The latest rugby news and headlines from Wales and beyond
Here are your rugby evening headlines for Tuesday, May 19.
Wales prop released by English club
Wales prop WillGriff John has been released by Gallagher Prem club Sale Sharks.
The 33-year-old tighthead is one of 15 players to be leaving the club this summer. The club has already confirmed the departures of James Harper, Dan du Preez, Raffi Quirke, Obi Ene and Rob du Preez, bringing the total number to 20.
John joins them out the exit door this summer, along with Tumy Onasanya, Hyron Andrews, Nye Thomas, Tom Curtis, Joe Bedlow, Huw Davies, Albert Bradshaw, Tom Davis and Frank Chatterton. Win free tickets to watch Fiji v Wales in Cardiff this summer
The club also announced that Tadgh McElroy, Sam Bedlow, Rouban Birch, Will Wootton and Jack Lightbown have left the club with immediate effect – following Gurshwin Wehr and Welsh winger Regan Grace who had departed earlier in the campaign after their short-term deals expired.
“It’s been a year of transition and a year of change and a year that I know we’ll be the better for going forward,” director of rugby Alex Sanderson said.
“But that’s on the back of the efforts and the contributions of the friends who are leaving us and have already left.”
Sale are seventh in The Prem with two games to go and will miss out on the play-offs for the first time since 2022.
John, who was a part of Wales’ Six Nations squad in 2025, has spent six years at the English club across two spells.
Lions legend dumbfounded by England decision
England and Lions legend Jeremy Guscott has been left mystified by Steve Borthwick’s decision to leave Max Ojomoh out of his latest squad.
The England head coach overlooked the Bath centre when naming a 42-man squad on Monday ahead of this summer’s Nations Championship.
Bristol’s uncapped centre Benhard Janse Van Rensburg was named, but Ojomoh – who was player of the match against Argentina last November – does not feature.
Guscott wrote on X: “Max Ojomoh being left out of Borthwick’s latest England training squad feels a strange one. How do you go from man of the match v Argentina six months ago to not making a large England squad?
“England’s biggest issue in the Six Nations, apart from defence, wasn’t getting into the opposition 22, it was finishing once they got there.
“Four defeats, plenty of pressure, not enough points. So leaving out a player who creates tries, scores tries and passes the eye test feels odd.
“Clearly Steve Borthwick is measuring players against very specific metrics and standards behind the scenes, and whatever they are, Ojomoh hasn’t ticked enough boxes. But from the outside looking in, it’s hard to understand.
“Sometimes rugby people overcomplicate what’s in front of them. Ojomoh looks good enough. More than good enough, actually.”
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Byron McGuigan handed full-time role in Steve Borthwick’s England coaching team
By Duncan Bech, Press Association Rugby Union Correspondent
Byron McGuigan will join Steve Borthwick’s England coaching team on a full-time basis in time for the start of the Nations Championship.
Former Scotland centre McGuigan first began working with Borthwick during last year’s summer tour to Argentina and the United States, while continuing his role as Sale defence coach.
From next month his position with England will be made permanent, with his responsibilities to include collision skills, the aerial contest and assisting the back three.
“Byron is an excellent addition to our coaching group,” Borthwick said.
“Since arriving with us last summer, he has made a strong impact through his detailed understanding of the game and the energy he brings.
“His work in supporting the development of our back-three players has already been valuable and he has also invested a huge amount of time into individual player development across the squad.
“We’re excited about the contribution he will continue to make.”
England play Tests against South Africa, Fiji and Argentina in July as they look to bounce back from their worst ever Six Nations performance that saw them finish fifth after managing a single victory.
Following a Rugby Football Union review into the tournament, Borthwick has been backed by chief executive Bill Sweeney to lead the team into next year’s World Cup.
Borthwick on Monday named his first squad since the RFU’s investigation, picking South Africa-born Benhard Janse van Rensburg for the first time in anticipation of his qualification for England on residency grounds from July 8.
Janse van Rensburg’s inclusion meant there was no room in the 42-man squad for Bath centres Ollie Lawrence and Max Ojomoh.
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