Here are your rugby morning headlines for Thursday, May 21.
Welsh rugby favourite retires
Former Cardiff Rugby and Wales scrum-half Lloyd Williams has announced he will retire from professional rugby at the end of the season.
Worcester Warriors confirmed the news on Wednesday, with Williams set to bring the curtain down on a distinguished career spanning almost two decades.
The 36-year-old joined Worcester from Ealing Trailfinders and has made 20 appearances for the Warriors so far, scoring six tries.
However, Williams will always be most closely associated with Cardiff, the boyhood club where he spent 13 years and amassed a record 261 appearances.
During his time in the Welsh capital, Williams helped Cardiff win the European Challenge Cup in 2018 and captained the side on several occasions.
On the international stage, Williams earned 32 caps for Wales and was part of squads at both the 2011 and 2015 Rugby World Cups. Win free tickets to watch Fiji v Wales in Cardiff this summer.
One of the defining moments of his Test career came at Twickenham in 2015 when his break and pass created the decisive try for Gareth Davies in Wales’ famous World Cup victory over England.
Williams also won three Six Nations titles with Wales, including the Grand Slam triumph in 2012.
Speaking about his decision to retire, Williams admitted it had been an emotional call.
“It’s kind of a heart and head decision,” he said. “The heart tells me to keep on playing, but my head is saying I need to start looking after my body and start focusing on the next chapter.”
Williams also paid tribute to Worcester supporters after helping the club enjoy a memorable campaign.
“I’ve had a fantastic year here at Worcester, it’s something I’m really proud of and will look back with a lot of fond memories,” he said.
“The fact that this year will be my lasting memory of professional sport as a player is seriously special.
“To see the fans turn up the way they did, the way we showed up — the whole occasion was pretty special, and I really did have goosebumps running out here at Sixways. And the fans here, they deserved that moment.”
English club move for Warren Gatland’s surprise Wales call-up
Former Cardiff Rugby prop Will Davies-King is being linked with a move to Worcester Warriors following confirmation he will leave the Welsh region this summer.
According to RugbyPass, the tighthead is expected to join the English club ahead of next season after Cardiff announced he would depart when his contract expires at the end of June.
Davies-King made a senior appearance for Northampton Saints earlier this season, coming off the bench in a Premiership Rugby Cup defeat to Exeter Chiefs.
Cardiff had already indicated the 27-year-old was set for a move to a club in England’s second tier and Worcester now appear his likeliest destination.
The Warriors are understood to be in the market for front-row reinforcements after the departure of Tim Hoyt to Lyon OU, with Fraser Balmain and Ash Challenger currently their senior tighthead options.
Davies-King became one of the more surprising names in Welsh rugby three years ago when Warren Gatland included him in an extended Wales training squad ahead of the 2023 Rugby World Cup.
Although Davies-King did not make the final World Cup squad, the call-up significantly raised his profile within the Welsh game. However, he now finds himself at a crossroads.
A move to Worcester would offer an opportunity for regular senior rugby as he looks to continue his development away from Cardiff.
Top Wales star launches new project
Aaron Wainwright is swapping rugby boots for coffee cups after launching a new vinyl-themed café and bar with a childhood friend in Newport.
The Dragons and Wales back-row forward has teamed up with school friend Will Coghlan to open Banc Coffee & Records on the city’s riverfront.
The pair say the idea combines their two passions, with Wainwright focusing on speciality coffee while Coghlan brings the music side of the business.
“I’m massive on the music side of things, Aaron is more coffee,” Coghlan told the Argus. “We’ve always wanted our own shop, something we could look at and be proud of.”
The venue has taken over the former Octopus Lounge site at Llanarth Court, just outside Newport city centre, and the pair are targeting an opening date of June 15 after months of renovation work.
The name Banc is inspired by both the nearby river bank and the Welsh word for bank.
During the day, the venue will operate as a speciality coffee shop centred around vinyl records and music before transforming into a bar later in the week.
“We’ve got an awesome coffee machine and four really nice beers on tap, plus good wine options and spirits,” Coghlan said.
“We want to make it a bit of a community, hosting events, tapas nights, wine-tasting nights, hopefully some live music too.”
Food will be provided by pop-up vendors serving tapas, pizza and other dishes, while the owners are also hoping to expand onto the riverside with outdoor seating during the summer months.
Despite having no previous business experience, the pair have immersed themselves in barista training, business planning and building the venue’s online following.
“It’s completely new to us, we are winging the whole thing a bit, but we’re confident,” Coghlan added. “We know it’s a tough time for businesses in Newport, but the response online has been amazing and we see so much potential with Banc.”
Wainwright, 28, has become one of the most recognisable figures in Welsh rugby in recent years through his performances for the Dragons and Wales, however next year he will be plying his trade in the Gallagher PREM after confirming a move to Leicester.