**Welsh Rugby Coach Gareth Baber Heads to France as Merthyr Rout Neath in Record Victory**
Welsh rugby saw significant developments this weekend, as leading figures moved clubs and one of Wales’ historic teams endured a once-in-a-decade defeat. Here are the major headlines for Saturday, 3 May.
Gareth Baber, the highly respected Welsh rugby coach noted for his Olympic success with Fiji Sevens, is reportedly set to join French outfit Stade Nicois ahead of the coming season. French sports daily L’Equipe broke the story, signalling another intriguing chapter in Baber’s distinguished coaching journey.
Baber, who previously played for Bristol and Newport Dragons before transitioning to coaching roles, holds a reputation for nurturing talent and achieving results at various levels. Most notably, he led the Fiji Sevens side to Olympic gold at Tokyo 2021—a crowning moment in his career. Since the Olympics, Baber has had a spell at Edinburgh and contributed to Cardiff Metropolitan University’s rugby programme as Director of Rugby Systems.
At Stade Nicois, Baber will be joined by experienced support staff, including backs coach Barry Maddocks and forwards specialist Emiliano Bergamaschi. The French club is targeting promotion in the new campaign, looking to benefit from Baber’s tactical insight and leadership.
Adding further Welsh flavour to Stade Nicois, Ospreys and Wales fly-half Owen Williams is also set to join the club, strengthening their backline options. Williams will join alongside former Scarlets No 8 and current Bayonne player Uzair Cassiem, expanding the contingent of Welsh-qualified and ex-Welsh-based talent at the club.
In related club movement, Wales international Gareth Anscombe appears headed for France. According to reports from RugbyPass, the 33-year-old fly-half, who will depart Gloucester at the end of this season, is in advanced talks to join Bayonne. Anscombe was linked with clubs including Leicester Tigers and Provence Rugby—home to his former Wales team-mate George North—before Bayonne emerged as favourites.
The prospective move comes as Bayonne’s current pivot, veteran Camille Lopez, prepares to retire. Should Anscombe sign, he would join a squad featuring ex-England centre Manu Tuilagi and former Scarlets player Cassiem. Meanwhile, Gloucester have moved quickly to secure Ireland and Leinster fly-half Ross Byrne as Anscombe’s replacement, with Byrne set to partner Tomos Williams in 2025/26.
Elsewhere, a beloved Welsh rugby personality returned to the field in a special fixture. Nigel Owens, the iconic referee, came out of retirement to officiate Lampeter RFC’s 150th anniversary match against London Welsh. Ahead of the contest, Owens cheerfully announced his comeback on social media, expressing hope that he could last the full 80 minutes. The match itself saw a convincing 60–24 win for London Welsh, who fielded a mixed squad in the second half. Spectators lined the sidelines at Lampeter’s North Road, giving warm applause to Owens and the competing teams. The event underlined Owens’ enduring popularity since stepping down after his centenary Test between France and Italy five years ago.
However, not all the weekend’s news was positive. In a remarkable WRU Premiership finale, Neath RFC were on the receiving end of a 105–0 thrashing by champions Merthyr at The Wern. Merthyr, who went into the break 66–0 ahead, scored 16 tries—including a penalty try—without reply. The scale of the result stunned observers and highlighted Merthyr’s formidable consistency, as they finish the season having lost only two games. This result cements their title credentials, having already clinched the Premiership with a recent victory over Brecon.
Neath, who entered the contest sitting third on the table, will be left licking their wounds—and prompted to reflect on the gap to the division’s elite. Nevertheless, their overall campaign secured a respectable finish, but the magnitude of Saturday’s defeat will linger into the off-season.
As the domestic season concludes and movement continues off the field, Welsh rugby remains as eventful as ever. Eyes will now turn to incoming stars, returning legends, and the continuing evolution of the nation’s flagship clubs in the months ahead.