Today's rugby news as Regan Grace to snub offers to sign deal and new global tournament agreement struck

These are your rugby headlines on Tuesday, April 9

Grace 'signs one-year deal'

Welsh flyer Regan Grace has signed a one-year extension to remain at Gallagher Premiership side Bath.

RugbyPass report Grace will be staying at the West Country outfit, having penned a short-term deal with The Rec club earlier on this season.

Twenty-seven-year-old Grace's career has been blighted by injury in recent years and he was released by Racing 92 last summer having failed to play a game for the French giants due to a serious Achilles injury.

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He linked up with Bath initially on a short-term deal and made his union bow against Gloucester in a friendly.

“Regan Grace showed that he has something special inside him with that last break of his, but he also was able to bump off Albert Tuisee, which was great,” Bath head coach Johann van Graan said after the 59-19 win.

RugbyPass report Grace turned down offers to return to Super League, where he shone for St Helens, and will now remain in union with Bath.

Club World Cup moves step closer

A new Club World Cup has moved a step closer to becoming a reality, report The Times, with an initial agreement signed for the competition to begin in 2028.

Organisers of the Investec Champions Cup, European Professional Club Rugby, the northern hemisphere and South African clubs "have signed a memorandum of understanding with their southern-hemisphere counterparts", the national publication states in what would represent a landmark move for the sport.

They add that not all details had been signed off as of yet but that a real appetite exists to get it done in both hemispheres.

It would mean changes to the traditional European Champions Cup format every four years, with the quarter-finalists that year competing against the six top-ranked Super Rugby Pacific teams and two guest sides, which would probably be from Japan, the Times add.

The first edition of the tournament would take place in 2028 in the northern hemisphere and would follow the year after World Cups. The competition would take scheduled for a four-week block in June.

Fleming: Wales confident of Ireland win

Wales' Abbie Fleming says they have the ability and confidence to beat Ireland this weekend.

Ioan Cunningham's side have started their Six Nations campaign with two defeats - to Scotland and England respectively - but Harlequins lock Fleming is confident they can bounce back in Cork on Saturday.

Wales won on their last visit to Ireland in 2022, ending a 12-year losing streak.

"We've got a good strong pack and we are really confident in our power game so we believe we can take those strides forward to win," she said.

"We're starting to develop real strength in depth and we've seen real impact coming off the bench at key moments during games so far. As a squad we're very disappointed with the performance against Scotland but there were lots of positives against England. That fills us with confidence ahead of Ireland and we're excited to show what we've been working on over the last two weeks.

"Ireland are physical and have really developed but we've been looking at specific plays using our power game and how we can get some front-foot ball, but also how we can get the ball wide and attack different areas."

Ireland international retires

Ulster centre Luke Marshall will hang up his boots at the end of the season.

The Ballymena man turned out 174 times for the native province and won 11 caps for Ireland. The 33-year-old has been dogged by injury throughout his career, particularly in his latter years. He was out of contract at the end of the season and he'll now look forward to starting "a new chapter".

In a lengthy statement on Instagram, he wrote: "15 years and it still feels like yesterday when I started out…… This season will be my last for Ulster and my last year playing professional rugby.

"I’m immensely proud of my career, having represented both my province and my country, and in some ways sad it’s coming to an end but also very excited to start a new chapter in my life.

"I want to give a massive thank you to Ulster Rugby for the career they have given me and in particular to the medical staff for the numerous times they looked after me and rehabbed me back to fitness."

He added: "Over the years I have given everything for the jersey and I hope that has translated onto the pitch in front of the fans and supporters. Hopefully I have some more to contribute before the end of the season but if not I will leave professional rugby a proud Ulster and Irishman. Thank you."