Summer Tours for Other Teams.

[IanD]

http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/rugby-union/27064168

Justin Tipuric out of Wales' South Africa tour through injury

Ospreys flanker Justin Tipuric is out of Wales' summer tour of South Africa, his region have confirmed.
It means Wales will be without two front-line open-sides, with Sam Warburton also missing.
British and Irish Lions forward Tipuric is to have shoulder surgery next week, while 2013 Lions skipper Warburton has already been ruled out of the two-Test tour by shoulder problems.
Tipuric will play for Ospreys against Connacht in the Pro12 on Saturday.
Fellow Wales internationals Ashley Beck and James King will also undergo surgery next week.
Back-five forward King will be out for up to four months, also ruling him out of contention for the two-Test tour while centre Beck hopes to clear up a long-standing hip condition.
Wales coach Warren Gatland was aware of Tipuric's shoulder trouble in April.
And at the first Wales senior trial for 14 years on Friday, 30 May, Gatland and his fellow coaches and selectors will have the chance to assess players with the potential to face the Springboks at open-side.
However, Dan Lydiate could be involved with Racing Metro if they reach France's Top 14 final on 31 May.
Racing Metro's bid to do so begins at Toulouse in a play-off on Friday, 9 May.
When he revealed the 24-year-old may need surgery, Gatland said he would consider other options in the event of the player withdrawing, including Lydiate and Cardiff Blues lock Bradley Davies.
"We've got other options because I think South Africa is a team you can play against - because of the size of the players they pick in their back-row - without a specialist open-side," said Gatland on 17 April.
Tipuric has been Warburton's rival for the Wales open-side berth for the last two years.
Gatland is ready to select a giant Wales back row to combat the Springboks trio of number eight Duane Vermeulen and flankers Willem Alberts and Francois Louw.
"We could shift Dan from blind-side to open-side and bring in Bradley at number six to deal with Alberts," said Gatland.
"It's certainly something we are exploring."
Warburton injured his shoulder in Wales' 51-3 win over Scotland in the final game of the Six Nations, while full-back Leigh Halfpenny dislocated his shoulder in the 29-18 defeat by England at Twickenham.
Wales will play the Springboks in two Test matches - in Durban on 14 June and Nelspruit on 21 June - with a warm-up match against Eastern Province Kings in Port Elizabeth on 10 June.

[IanD]

http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/rugby-union/27318868

Tom Youngs to miss England's New Zealand tour

England hooker Tom Youngs will not tour New Zealand in June in order to support his wife, who needs treatment for an illness.
Youngs, 27, is the brother and club-mate of Leicester and England scrum-half Ben, and won three Lions caps on the tour of Australia in 2013.
England head coach Stuart Lancaster said: "Our thoughts are with Tom and Tiffany at this time.
"It's entirely right he stays at home to support her and daughter Maisie."
Alex Corbisiero (Northampton), Tom Croft (Leicester), Jack Nowell (Exeter) and Christian Wade (Wasps) will not tour because of injury.
Youngs, a converted centre, has earned 17 caps for England since making his debut in 2012 and came off the bench to replace Dylan Hartley in all five matches during the 2014 Six Nations.
Leicester director of rugby Richard Cockerill said: "These things are more important than rugby, and Tom and his family have the full support of everyone at Leicester Tigers.
"We hope everyone respects their privacy at this time."
England boss Lancaster added that "everyone in the England squad sends them our best wishes".
Lancaster also explained that Exeter wing Nowell will not tour because the 21-year-old needs a knee operation, while the other three absentees are still returning from long-term injuries.
England's medical team are liaising with Bath and Gloucester over injuries to hooker Rob Webber (knee) and centre Billy Twelvetrees (ankle).
England will play four matches in New Zealand, including three Tests against the All Blacks on consecutive Saturdays starting on 7 June.

[Vamos los azules]

France letting themselves down spectacularly in their first test against Australia.

[Morf]

France letting themselves down spectacularly in their first test against Australia.

Who's at 10?

[Lamb of BOD]

Willie le Roux looks like an excellent player - carving Wales apart at the moment (just through the first quarter of the match).

Nice to see Victor Matfield playing for the Boks again

[ichabodscrane]

Willie le Roux looks like an excellent player - carving Wales apart at the moment (just through the first quarter of the match).

Nice to see Victor Matfield playing for the Boks again

Yeah he does, I wonder if we can give Zane back and get willy (that sounds odd). Looks like some Wales supporters could be fining Gatland some advice on where to stick his OBE after this match

[ichabodscrane]

I think it's safe to say that Liam 'scoundrel' Williams is NOT an international fullback yet! Le Roux looks the real deal, Serfontain looks good. It's actually quite scary how good they could be once they get their injured players back, the likes of Spies, Etzebeth, Du Villiers etc. Fourie DuPreez showed in the last ten minutes why he is still the best scrum half in the world.

[Keith]

Italy have now lost to both Fiji and Samoa on their tour. They didn't even manage to score a single point against Samoa!

They really are in free fall.

[outcast eddie]

I think it's safe to say that Liam 'scoundrel' Williams is NOT an international fullback yet! Le Roux looks the real deal, Serfontain looks good. It's actually quite scary how good they could be once they get their injured players back, the likes of Spies, Etzebeth, Du Villiers etc. Fourie DuPreez showed in the last ten minutes why he is still the best scrum half in the world.

That whole squad shows a worrying lack of forward thinking from Gatland. Wales are on a downward slope methinks.

[Vamos los azules]

Italy have now lost to both Fiji and Samoa on their tour. They didn't even manage to score a single point against Samoa!

They really are in free fall.

They aren't the only ones. Scotland stumbled past Canada after making a slightly better fist of things against the USA last week. Having seen what South Africa did to Wales I fear for Scotland.

[Donny B.]

http://www.coolsport.tv/skysports3-hd.html

Lively start to Argentina Scotland

[Donny B.]

Scotland got away with that one.

[Lamb of BOD]

What on earth is going on in the Wales vs SA match? Have they swapped jerseys since last week?

[ichabodscrane]

Wow what a start by Wales, Cuthbert is tearing it up on his own and Morne Steyn is having a howler..

[Lamb of BOD]

Wales down to 13 isn't going to help their cause. They can't say they weren't warned. If the Boks keep mauling the ball we could even lose another Welshman

[ichabodscrane]

Steve Walsh loves the sound of his own voice, I don't like him at all. Terrible defensive play by Wales, it'll be an interesting second half..

[Lamb of BOD]

Wales did well enough not to concede more than those two tries while short numbers. There's probably not much more than a couple of mins left in the binnings to start the second half.

[Hippo]

It's been a really good performance from Wales, what an improvement on last week.

[nelly the elephant]

Come on Wales ffs.....don't let them rob it at the end......

[ichabodscrane]

Liam Williams blowing it for Wales.