Tonight's rugby news as Wales star leaves squad and former coach charged with sexual abuse

These are your evening rugby headlines on Monday, November 18.

Wales star leaves squad

Wales lock Adam Beard has left the squad after suffering a knee injury against Australia on Sunday.

The Ospreys man departed early in the game and is not fit enough to be part of the side to take on South Africa on Saturday after he was seen on crutches following the match. He will not be replaced in the squad.

READ MORE: Welsh rugby's fundamental problem means they can't stop the catastrophe they saw coming

READ MORE: The options Wales would have to replace Warren Gatland

Christ Tshiunza, who replaced Beard on the weekend, is favourite to start against the Springboks. Warren Gatland is expected to name his side on Wednesday.

Ex-Wallabies coach charged

Former Australia head coach Alan Jones has been charged with sexually abusing seven men and a teenage boy.

The 83-year-old, who coached the Wallabies between 1984 and 1988 before pivoting to a highly successful career in broadcasting, faces 24 charges over alleged incident between 2001 and 2019. All of the charges - except two of common assault - relate to sexual offences.

Jones, who is one of Australia's most influential broadcasters, was taken into custody on Monday. He has since been granted conditional bail and will appear in court on December 18.

A former teacher, he took charge of the Wallabies for 102 matches, of which they won 86 including 23 victories in 30 Tests. He led Australia to their first Bledisloe Cup win in New Zealand for nearly 40 years and was made a Member of the Order of Australia for his services to rugby in 1988.

Jones became a major Australian media personality through his popular breakfast radio show on 2GB, which he hosted between 2002 and 2020 before retiring. Over a wide-ranging career, he also worked in musical theatre and as a speech writer for former Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser.

Wainwright: We're all in this together

By Andrew Baldock, PA Rugby Union Correspondent

Wales number eight Aaron Wainwright says "we are all in this together" as speculation rages about head coach Warren Gatland's future following a record 11 successive Test match defeats.

Wainwright admitted he understood the reaction of many fans who made an early Principality Stadium exit as Wales lost 52-20 against Autumn Nations Series opponents Australia on Sunday.

Gatland could still be in charge for Saturday's daunting appointment with world champions South Africa, but whether he remains there for a Six Nations campaign that begins against France in Paris 10 weeks later appears increasingly uncertain.

Speaking after the Wallabies' biggest win against Wales for 28 years, Gatland said he had already had conversations with Welsh Rugby Union executive director of rugby Nigel Walker and chair Richard Collier-Keywood and was comfortable with "whatever the best decision for Welsh rugby is".

There had been an air of finality that pervaded his post-match press conference, mixed with an occasional defiant note. He has overseen just six wins from 23 Tests during his second stint as head coach, while Wales have dropped outside the world's top 10-ranked countries and last tasted Test match success during the 2023 World Cup.

More than 20 players have been capped by Gatland in his attempt to mould a new squad, but results-wise Wales are at the lowest point in their 143-year international rugby history.

"We are all in this together," Wainwright said. "The players are out there on the pitch, so we have to step up and do our thing. It is a collective effort. All of us need to reflect on how we performed in our own roles and see what we can improve on.

"We have got a couple of good senior figures in the group that keep relaying the message that we need to keep believing in ourselves and on our day we can go out there and beat any team."

The latter stages of Australia's second-half stroll were played out before hundreds of empty seats, and Wainwright added: "If I put myself in that position and I was a fan and my team had been on a losing streak, I would be a little bit disappointed and upset. For us as players we need to really put our mark down going into next weekend.

"We've got ourselves into this, so we are the ones that are going to have to get ourselves out of it, and I think when we do that we will reap the rewards and hopefully the fans will still be there cheering us on.

"We want to go out there and win and perform and give the fans something to get excited about, to get Welsh rugby back in a positive light and get out of this hole we are in."

World Player of the Year shortlist revealed

By PA Sport Staff

Ireland captain Caelan Doris is among four nominations for World Rugby men's player of the year.

The 26-year-old number eight led Ireland to an away Test victory over world champions South Africa this summer and was also a key member of Ireland's Six Nations title-winning team last season.

Doris would become the fourth Irishman to win the award if he triumphs after Keith Wood, Johnny Sexton and Josh van der Flier. He is joined on the shortlist by three Springboks - former winner Pieter-Steph du Toit, lock Eben Etzebeth and wing Cheslin Kolbe.

England wing Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, meanwhile, is among the nominations for men's breakthrough player of the year, joining Ireland centre Jamie Osborne, South Africa back Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu and New Zealand flanker Wallace Sititi.

England's current domination of the women's game is underlined through full-back Ellie Kildunne and forward Alex Matthews being in contention for player of the year, with Red Roses flanker Maddie Feaunati and Ireland's Erin King featuring in the breakthrough section.

The winners will be announced at an awards ceremony in Monaco on November 24.