuart Hogg against his estranged wife is “incredibly disappointing”, Scotland’s First Minister has said, as he described calls for his MBE to be stripped as “reasonable and understandable”.
Hogg was sentenced to a community payback order with one year of supervision after he admitted abusing his ex-partner, Gillian Hogg, over the course of five years.
The sentencing came on Thursday at Selkirk Sheriff Court after Hogg, 32, pleaded guilty to a single charge of domestic abuse in November.
He admitted shouting and swearing, tracking her movements and sending her messages which were alarming and distressing in nature.
Speaking to journalists on Friday, John Swinney was asked how he personally felt that someone once regarded as a sporting hero had committed such a crime.
“Very disappointing, incredibly disappointing,” he said.
In the wake of the sentencing, SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn called for the rugby player’s MBE, awarded in last year’s New Year Honours list, to be stripped from him.
Asked if he agreed with Mr Flynn, the First Minister said: “I think that’s a reasonable and understandable call that Stephen Flynn has made.”
Mr Swinney added: “I think it’s absolutely reprehensible for men to behave badly in any circumstance of life and one example of that will be domestic abuse.”
One of his responsibilities as a male First Minister, he said, was to provide “leadership” for men to “behave better in our society”.
Mr Swinney, however, refused to be drawn on whether the sentencing of Hogg – who was also handed a non-harassment order barring him from contacting or approaching his ex-partner for five years – as too lenient.
“Please don’t take it from me that I’m dismissing your concerns – I just don’t think it’s really appropriate for the First Minister to comment about sentencing decisions,” he said.
