Harlequins insist Adam Jones will only be loaned to Wales on a temporary basis and will return to English club rugby after the Six Nations. The former Wales prop – one of their all-time greats – has been drafted in by the Welsh Rugby Union to help boost their chances of averting another Six Nations whitewash.

Cardiff City manager Omer Riza has been charged with misconduct by the Football Association after being sent off against derby rivals Swansea City. Riza was shown a red card in the final moments of Cardiff’s 3-0 Sky Bet Championship win on Saturday after tangling with Swansea midfielder Goncalo Franco on the touchline and encroaching on to the pitch.

Cardiff City manager Omer Riza praised his players’ fighting spirit after they came from 2-0 down to grab a precious point at Millwall. Bluebirds substitute Yousef Salech is up and running for his new club after he equalised with three seconds of stoppage time remaining as Cardiff snatched a 2-2 draw. The point means Cardiff are now unbeaten in seven matches – their best form of the season – and have moved two points clear of the relegation zone, up to 19th place in the Championship table.

Warren Gatland would welcome Louis Rees-Zammit back to Welsh rugby with open arms – but doesn’t expect the former Wales wing to give up yet on his American dream. Wales coach Gatland has admitted he has had no recent communication with his former player.

Luke Williams insists Swansea City have recovered their pride after their derby day disaster, even though another defeat has left them as close to the relegation places as they are to the play-offs. The Swans lost 2-1 at home to Sheffield United, who moved back to the top of the Championship, but gave a display in marked contrast to their weak showing at Cardiff City last weekend. But they also gave away a soft equaliser after half-time and then had Harry Darling sent off for a reckless challenge near the halfway line.

Despite an awful 2024 and a daunting opener against France in Paris, Gatland is embracing Wales’ underdog status, insisting that his side can defy expectations.

Former Swansea City star Jonjo Shelvey has returned to the UK to sign for Championship promotion-chasers Burnley. The former Newcastle United and England midfielder has agreed a short-term deal running until the end of the season.

Sean Lynn has insisted he will focus on “setting the right environment” after being named the new head coach of the Wales women’s rugby team. The Welshman, who guided Gloucester-Hartpury to consecutive Premiership Women’s Rugby championships in 2023 and 2024, takes over from Ioan Cunningham.

Richard Dawson will use his experience with Welsh Fire to try and ignite Glamorgan this summer. The Welsh county have appointed former England spinner Dawson as their head coach for the 2025 season.

Dwayne Peel is looking forward to his Scarlets team going to the home of their biggest rivals, the Ospreys in an all-Welsh showdown in the last 16 of the European Challenge Cup. The match, scheduled for the weekend of 5 April, will see the two Welsh regions face off in a contest that promises to add another chapter to their history of fierce contests.

Ben Davies has returned to fitness in a boost for Wales, but failed to inspire Tottenham Hotspur as they crashed to defeat at Everton. The Wales captain recovered from a hamstring injury to play his first match for two months, handing Wales manager Craig Bellamy with welcome news ahead of the World Cup qualifiers in March.

Callum Robinson proved once again he is the main matchwinner for Cardiff City as he returned to net two goals for the Bluebirds in their 3-0 triumph over Swansea City in the South Wales derby. Robinson missed his club’s last three games through suspension following a red card against Coventry City, but he announced his return to the team with two brilliant left-footed strikes. Added to Dimitrios Goutas’ header, it was enough to give Cardiff an emphatic victory and  riposte to those who felt this fixture has meant more to their rivals in recent years.

The Ospreys have already planted a Welsh flag in the knockout stages of European rugby, but what matters now are the chances of it still fluttering by the quarter-finals of the EPCR Challenge Cup. The Swansea-based region reached the last eight a year ago and have secured a place in this season’s final 16. But to earn a home draw in that first knockout stage, they could do with picking up a third win when they visit Pau in their final pool stage match on Saturday.

Calum Chambers is loving turning back the clock and reinventing himself as a midfield player. The former Arsenal and England centre back star has rekindled his dream to make the grade as a midfielder at Cardiff City this season and is still frustrated he didn’t get a crack at his favoured role at The Emirates after returning from a successful loan season at Fulham. He has been moved up the pitch by Bluebirds boss Omer Riza since Christmas and since then his relegation-threatened side haven’t lost.

“Ability without opportunity, is nothing,” Napoleon Bonaparte once said. That has been adopted as the motto of the Aberavon Fighting Irish amateur rugby league club. And there are few places where the statement is more poignant.

Omer Riza was not in charge of Cardiff City for the last South Wales derby, but he insists he knows all about the rivalry with Swansea City. Riza actually held the Bluebirds’ post-match press conference back in August after the 1-1 draw at the Swansea.com Stadium. But that was only because the then assistant manager’s own boss, Erol Bulut, was sent off after a push-and-shove contest with some of the Swans’ players over a ball that had gone out of play.

Richard Whiffin has made 10 changes to his Wales U20 starting line-up for their second clash with the Reginal 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 No 8 Evan Minto are the only survivors from the side that won the first game 42-21 at the Arms Park last week. Drafted in for round two, and hoping to make an impact ahead of the U20 Six Nations opener against France in Vannes on Saturday 1 February are Ospreys full back Lewis Edwards and wing Ieuan Cornelius, Sale Sharks centre Osian Roberts and scrum half Carwyn Edwards, Scarlets centre Elis Price and hooker Harry Thomas, and Dragons forward duo Nick Thomas and Ryan Jones.

There was something missing when Warren Gatland this week named his Wales squad for the upcoming Six Nations. Not the missing players, such as Gareth Anscombe, Rio Dyer, Cam Winnett and Max Llewellyn who many, clearly, expected to be included. Or even those absent through injury, such as Dewi Lake, Adam Beard, Ryan Elias, Sam Costelow and Mason Grady.

Omer Riza believes his Cardiff City team have thrown away eight points in their battle to avoid relegation – even though they have climbed out of the drop zone. Riza bemoaned the Bluebirds’ inability to hold onto a lead as they conceded in the 87th minute at home to Watford on Tuesday night. The goal turned what would have been a 1-0 victory – and three priceless points – into a 1-1 draw. It was enough to nudge Riza’s men out of the relgation zone, but does not give them the three-point cushion they would have enjoyed.

Gareth Anscombe has been left out of Wales’ Six Nations squad because Warren Gatland has doubts over his kicking. The Wales coach recalled Anscombe for the autumn series after the Gloucester outside-half battled back to fitness. After suggesting the 33-year-old had been overlooked for the current squad die to his age, and uncertainty over whether he would still be around for the next World Cup, Gatland then went further in explaining Anscombe’s absence.