Howley opens up on the turmoil of the past year
FORMER Wales assistant coach Rob Howley has spoken about the turmoil he and his family have been through over the last year.
Howley was announced as the new assistant coach of Canada on Wednesday, almost exactly 12 months since being sent home from the Rugby World Cup amid a betting scandal that rocked the game.
The former scrum-half has served a nine-month ban and has been seeing a clinical psychologist for three months to overcome his issues.
He admitted to “having had dark thoughts and battling demons”, telling the Telegraph: “It has all been traumatic for everyone involved and I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy.
“I feel as if I have been in lockdown longer than most. I have made my apologies and I accept my responsibility in it all.
“There will always be people who have a certain view of me, but I am just delighted to be able now to look forward rather than backwards.
“It has been a tough, tough challenge for my family especially, but after the professional help I received, I now understand the reasons behind it all and I like to think I am now a better character, a stronger person.
“I have never even been to Canada, so a wholly different place as well as lifestyle was very much part of the attraction.
“But above all, I just want to get back to a job I love.”
■ S4C will follow the Welsh rugby regions throughout the new Guinness PRO14 season with live matches and deferred broadcasts.
The Clwb Rygbi series will show matches from every round of the regular season, as the first eight live matches are confirmed.
Dublin will be the location for the first live match as Dragons take on champions Leinster on Friday, October 2, with the match getting underway at 8.15pm.
Further matches will be shown as deferred full match broadcasts on S4C every weekend during the season; the opening weekend will see the match between Scarlets and Munster being shown at 10.00pm on Sunday, October 4, with Edinburgh v Ospreys being shown at 10.00pm on Monday, October 5. Live Guinness PRO14 matches on Clwb Rygbi: Friday, October 2, 8.15pm: Leinster v Dragons; Saturday, October 10, 7.35pm: Cardiff Blues v Connacht; Friday, October 23, 8.15pm; Benetton v Scarlets; Sunday, November 1, 2pm: Dragons v Munster; Sunday, November 8, 5.15pm: Scarlets v Zebre: Sunday, November 15, 2.45pm: Munster v Ospreys; Sunday, November 22, 5.15pm: Leinster v Cardiff Blues; Sunday, November 29, 5.15pm: Scarlets v Leinster.
■ Ireland’s most-decorated rugby player Rob Kearney has called time on his distinguished career.
Full-back Kearney, 34, was part of two British and Irish Lions tours, including the 2013 series success in Australia, and won four Six Nations titles with his country, including Grand Slams in 2009 and 2018.
The 2012 European Player of the Year lifted the European Rugby Champions Cup four times with Leinster, as well six PRO14 titles and the European Challenge Cup.