Wales finished their Six Nations campaign on a high by ending a 15-match losing streak in the competition
Garbisi boots us underway
Officials today:
Continue reading...Desperation and destiny on the line when Wales and Italy collide in Cardiff
Two sides on different recent trajectories meet with Steve Tandy finding cause for optimism despite another wooden spoon looming
Which is the sharper motivator, the avoidance of fresh humiliation or the attainment of new heights? Cardiff could be the place this weekend for any students of psychology more interested in such nuances than anything so obvious as an actual attempt to win the title.
Suffice to say, neither Wales nor Italy can win the Six Nations this weekend, nor exert any influence on its outcome. It is mathematically possible for Wales to knock England into last place for the first time in the extended championship’s history, but students of mathematics needn’t bother. For the record, Wales would need to win with a bonus point and, in concert with France, who play England, cover their current deficit of 100 in points difference.
Continue reading...Ireland 27 – 17 Wales: Six Nations rugby union – as it happened
A bonus point win for Ireland kept them in the Triple Crown and Championship hunt
6 mins. The ball is won by Ireland and they work up to the 11 phases, moving left with some big McCloskey carries, before returning to the shadow of the posts. The ball is moved short to Stockdale off his wing to go over close to the posts.
Crowley converts.
Continue reading...Dewi Lake calls on fans to back under-fire Wales while Italy eye another shock
Wales captain wants energy from home supporters
Galthié beefs up pack for visit of in-form Italy
The Wales captain, Dewi Lake, has urged fans in Cardiff to lift his side for the Six Nations meeting with Scotland on Saturday.
After last week’s record thrashing by France, Wales have lost 13 consecutive Six Nations matches, while Scotland arrive at the Principality Stadium in upbeat mood after their handsome Calcutta Cup triumph over England.
Continue reading...Townsend calls for Kinghorn and Van der Merwe to show ‘huge determination’ against Wales
Five changes to the XV that stunned England
Wales call up Bath-born Gabriel Hamer-Webb
Gregor Townsend expects Blair Kinghorn and Duhan van der Merwe to be fuelled by “huge determination” against Wales after they were restored to Scotland’s starting XV for Saturday’s Six Nations meeting in Cardiff.
The British & Irish Lions duo were high-profile omissions from the 23 for the first two championship matches against Italy and England amid question marks about their form. The Toulouse back Kinghorn will start at full-back in place of Tom Jordan, who drops to the bench, while Van der Merwe, Scotland’s record try-scorer, returns at wing to take over from Jamie Dobie, who is out due to injury.
Continue reading...Wales beef up pack for France visit in bid to end 12-game Six Nations losing streak
Ollie Cracknell one of four changes in the Welsh team
Doris urges Ireland team to take greater responsibility
The Wales coach, Steve Tandy, has made four changes to his starting XV for the daunting visit of France to the Principality Stadium on Sunday, including Ollie Cracknell at No 8 as they seek to arrest a 12-game losing streak in the Six Nations.
Following last weekend’s 48-7 defeat to England, beleaguered Wales have beefed up their pack with the inclusion of Cracknell for a first Six Nations start, and two changes in the front row as the props Rhys Carré and Tomas Francis replace Nicky Smith and Archie Griffin.
Continue reading...Arundell hat-trick fires England to emphatic Six Nations win against Wales
England 48-7 Wales
Earl, Roebuck and Freeman also score tries for hosts
No surprises here, not even a hint of one. England have had tougher training sessions in preparation for this Six Nations and by the end the scoreboard spoke for itself. Wales were not so much beaten as buried beneath an avalanche of seven white tries including a first-half hat-trick for the pacy Bath wing Henry Arundell on his first England start since the 2023 World Cup.
If not quite as big a rout as England’s 68-14 win in Cardiff 11 months ago, the flashing red warning lights were visible from the moment the visitors had two players sent to the sin bin in the first quarter. They never looked like recovering and, in its own way, this disappointment will sting as much as the 73-0 defeat by South Africa in November.
Continue reading...Wales must remember miracles are possible or the Six Nations will lose a slice of its soul
The off-field politics are toxic, Wales are on a terrible run and England are flying, but everyone needs Saturday’s game to be competitive at Twickenham
Are you a Wales fan reading this on the train to London? If so, let’s huddle in tight and try to stay positive. In round one of the Six Nations everyone starts equal. There is rain around and England have a couple of significant injuries. Steve Tandy is a capable guy and there are some talented individuals at his disposal. In this grand old championship miracles have been known to happen.
C’mon boys, believe. That red jersey still represents something special. All that history, all that fabled lineage. Gareth, Gerald, Jiffy, Alun Wyn … they’re all right with you. It’s only 80 minutes and opportunity knocks. Under the radar is a useful place to be. And, look, it’s not even called Twickenham these days. Allianz Stadium could be anywhere.
Continue reading...‘An experience you can’t buy’: Louis Rees-Zammit on his NFL adventure and fresh hope for Wales
Lightning-fast attacker lines up at full-back against England insisting that his gridiron tilt will only help his rugby
The late, great Tom Petty wrote the song that, ultimately, defined Louis Rees-Zammit’s American football adventure. “Runnin’ down a dream, that never would come to me …” Twelve months ago Rees-Zammit was in New Orleans watching the Superbowl and still hoping to carve out a multimillion dollar NFL career. Now here he is, back in a Welsh rugby shirt and eager to make up for lost time.
Sliding doors and all that. This weekend in America all roads lead to this year’s Superbowl in California: the Seattle Seahawks v the New England Patriots . But as Wales’s 25-year-old prodigal son prepares for the contrasting vibes and smells of a sodden Twickenham in February, he insists he still has no regrets about the gridiron flirtation that removed him from Six Nations circulation for two years.
Continue reading...Feyi-Waboso hands England Six Nations injury scare 48 hours before Wales opener
Wing unable to complete training session on Thursday
Daly the leading alternative if Exeter player ruled out
Immanuel Feyi-Waboso has given England a late injury scare before they start their Six Nations campaign against Wales on Saturday after pulling up in training.
The Exeter wing was unable to complete England’s session at Pennyhill Park due to a leg injury with Steve Borthwick’s medical staff investigating its extent on Thursday night.
Continue reading...Scotland’s Townsend calls Newcastle links ‘disruptive’ before Six Nations
Head coach linked with new role after Rugby World Cup
‘I’ve not signed a contract,’ says Scot before Italy clash
Gregor Townsend has claimed reports he is to take over at Newcastle after the 2027 World Cup is an attempt to “disrupt” Scotland before the Six Nations.
The 52-year-old last year took on a consultancy role with Red Bull, who own Newcastle and it was reported on Thursday that Townsend will take charge of the Prem club when his contract with Scotland expires after next year’s World Cup in Australia.
Continue reading...Wales coach Steve Tandy left trapped in middle of toxic Ospreys and Cardiff saga
Doubt over regions is fast escalating into a civil war
Six Nations squad announcement overshadowed
The prevailing mood in Welsh rugby has been frequently dark, but rarely this bible black. Once upon a time a Six Nations squad announcement would have topped the agenda across the country; on Tuesday it felt like a semicolon in a much bigger narrative. Even Wales have never selected seven players whose club is in imminent danger of being axed by their own union.
The bare facts of the situation are increasingly stark for all involved. The existing owners of Ospreys, Wales’s most successful region of the past two decades, have just been nominated controversially as the preferred bidders for Cardiff, potentially clearing the way to reduce the number of Welsh professional sides from four to three. The internecine politics have become so increasingly toxic that Steve Tandy, the national head coach, had to plead for rugby‑related questions at his lunchtime squad announcement.
Continue reading...Hosts Australia to face New Zealand in Rugby World Cup pool as England draw Wales
Champions South Africa face Italy, Georgia and Romania
Ireland and Scotland in pool with Uruguay and Portugal
The host nation Australia will face their traditional rivals New Zealand at the men’s Rugby World Cup in 2027 after the draw was made in Sydney on Wednesday.
The Wallabies, hosting a second men’s tournament, were guaranteed to face a top-ranked nation in Pool A due to a current world ranking of seventh, and the renewal of their fierce rivalry with the All Blacks is perhaps the most appetising possible outcome from the draw.
The potential for a “Bledisloe Cup” opening match to kick off the global showpiece, on 1 October 2027 in Perth, will be a hugely attractive prospect for fans. Chile, playing at a second Rugby World Cup after their debut in France in 2023, and debutants Hong Kong are also in Pool A.
England, who won the men’s tournament in Australia 22 years ago, have been pitted against their Six Nations rivals Wales, with Tonga and Zimbabwe the other sides in Pool F. Wales famously defeated England at their home tournament a decade ago before a second loss, to Australia, consigned the hosts to an early exit.
Eben Etzebeth to appear at hearing after red card for alleged eye-gouging
Mid-range offence could see eight-week ban
Apology after match will be considered
Eben Etzebeth is expected to appear at a disciplinary hearing on Tuesday after his red card for alleged eye-gouging in the dominant victory against Wales on Saturday, with the Springboks lock potentially facing a long ban. The verdict is likely to be announced on Wednesday.
As South Africa closed in on a record 73-0 victory in Cardiff, Etzebeth clashed with the Welsh back-rower Alex Mann, appearing to make contact with his opponent’s left eye in a fracas involving several players from both sides.
Continue reading...Wales 0-73 South Africa: Autumn Nations Series rugby union – as it happened
The Springboks delivered their autumn clean sweep of Europe with a record defeat of Wales in Cardiff
6 mins. It’s taken six minutes, but the first scrum penalty is awarded against Wales after the Boks drop the hammer and shove the Welsh pack back to Bridgend, splintering it along the way.
4 mins. Two passes are all that’s needed from the Boks to get Moodie running outside Mee on the blindside . The SA winger then completely airswipes his attempt to kick the ball forward to start a foot race with the retreating defence which cues some laughs from the crowd. Gotta take your fun where you can find it at Wales games these days…
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