The latest rugby news stories from Wales and beyond today
Here are the latest rugby headlines on Thursday, June 4.
Springboks legend announces Wales star
French club Beziers have announced the signing of Wales international Mackenzie Martin.
The former Cardiff back rower, who was on loan at the Dragons last season, has signed a three-year deal with the PRO D2 club, as first reported by WalesOnline in April.
Springboks legend Bobby Skinstad, who is chairman of the French side, said: “I am delighted to welcome Mackenzie to the club. Young, powerful and determined, he will immediately find his place in the Red and Blue family!”
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The move could make him ineligible for Wales duty due to the 25-cap rule, although it’s understood he did not receive a competitive offer from a Welsh side, which could make him available for selection should Steve Tandy wish to call him up.
The 22-year-old was capped by Warren Gatland in the 2024 Six Nations, mere months after he was playing rugby for Cardiff RFC in Super Rygbi Cymru.
A summer tour of Australia followed that summer, but that was the last of Martin’s five caps for Wales following a frustrating second season at Cardiff and a disappointing loan stint at the Dragons.
Wales star ‘blows team-mate’s world wide open’
Gloucester scrum-half Caolan Englefield has hailed the “immeasurable impact” of Wales star Tomos Williams on his career during his time at the club.
Williams will depart the English Prem side for Saracens this summer but leaves behind a legacy after two stunning years at the Cherry and Whites.
Englefield, 26, says Williams has made him a better player despite keeping him out of the team.
“In my first season here I thought I knew what it took to be starting Premiership nine, but he came in and blew that world wide open,” said Englefield.
“He has had an immeasurable impact on my game. I have taken those learnings and tried to implement them into my own play, in my support game and my passing too.
“I can feel myself being a bit riskier in my game, because I have seen him do it relentlessly during his time here.
“Tomos has helped me off the pitch too; being a good bloke off the pitch and helping others have a good time is important too.”
Williams was named Premiership Player of the Year after his first season at Gloucester before being made captain.
Englefield added: “He just plays with ultra confidence, he just knuckles down and knows that if something doesn’t work in training, it will probably come off on Saturday.
Saracens boss calls for 12-team Premiership
By Duncan Bech, Press Association Rugby Union Correspondent
Saracens boss Mark McCall believes the Gallagher Prem would function better with a minimum of 12 teams and has called for the restoration of league games during international windows.
McCall will step down at the end of the season after 15 trophy-laden years as director of rugby, and his reign could conclude as early as Saturday when Saracens face Exeter at Sandy Park in a shootout for the final available play-off place.
Prem Rugby is planning to grow the competition from 10 to 12 teams by the 2029-30 campaign as part of move to becoming an ‘expansion’ league, with the long-term aspiration of increasing to as many as 20 sides.
McCall, the most successful coach in Prem history after masterminding six domestic titles and three European crowns, insists there should be fewer weekends without top-flight action.
“For me, there are not enough teams,” McCall said. “There are too many gaps and too much time between games.
“I know the calendar’s busy, but I would rather keep playing in international windows as often as necessary. There should be 12 teams minimum because we need more games.
“We went from the end of January when we played Newcastle at the StoneX to the middle of April before we played another league game at home. That’s crazy. We want to get fans used to coming.
“There’s also room for a different competition. If there was a weekly under-21 or under-23 competition, that would be brilliant.
“We want our players to play for Saracens with the people they’re going to play with as time goes on rather than having to be farmed out to lower league clubs. So I’d love that as well.”
McCall is being succeeded for the 2026-27 season by the returning Brendan Venter, the South Africa from whom he took over in 2011 having served as his assistant.
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