AROUND THE WORLD IN TEN STORIES

A round-up of news from all points of the globe

1 USA

Former Australia full-back Chris Latham has resigned as Utah Warriors coach for personal reasons, with Shawn Pittman taking interim charge of the Major League Rugby (MLR) club.

Pittman, an ex-London Welsh and USA prop, said: “Chris has left a legacy at the Warriors and I intend to build on that.”

Utah (below) face San Diego Legion on Sunday 21 March in their first game of the 2021 MLR season.

2 Russia

There will be familiar names in the coaching boxes when the 2020 Rugby Europe Championship (REC) concludes this month.

Russia (above) face Georgia on 7 February and coach Lyn Jones has added former Scotland flanker Carl Hogg and ex-Leicester prop Boris Stankovich to his team.

Ex-Scotland hooker Stevie Scott has become Romania forwards coach under Andy Robinson too.

Romania host Belgium in their remaining REC fixture – the loser of which is set to play off against the Netherlands for a place in the top division for the coming season.

3 South Africa

Springbok Women have stepped up their RWC 2021 preparations with a two-and-a-half month training camp in Stellenbosch running until 31 March.

Twenty-four players, including Nomawethu Mabenge (below), are taking part and another 16, who have full-time work commitments, will join up for two weeks next month. Coach Stan Raubenheimer said: “It is vital we use every opportunity to get into gear.”