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A year after the Scott Baldwin incident, Ospreys have been spotted petting lions again

Ospreys hooker Scott Baldwin

You’d imagine the last thing Ospreys would be getting up during their two-match trip to South Africa would be some down time messing around with some big cats.

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The last time they visited the southern hemisphere on PRO14 duty, the career of former Wales international Scott Baldwin was nearly ended after he suffered a horrendous hand injury after getting the wrong side of a lion at a game reserve outside Bloemfontein.

For reasons only best known to himself, Baldwin decided to pet a lion only to get more than he bargained for in response.

After he was bitten the wound became infected and following four rounds of surgery, the forward was told he could have lost his left hand and with it a career that will have a sequel next season as the Welshman has signed for Harlequins in the Premiership.

Given that painful story, which kept Baldwin out of action until an October return versus Saracens, and the mockery that would have gone with the bizarre injury, going back for seconds in South Africa should not have been on the agenda for Allen Clarke’s squad this week.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bv1UVkbHgL-/?utm_source=ig_twitter_share&igshid=13t11t0clrs0z

However, ahead of this weekend’s outing against the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein, some players have taken to social media showing they are again mingling with the big cats.

Test scrum-half Aled Davies took to Instagram on Thursday with a picture showing him stroking a tiger cub, a post that was met by the response from a follower requesting that Baldwin keeps his distance for feat of sustaining a repeat injury.

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Meanwhile, Luke Morgan posted a video to his social media account that showed a lioness being petted and having her tummy ticked. A local ranger is apparently heard telling them: “Don’t be afraid, nothing will happen, they’ve been taught not to use their nails… if she bites you, smack her.”

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J
JW 43 minutes ago
'Passionate reunion of France and New Zealand shows Fabien Galthie is wrong to rest his stars'

Where? I remember saying "unders"? The LNR was formed by the FFR, if I said that in a way that meant the 'pro' side of the game didn't have an equal representation/say as the 'amateur' side (FFR remit) that was not my intent.


But also, as it is the governing body, it also has more responsibility. As long as WR looks at FFR as the running body for rugby in France, that 'power' will remain. If the LNR refuses to govern their clubs use of players to enable a request by FFR (from WR) to ensure it's players are able to compete in International rugby takes place they will simply remove their participation. If the players complain to the France's body, either of their health and safety concerns (through playing too many 'minutes' etc) or that they are not allowed to be part in matches of national interest, my understanding is action can be taken against the LNR like it could be any other body/business. I see where you're coming from now re EPCR and the shake up they gave it, yes, that wasn't meant to be a separate statement to say that FFR can threaten them with EPCR expulsion by itself, simply that it would be a strong repercussion for those teams to be removed (no one would want them after the above).


You keep bringing up these other things I cannot understand why. Again, do you think if the LNR were not acting responsibly they would be able to get away with whatever they want (the attitude of these posters saying "they pay the players")? You may deem what theyre doing currently as being irresponsible but most do not. Countries like New Zealand have not even complained about it because they've never had it different, never got things like windfall TV contracts from France, so they can't complain because theyre not missing out on anything. Sure, if the French kept doing things like withholding million dollar game payments, or causing millions of dollars of devaluation in rights, they these things I'm outlining would be taking place. That's not the case currently however, no one here really cares what the French do. It's upto them to sort themselves out if they're not happy. Now, that said, if they did make it obvious to World Rugby that they were never going to send the French side away (like they possibly did stating their intent to exclude 20 targeted players) in July, well then they would simply be given XV fixtures against tier 2 sides during that window and the FFR would need to do things like the 50/50 revenue split to get big teams visiting in Nov.

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