Wales prop Corey Domachowski recalled “bittersweet” emotions after gaining World Cup selection on the same day as his great-grandmother’s funeral.
The 26-year-old Cardiff prop was among 16 players in head coach Warren Gatland’s 33-strong squad who will have a first taste of World Cup action during September and October.
But while there was family joy over his call-up, it also came at a time of great sadness as they said farewell to Domachowski’s 88-year-old relative.
“It was a bit of a weird one,” Domachowski said.
“It was my nan’s funeral today, so we were all in the living room waiting for the hearse to turn up.
“My missus had the phone next to me and I was like ‘look this is probably not the right place to do it’ but all the family were like ‘no chance, we want to know whether you are in or not’.
“As soon as my name was announced, it erupted. It was quite nice really because it was a sad day and everybody was a bit down, it kind of lifted the mood a bit.
“It was a bittersweet day, really. The family are really upset, but this came along and brought a smile to everyone’s face.”
Domachowski was only called into his first Wales squad just over three months ago, which followed a period of insecurity as Welsh professional rugby found itself engulfed by chronic financial issues and huge uncertainty over player contracts across its four professional regions.
“I think there were about six weeks left in the season before I secured a new deal,” he added.
“With all that was going on I was two weeks away from calling it a day. I sat down with my partner and I said I would probably have to start looking at going down a different route in my career.
“I spoke to a few semi-professional clubs to see what they had on the table and it wasn’t even worth trying to play semi-pro.
“That is how bad it had got financially. It was tough to take in and you can imagine the stress everyone was going through. Luckily, I managed to secure something at the end.
“I think I use it a lot for motivation, what we all experienced at the start of the year with finances, not knowing if you’ve got a job, securing food on the table for the kids.
“This has been an eye-opener for me. You never know when you are going to finish and it has given me a kick up the backside.”
Wing Rio Dyer, meanwhile, has joined Domachowski in being selected for a first World Cup – but admitted to some anxious moments after being yellow-carded during Wales’ heavy defeat against South Africa on Saturday.
Referee Andrew Brace also awarded the Springboks a penalty try after Dyer batted the ball into touch under pressure from opposite number Canan Moodie.
“I had a few boys trying to reassure me that it was going to be alright but in the end it was a penalty try and a yellow card,” Dyer said.
“Walking off in front of all the fans and with the pressure of selection coming up on the Monday, I was sat on that chair thinking ‘I have probably just butchered my chance and cost my team’.
“All of the pressure was back on me, so when I came back on, I put my all into it. I wanted to make sure I gave 110 per cent because it was my fault I got the yellow card, not the team’s.
“I could have easily just had a yellow card, thrown my toys out of the pram and put my head under the shed and thought ‘it is what it is, it’s done now’.
“Sitting on that chair in front of your home crowd, under the pump as it was, knowing what was coming around the corner, you have been training for 14 weeks – it was a pressure point for me.”
Rees-Zammit relishing Mahomes advice as former rugby star eyes spot on Chiefs roster
Louis Rees-Zammit has likened Patrick Mahomes to an extra coach as he looks to make an impact in the NFL with the Kansas City Chiefs.
Rees-Zammit shocked rugby union fans in January when he announced he was turning his back on the sport to enter the NFL's International Player Pathway programme.
He was signed by two-time defending Super Bowl champions Kansas City in March and is now looking to earn a place on their roster for 2024, learning the role of running back at the Chiefs' rookie minicamp after attending another training camp alongside Mahomes.
Rees-Zammit has made sure to pick the brains of Mahomes, who has led the Chiefs to six straight AFC Championship games and won three Super Bowl rings since being drafted in 2017.
"It was amazing, all the quarterbacks and receivers were there, we were running routes, we were working in the gym", Rees-Zammit said of his experience at that camp in Texas.
"It was a great two weeks, I definitely learned a lot with Pat and the other boys."
Asked if Mahomes was acting like an extra coach, he said: "100 per cent.
"I'm new to the game so I'm trying to pick everyone's brains and try and pick up the sport as quick as possible because I want to be out there playing.
"The way I can do that is picking the brains of everyone that's currently here and trying to learn the game as quickly as possible."
Chiefs head coach Andy Reid has been impressed by Rees-Zammit's attitude, saying: "He's so diligent with everything and wants to be so good at everything. I appreciate that.
"I like the fact he's got shorter steps initially, that's a good thing as a running back. If you're a long strider in there you've got to really work on making it through those tight adjustments you have to make. He seems to have a nice feel."
England and Saracens number eight Vunipola fined after arrest in Mallorca
England international Billy Vunipola has confirmed he has been fined after an incident which saw him arrested in Mallorca on Sunday, with his club Saracens set to launch an internal investigation.
On Monday, widespread reports claimed Vunipola had been tasered by Spanish police in the early hours of Sunday morning, with an altercation taking place after he left a club in Palma.
Saracens later confirmed they were aware of an incident and said they would deal with it internally.
The number eight, who was born in Australia but has represented England 75 times, later released a statement of his own via his club, denying that any violence took place and confirming the police investigation was now closed.
"I can confirm I was involved in an unfortunate misunderstanding when I was leaving a club in Mallorca on Sunday, which got out of hand," that statement read.
"Contrary to media reports, there was no violence, no fight and I did not threaten anybody at any stage, with bottles or chairs or anything else.
"I was charged with resisting the law and, following an 'express trial', I have paid a fine of €240. The Spanish police investigation is now closed, and I am flying back to the UK today.
"I will obviously cooperate with the Saracens internal process and unreservedly apologise for any inconvenience to all involved."
Fraser Brown ‘hugely proud’ of Scotland career as he announces rugby retirement
Fraser Brown declared himself “hugely proud” of his Scotland career as he announced his retirement from professional rugby.
The 34-year-old Glasgow hooker has not played since rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament while playing for the World XV against the Barbarians at Twickenham last May and he has now conceded defeat in his bid to return to action.
Brown won 61 Scotland caps, with the first of them coming against Italy in 2013 and the last in the Six Nations match at home to Ireland in 2023, the same game incidentally in which Stuart Hogg won his final cap. The front-rower went to both the 2015 and 2019 World Cups.
“When you have a serious injury like I did with an ACL at the end of your career, it is always going to be hard to come back from,” Brown told Scottish Rugby.
“That probably made it a little easier to announce my retirement but it’s still a surreal and strange feeling.
“I’m hugely proud to have played so many times for Scotland during my career. To get one cap was great, but then my second one came against the All Blacks at Murrayfield which was such a special occasion.
“To reach 50 caps was a big moment as I had to deal with a lot of injuries throughout my career and to be part of the growth process of the team which has resulted in where they are now has been cool.”
At club level, Brown made 141 appearances for Glasgow after joining from Edinburgh in 2011.
The hooker helped them win the Guinness Pro12 in 2015 with victory over Munster in the final in Belfast, while his last appearance for Warriors proved to be last season’s Challenge Cup final defeat by Toulon in Dublin.
Glasgow head coach Franco Smith paid tribute to Brown, saying: “Fraser is the epitome of a modern professional and someone who should serve as a role model to any young player starting their journey.
“The respect with which he is held, not only within the Glasgow Warriors community but within the wider rugby family, should serve to underline the achievements he has earned throughout his career and the manner in which he has achieved them.
“His work ethic and determination to bring the best out of the people and players around him has been clear to all throughout his career.
“I wish him the very best for whatever comes next and I know he will apply that same work ethic and determination that made him one of this club’s most distinguished Warriors.”
Brown becomes the second experienced Scotland front-rower to announce his retirement in the space of a month after Edinburgh prop WP Nel recently revealed he would be hanging his boots up at the end of this season.
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