Today's rugby news as Sam Warburton stunned by Owen Farrell saga and Warren Gatland to give verdict

Here are the latest rugby headlines on Thursday, August 17.

Warburton's disbelief over Farrell

Former Wales captain Sam Warburton reacted in disbelief when Owen Farrell was cleared of committing a red-card offence.

Warburton, who has huge respect for Farrell as a rugby player and person, insisted there is "simply no mitigation" that should have resulted in him escaping a ban.

Writing in his Times column, he said: "The furore over Owen Farrell’s tackle against Wales last weekend takes me back to the 2011 World Cup and my sending off in the semi-final against France for a tip tackle on Vincent Clerc.

"That was totally unintentional on my part. It spiralled out of my control mainly because Clerc was a lot lighter than me, but I still received a red card and a three-week ban. At the time I said it was a red card, but I actually thought it was a yellow, but as time has gone on, I’ve realised that rules are rules, and by the regulations at the time it was a red card.

"So, I could not believe it when I heard on Tuesday that the red card given to Farrell by the new 'bunker' system on Saturday had been overturned."

Warburton has sympathy for the split-second decisions players have to make in the heat of a Test match but maintained Farrell "knew the type of tackle he wanted to make", aiming for Basham's upper body and chest area. That was always going to come with a risk.

Most of his frustration is directed towards the inconsistency in officiating and disciplinary procedures, with the new bunker system that upgraded Farrell's card to red now undermined and other decisions in recent matches also causing confusion.

He added: "It is the lack of consistency that irks. It also undermines the bunker system immediately, which is disappointing because I thought that worked really well on Saturday and speeded things up.

"It also highlights to me a worrying lack of consistent thinking among officials at the moment — we saw that with Louis Rees-Zammit’s near try against England in Cardiff recently, where the referee and television match official were obviously at odds with what they were seeing and what the decision should have been.

"It is worrying when the decision goes to the truck, where the official has more time and more angles to consider a decision, and then they get overruled. All that just adds to the confusion when everyone is not synced up."

Warburton's comments come as World Rugby are set to appeal the decision to rescind Farrell's red card in a dramatic late twist. Read the full story here.

Gatland to hold press conference

Warren Gatland will hold a press conference later today that is expected to shed some light on the World Cup hopes of hooker Dewi Lake.

The young Osprey's outlook has remained unclear so far this week after he underwent a scan on a knee injury suffered against England.

Wales have been unable to publicly declare the prognosis during media briefings on Monday and Tuesday, with the medical team said to be still assessing the situation.

Gatland will also be talking through his team selection to face South Africa this weekend, while the topic of Owen Farrell is sure to be addressed too after the events of this week. You can follow live updates from the press conference later this afternoon.

Springbok says Wales now a different side

South Africa second row Jean Kleyn says Wales are "a different side" right now after admitting "no one was rating them" before this summer.

The lock recently switched international allegiance from Ireland to South Africa. He represented the Irish in the last World Cup, but under the new eligibility ruling he has been cleared to play for the 'Boks.

Speaking ahead of the Wales v South Africa clash in Cardiff this weekend, Kleyn explained people weren't expecting anything from Wales, but said they have secured "very good results" in their opening warm-up games.

"They're a different team to what anyone was going to expect from them. If you looked at how they (Welsh clubs) performed in the URC I don't think anyone was rating them," the Munster star said.

"The big thing about Wales is they have all these individual players at their individual clubs and when you bring them together under a guy like Warren Gatland, that's a recipe for a really good national side.

"Wales have always been good and competitive on the international level. Just from the two last games I'd say arguably you have two very good results. You've got a good win at home and then a very narrow loss away from home.

Wales lost to England at Twickenham last weekend, being pipped 19-17 despite having three extra men at one point. It was tough to take for Gatland and he explained that he was 'furious' after the game ( Despite that, Wales looked very strong in the first match, fielding an entirely different side.

"It's a very threatening side and we'll be looking to put on our best performance this weekend." concluded Kleyn.

England players 'must take responsibility'

George Ford insists England's players must take responsibility for accelerating the team's development into a force for the World Cup.

Steve Borthwick's men ended a three-match losing run by defeating Wales 19-17 at Twickenham last Saturday but Ireland, the sport's number one ranked side, are the next assignment on the schedule of warm-up fixtures.

England have yet to fire since Borthwick replaced Eddie Jones in September but with their pivotal Pool C match against Argentina fast approaching on September 9, Ford knows time is at a premium.

"Along with being led by the coaches, it's the players' responsibility to grab hold of the team and pull it in the direction we want to pull it in," the Sale fly-half said.

"Especially when we have got the ball with that amount of experience and those combinations, we see it as our responsibility to get this team going and we have got to do it quicker than we have ever done it before.

"There are two more warm-up games and then there is the first game of the World Cup so we understand there is an urgency about it, but we are going to grab it."

Townsend explains 'really difficult call'

By Anthony Brown, PA

Gregor Townsend admitted it was a wrench to leave Stuart McInally out of Scotland's final Rugby World Cup squad after revealing the retiring hooker put his heart and soul into getting a career swansong in France.

The 33-year-old announced at the end of last season he would be hanging up his boots after this autumn's global showpiece to start a new chapter as an airline pilot.

McInally, who captained Scotland into the last World Cup in Japan four years ago, has been part of Townsend's extended training group this summer but he was among a quartet of players to suffer the agony of being cut loose on the eve of the final 33-man squad announcement on Wednesday morning.

While scrum-half Jamie Dobie, back-row Josh Bayliss and tighthead prop Murphy Walker were also released, McInally - who won what looks like being the last of his 49 caps as a substitute in last weekend's narrow defeat in France - was the highest-profile omission.

"It was really difficult," head coach Townsend said of the decision, with McInally's Edinburgh clubmates Dave Cherry and Ewan Ashman getting the nod over him in the hooker department alongside Glasgow's George Turner. "I know it's very tough for Stuart because he put everything into the training camp.

"He was one of our best trainers, he really was. He had two games off the bench this summer (against Italy and France) and played well but we just feel the blend with the hookers is the one we wanted for this tournament.

"It (France away) could be the last game Stuart plays for Scotland, but it might not be and he's just got to be ready for that opportunity if it does come."