Rio Dyer wants Wales to come out of their shell much earlier against England this weekend, when Wales head to Twickenham for round two of the Guinness Six Nations. The Dragons wing was one of Wales’ four tryscorers as they picked up two points from their agonising 27-26 defeat to Scotland at the Principality Stadium – his fifth Test try in 15 internationals. “It was a bit frustrating in the first half because I wasn’t really touching the ball. We were kicking it a bit too much,” said Dyer.

Josh Bowler has been told he needs to have more faith in his ability if he is to build on his stunning winner for Cardiff City at Watford. The advice was offered by Bluebirds manager Erol Bulut after on-loan winger Bowler proved the difference with the best goal Cardiff have scored this season Bowler held off one Watford player, cut inside another and sent a delightful curler beyond the outstretched hand of goalkeeper Ben Hamer and into the far corner.

Morgan Whittaker proved a point at Swansea City by helping Plymouth take all three away from home for the first time this season. The former Swans striker also showed why Plymouth were prepared to turn down a £8m bid from Lazio two days before the end of the transfer window. Whittaker – who left the Swans in a £1million move in July last year – scored a sublime 18th minute goal in a 1-0 Plymouth win that proved the difference between two mid-table clubs travelling in different directions.

Warren Gatland admitted Wales’ first half performance against Scotland, when they went into the dressing room trailing 20-0, was probably the worst half of his 30-year coaching career. But the Wales head coach ended the game feeling proud of the way his team fought back to almost pull off the greatest comeback in the history of the Six Nations. Despite conceding another try at the start of the second half that made it 27-0, somehow Dafydd Jenkins’ side made it 27-26 by the end.

Wales beat USA 78-24 on Friday evening in the first-ever game of Wheelchair Rugby League to be played in the Americas.

Owen Watkin will complete an impressive recovery from World Cup reject to Six Nations starter when Wales tackle Scotland on Saturday. Wales head coach Warren Gatland selected seven centres as part of an expanded training squad in May last year for the World Cup – but Watkin was not among them.

World champion Matt Richards will headline a quartet of Welsh athletes who are primed and ready for the World Aquatics Championships 2024 in Doha. The multi-sport event runs from 2nd – 18th February, and with Paris 2024 now less than six months away, the Doha World Championships provides a crucial opportunity for many looking to secure Olympic quota spots or build towards the Games.

Wales have won the first round of their Six Nations opening battle against the Scots by getting Gregor Townsend’s side to do a U-turn on having the Principality Stadium roof closed today. On Thursday, Warren Gatland expressed his dismay and disappointment at being told the Scots wouldn’t agree to the roof being closed for the Six Nations opener.

Wales are ready to face USA this Friday night at John T Rhodes Sports Center in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, USA

Warren Gatland may not agree, but Gregor Townsend has defended Scotland’s decision to keep the Principality Stadium roof open for their Guinness Six Nations opener in Cardiff. Wales coach Gatland called the decision “disappointing”, saying it would impact upon the atmosphere and noise in the 74,500-capacity stadium.

Gerwyn Price was unable to give the Cardiff crowd a home win on the opening night of the Premier League of darts. But The Iceman managed to make it through to the final before losing to Michael Smith, 6-2.

David Turnbull has described Cardiff City as a “huge club” after leaving Celtic to join the Bluebirds in a deadline day deal worth around £2m. Cardiff confirmed the arrival of the Scottish international midfielder on a permanent deal from for an undisclosed fee, penning a contract until June 2027.

Warren Gatland wants the greenest Wales team for five years to forget their lack of know-how and play without fear. The Wales coach has gone for a youthful team – the most inexperienced Six Nations line-up since 2019 – to open their tournament campaign at home to Scotland on Saturday. Cardiff full-back Cameron Winnett is handed a Test debut after just 15 games of professional rugby, 21-year-old Dafydd Jenkins will lead Wales out as his country’s youngest captain for 56 years, while six of the Wales’ replacements have just 12 caps between them.

Ryan Elias is hoping to have a front row reunion with lifelong pal Javan Sebastian after the Edinburgh tighthead was added to the Scotland squad this week following the withdrawal of his Edinburgh colleague WP Nel. Wales hooker Elias and Sebastian go all the way back to playing together with the U11s at Carmarthen Athletic.

Luke Littler says he will just continue “to do what I do” as he prepares for his eagerly-awaited Premier League debut and the latest stage of a relentless playing schedule. The 17-year-old sensation will lock horns with his World Championship final conqueror Luke Humphries in the last quarter-final of opening night in Cardiff on Thursday.

Erol Bulut insists new loan signing Famara Diédhiou can rediscover his goalscoring touch with Cardiff City in the Championship. The Bluebirds manager has made Diedhiou his second recruit of the January transfer window, even though the Senegal striker has only scored one goal in the past year for his Spanish club, Granada.

Luke Littler has been warned to keep practicing and not get distracted ahead of his Premier League of Darts debut in Cardiff on Wednesday night. The advice has come from world champion Luke Humphries who urged teenage sensation Littler not to lose form by staying away from the board, otherwise it will “come back to bite him”.

Wales forwards coach Jonathan Humphreys wants the capacity Welsh crowd to turn up the volume at the Principality Stadium for the opening game of the 2024 Guinness Six Nations against Scotland to make the atmosphere as noisy as possible. The Scots will arrive seeking their first win in Cardiff in 22 years. They have lost on their last 11 visits and Humphreys believes the noise and atmosphere at the home of Welsh rugby has been one of the biggest barriers to Scotland winning.

Luke Williams insisted he would take some encouragement from Swansea City’s latest defeat – even though it was their third in as many games during which they have conceded 11 goals. The Swans fell to a 3-1 defeat at Leicester City which leaves then 17th in the Championship, eight points above the relegation zone.

Cardiff have confirmed the signing of Wales outside half Callum Sheedy on a long-term deal that will begin at the start of next season. The 28-year-old will be returning to the city in which he was born and raised after opting to end his 10-year association with Bristol Bears. He won his first representative honours for Cardiff Schools U15 and Cardiff South U16.