These are your rugby headlines on Sunday, November 3.
Wales international open to move abroadWales star Max Llewellyn says he is open to following in his father's footsteps and continuing his playing career overseas.
The centre's father Gareth won 92 caps for Wales between 1989 and 2004 with his club career not only seeing him represent the likes of Neath and the Ospreys, but taking him to Harlequins and Bristol in England as well as Narbonne in France.
Former Cardiff star Llewellyn, 25, also crossed the border into England last year and has been in fine form for Gloucester so far this season, with some standout performances earning him a recall to the Wales squad for this autumn.
But the Cherry & Whites man has admitted he would "love" to play overseas at some point in his career, with France and the USA emerging as potential options.
"It was difficult to leave Cardiff but with everything going on in Welsh rugby and the club unable to even make me an offer, it made the decision pretty easy," he told the BBC.
"I had also always had an ambition to play in the English Premiership and one day, perhaps France as well. I still do and I'd love rugby to take off in other countries like America. I'd love to have those experiences."
A move abroad would also see him follow in the footsteps of fellow Wales centre Jamie Roberts, who Llewellyn considered a role model while growing up in Cardiff. As well as representing the Arms Park side, Roberts also had spells in England, France, Australia and South Africa over the course of his career.
"Growing up, Jamie was always a role model given we play the same position and went to the same school," he added. "I look at the career he had, the places he went and the clubs he played for and I think that would be pretty exciting to do the same."
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Phillips: Smith to start for LionsWales legend Mike Phillips has nailed his colours to the mast and says Marcus Smith is his pick to start for the Lions in Australia next summer.
Smith was superb in England’s narrow defeat to New Zealand on Saturday, with the home side winning when he left the field. The number 10 replaced by George Ford.
The substitution from head coach Steve Borthwick raised eyebrows post-match, with Ford missing a penalty and last-minute drop goal which would have won the hosts the match.
Phillips believes Smith is the real deal and sees the Harlequins man as the on the plane Down Under and in line to start the first Test.
“Marcus Smith might as well get the next flight to Oz! Chill and get ready for the first test. #WorldClass #Lions,” he wrote on X.
The former Wales scrum-half followed up that post with: "Why England took off a 9-10 full of confidence and running the show, no clue!"
Former world star flees countryEx-Australia captain Rocky Elsom has fled Ireland after police arrived at his home and workplace to take him into custody.
Last month, the 41-year-old was found guilty by a French court of forgery, use oif forgery and misuse of corporate assets during his time as club president of French side Narbonne. In his absence, he was sentenced to five years in prison and ordered to repay around 700,000 euros to the club, with an international arrest warrant also issued.
Following the sentencing, former Leinster forward Elsom denied any wrongdoing and said his conviction was "a clear perversion of justice", claiming not to have been informed of the court hearing or given an opportunity to defend the allegiations.
In an interview with the Sydney Morning Herald, he says he has now left Ireland - where he had been working as a school rugby coach - and is "keeping his head down" as he prepares to spend "months and months" in hiding.
“The gardaí came to where I worked, came to my home, with the intention of taking me into custody," Elsom told the newspaper. “I have to go outside at some point but I am keeping my head down, that’s for sure.
“I’ve just got to try and normalise it to a degree... be able to get enough sunlight or do some exercise. Because this is month one. In a way the attack on me has been going on for eight years so you wouldn’t put it past them to be going on for months and months."
“All I can say is I spoke to the gardaí and they said if I’m in Ireland they’ll have to bring me in,” he added. “So I told them I wasn’t in Ireland, and I wasn’t going to be in Ireland any time soon.”
England had haka response planned for weeksBy George Sessions, PA
Jamie George revealed he first thought about England stepping forward during New Zealand's Haka a couple of weeks ago following a dramatic 24-22 defeat at Allianz Stadium.
England loosehead prop Joe Marler had described the Haka as "ridiculous" on Tuesday and suggested it should be "binned" in a since-deleted social-media post. The touchpaper had been lit, though, and all eyes were on the Maori war dance ahead of kick-off, which started amid a deafening rendition of 'swing low, sweet chariot' by the crowd in Twickenham.
England captain George led his team a few steps forward to the halfway line at the start of the pre-match ritual as Steve Borthwick's men fronted up after days of discussion over the Haka.
"It was something we had spoke about or I had been thinking about for a couple of weeks really," George explained. "I spoke with the senior players, I spoke with Steve and it wasn't a reaction to Joe. I had actually spoken to Joe about the possibility of doing it and he enjoys putting things on social media so that was how that went.
"I was very thankful for Joe for that, I told him that today. But no, look, as ever, in terms of a response to the Haka, we always wanted to do it in a very respectful way.
"I thought the atmosphere was electric. New Zealand advancing as well, I think that just adds to the theatre, adds to the spectacle and I think everyone at the Allianz Stadium today massively enjoyed the atmosphere."
Marler's post on X on Tuesday shifted the narrative in the build-up to the Autumn Nations Series opener. A day after his post, Marler - who had departed the England camp by this point for personal reasons and already been left out of the matchday squad - briefly deleted his X account
New Zealand head coach Scott Robertson stated Marler could have "articulated himself better" before England captain George conceded pre-match the comments had "prodded the bear". Marler did apologise on Thursday night and expressed his gratitude for the "education" received over what the Haka meant to New Zealand culture.
The damage had been done, however, and as England remained tight-lipped over how they would respond to the Haka, it raised the scrutiny on the pre-match All Blacks ritual. Rugby union regulations prevent opposing teams crossing the halfway line while New Zealand perform the Maori war dance, but England contravened this ahead of a memorable World Cup semi-final victory in 2019.
Despite not being included in the matchday squad, Marler was at Twickenham and engaged in conversation with New Zealand head coach Robertson before it was show time.
'Swing low, sweet chariot' greeted the Haka and it was followed by George stepping forward along with the rest of his England team-mates to face up to the All Blacks.
New Zealand captain Scott Barrett said: "Yeah, I think the week showed there will be plenty of feeling between the teams in regards to the Haka and we expected a strong challenge, even before the whistle. It was great and you can certainly feel the atmosphere. It was a special moment."
Scotland smash FijiBy Anthony Brown, PA
Darcy Graham notched four times to briefly move joint top of Scotland's all-time try-scoring list, only for his fellow Edinburgh wing Duhan van der Merwe to climb back ahead of him with a late touchdown of his own in a comfortable 57-17 victory over Fiji at Murrayfield.
Glasgow centre Sione Tuipulotu kicked off his captaincy of Gregor Townsend's team, but it was talismanic wing Graham who stole the show in his first Test outing since the World Cup defeat by Ireland in Paris 13 months ago. The 27-year-old's haul took him from joint third at the start of the match to level with Van der Merwe on the 28-try mark before the South Africa-born back reclaimed his place at the top of the pile with his 72nd-minute score.
Kyle Rowe opened the scoring and Huw Jones added a double as the Scots overcome a wobble either side of half-time to put the Fijians to the sword ahead of their visit from world champions South Africa next Sunday.
Scotland enjoyed a sustained spell of early pressure and it brought a fourth-minute yellow card for scrum-half Frank Lomani who was penalised for a deliberate knock-on as he intercepted Adam Hastings' pass. The hosts thought they had gone ahead in the eighth minute when Ewan Ashman got himself in off the back of a maul and slammed the ball down over the line but it was ruled out after Pierre Schoeman was deemed to have impeded Ponipate Loganimasi as he tried to tackle the hooker.
The Scots only had to wait a further minute to open the scoring, however, as full-back Rowe finished off a flowing move just left of the posts after being fed by Hastings, who went on to add the extras.
Fiji's chastening start continued as they were temporarily reduced to 13 men in the 13th minute when Apisalome Vota was yellow carded as a result of his team's persistent infringements. The centre had to watch on helplessly from the sidelines as Scotland ran in three more tries during his time in the sin bin.
Graham notched his first international try since he scored four in the World Cup pool-stage rout of Romania in September 2023 after a one-two on the right with Ashman in the 15th minute.
Back in the scoring groove, Graham added his second of the match just three minutes later after fastening on to Hastings' nicely-weighted kick out to the right. There was an element of fortune attached to it, however, with the ball just skimming the Edinburgh wing's boot as his attempted grubber kick, which sent him free of the Fiji defence, almost went awry.
Fiji's calamitous start continued when Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula's pass was intercepted by Jones, who bolted clear for Scotland's fourth try in the opening quarter of the match. Hastings converted, giving the Scots a 26-0 lead. Just as the visitors looked to be imploding, they summoned some resolve in the closing stages of the first half.
Scotland hooker Ashman was sent to the sin bin in the 33th minute for going off his feet while defending on the line and Fiji immediately took advantage as Armstrong-Ravula bulldozed over on the left. The try-scorer was off target with the conversion and Scotland seemed to have got themselves back on track with a Hastings penalty.
But after Rowe was forced off injured and replaced by debutant Glasgow back Tom Jordan, Fiji crossed the whitewash again in the last action of the half as back-rower Ratu Derenalagi got away from Tuipulotu. Armstrong-Ravula again missed the conversion as the Scots went in with a 29-10 interval lead.
Scotland's advantage was reduced further in the 49th minute when Fiji hooker Tevita Ikanivere scored from a lineout, with Armstrong-Ravula converting.
Graham then dotted over twice either side of the hour mark and left the field to rapturous applause in the 66th minute as Scotland's joint leading scorer. Van der Merwe swiftly altered that scenario when he bolted clear, and Jones sealed the victory with the home side's eighth try a minute from the end.
