Category: Rugby Union

This April, Welsh rugby fans will come together at Principality Stadium to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Judgement Day – JDX 2025. The iconic double-header event, the longest running professional club event in Wales which showcases the best of Welsh professional club rugby returns to Principality Stadium as the Ospreys face Cardiff and the Dragons […]

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Brython Thunder have named their team for Round 5 of the Celtic Challenge when they travel to face Wolfhounds at the UCD, Dublin on Saturday, 18th January, (KO:1.30pm). The Welsh side travel to Ireland to face the reigning Celtic Challenge champions and the top of the table Wolfhounds, looking for a first win of this […]

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Wales U20 head coach Richard Whiffin is expecting an even tougher test for his team against the Regional Academies XV at Llandovery’s Church Bank than they received at the Arms Park last week. For the second Friday night in a row the U20 team will face a heaver, older and more powerful side than themselves […]

The post Whiffin wants more of the same from his Wales U20 side appeared first on Welsh Rugby Union | Wales & Regions.

Harry Thomas and Isaac Young are teammates in the Scarlets Academy but they will be bitter rivals when Wales U20 takes on the Regional Academies XV at Llandovery’s Church Bank on Friday 17 January (7.30pm kick-off). Thomas has been handed the honour of captaining the Wales U20 side after being drafted in for round two […]

The post Thomas and Young set for big hooking duel at Church Bank appeared first on Welsh Rugby Union | Wales & Regions.

It’s crunch time for the four Welsh pro clubs in Europe as they seek to secure tickets into the Round of 16 in the EPCR Challenge Cup. The Ospreys, quarter finalists last season, have already qualified for the knockout phase, but could certainly do with picking up a third win when they visit Pau this […]

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Richard Whiffin has made 10 changes to his Wales U20 starting line-up for their second clash with the Regional Academies XV at Llandovery’s Church Bank ground on Friday 17 January (kick-off 7.30pm). Bristol Bears wing Aidan Boshoff, Bath prop Ioan Emanuel, Bristol Bears lock Kenzie Jenkins, Bath back five man Arthur Moore (Bath) and Dragons […]

The post Whiffin rings the changes for final Wales U20 warm-up appeared first on Welsh Rugby Union | Wales & Regions.

Belinda Moore has been appointed as the Welsh Rugby Union’s new Head of Women’s rugby. Moore, who was CEO at England’s flagship professional women’s competition, Premiership Women’s Rugby, until November last year is a highly experienced and senior figure in the game. A former senior BBC producer her skillset is also derived from further senior […]

The post Belinda Moore joins WRU as Head of Women’s Rugby appeared first on Welsh Rugby Union | Wales & Regions.

Rugby union player Rynard Landman has been banned from all sport for three years following Anti-Doping Rule Violations (ADRVs) for the presence and use of a prohibited substance. On 8 August 2024, UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) collected a urine Sample from Mr Landman, Out-of-Competition, at a Newport RFC training session. Analysis of Mr Landman’s urine Sample […]

The post Player receives three-year ban for anti-doping rule violations appeared first on Welsh Rugby Union | Wales & Regions.

Wales men’s head coach Warren Gatland is looking no further that the first two games of the Guinness Six Nations after naming his 34-player squad for the championship. France host Wales in the opening game of the 2025 championship at Stade de France on Friday 31st January before Wales head to Rome where they will […]

The post Gatland: ‘We need to show an improvement in performance’ appeared first on Welsh Rugby Union | Wales & Regions.

Wales U18 head coach Richie Pugh got a double dose of U18 Academies Championship rugby at the weekend as he took in both first round matches in Cardiff and Ystrad Mynach. The staggered kick-off times allowed Pugh to run his eye over four of the five teams in the tournament that builds on the WSC […]

The post Cardiff and Ospreys off to flying start in U18 Academies Championship appeared first on Welsh Rugby Union | Wales & Regions.

The coach whose enduring belief that the next match is always winnable is not ready to abandon all hope just yet

The lyrics of that old Kenny Rogers favourite The Gambler sprang to mind as Warren Gatland sat down in Wales’s team hotel this week to explain his desire to stay on as head coach. “You’ve got to know when to hold ‘em, know when to fold ‘em, know when to walk away …” Approaching his 18th Six Nations campaign – he has been involved in 13 previous ones with Wales and four with Ireland – Gatland is clearly not ready to abandon all hope just yet.

There is a fair amount of professional pride involved too. Plus the enduring stubbornness of a competitor who, unlike Tyson Fury, still feels he has some unfinished business. While Wales may have lost 12 consecutive games, the key to Gatland’s coaching longevity remains his enduring belief that the next game is always winnable. Even if it involves a pumped-up France in Paris on the opening night of the 2025 Six Nations. “If we can go out there, play well and get a little bit of luck …”

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