Here are the latest evening headlines for Sunday, March 15.
Scotland to set aside coronavirus fund for clubs
The Scottish Rugby Union has announced that it has set aside £500,000 to help struggling clubs deal with the catastrophic impact of the coronavirus.
The Club Hardship Fund will aim to "offer financial assistance to grassroots clubs facing cashflow and immediate financial challenges" during the ongoing crisis, with Scotland's domestic season now put on hold until March 29.
Additionally, the SRU has confirmed that the 'collective club support' payments worth more than £500,000, which were due to paid to members in May, will now be handed out next month.
In a statement, Scottish Rugby chief executive Mark Dodson said: "These are unprecedented times and we are acutely aware of the significant day to day financial challenges our member clubs will face in the coming weeks if fixtures cannot be resumed in the mid to long term and other planned fund-raising initiatives are curtailed.
"We are creating the £500K Club Hardship Fund to provide clubs with the reassurance there is financial assistance available to the dedicated volunteers and staff who deliver our game in their local communities.
"It is important we act now and provide tangible, practical support during these unsettling times."
Super Rugby season facing cancellation
SANZAAR chief executive Andy Marinos admits that the remainder of the current Super Rugby season may well have to be scrapped if it cannot resume within five weeks.
The decision has already been made to postpone the competition due to the coronavirus outbreak, amid an announcement from the New Zealand government that all international travellers entering the country would have to self-isolate for two weeks.
And Marinos has now revealed to Newshub if Super Rugby’s suspension lasted more than five weeks, the current season will have to be called off completely.
“If it [suspension] goes four, five weeks then it’s going to be almost impossible because we don’t have the schedule to do anything further,” he said.
“That’s why it’s so important for us to work with our broadcasters and why we’re so determined to see if we can’t get some form of rugby and some kind of structure up in the foreseeable future.
“Without that revenue, without the ability to be playing in front of stadiums that have crowds it all does have a direct impact on the bottom line.
“That’s something I know the national unions are dealing with all of their clubs and then indirectly with all their governments.”
Champions Cup set to be suspended
Meanwhile, rugby bosses are reportedly set to indefinitely postpone the European Champions Cup.
According to the Irish Independent , board members at the EPCR are set to meet via conference call on Monday to discuss the future of this season's tournament.
Organisers were due to meet before the end of the week to discuss the possibility of Leinster's clash with Saracens and Ulster's visit to Toulouse being held behind closed doors, but those plans are now likely to be overtaken by the option of pulling all of the last-eight ties in both the Champions Cup and Challenge Cup.
Owen Williams at centre of regional tug-of-war
The Ospreys and Dragons are both keen on snapping up Wales international Owen Williams.
The versatile fly-half was named in Wayne Pivac’s original squad for the Six Nations, but was later ruled out due to injury and, with his contract set to run out at Gloucester this summer, a return to Welsh rugby could now be on the cards.
Williams currently has just three international caps, and must return to Wales if he is to continue his Test career, under rules that bar exiled players with fewer than 60 caps pulling on the famous red jersey.
Given that he hails from Neath, Williams would arguably suit the Ospreys, who are keen on bringing in players with an ‘emotional attachment’ to the region.
However, it seems that the Dragons are also part of the conversation.
