Leigh Halfpenny enjoyed beating England – again – and having done it in a warm-up, he wants to repeat the trick at the World Cup. Halfpenny put the boot into the auld enemy to pick up his fifth win in 12 games against England at the weekend and now wants the chance to do it again.

It’s a well known fact that rugby players are getting bigger, but when centres can look their fathers in the eye – including those who played internationally in the second row – then you know the game is heading towards the clouds. Gareth Llewellyn was 6ft 6in when he stood tall in the Wales line-out throughout the Nineties.

Like Wales’ Gareth Anscombe, Danny Care has unfinished business with the World Cup but refuses to hold back during England’s warm-up games even if it means repeating one of his career’s most crushing disappointments. Japan-bound half-back Anscombe was injured in a warm-up match against England at Twickenham four years ago and missed the 2019 tournament.

Mike Phillips played at two World Cup tournaments and believes the key to success is self-belief – not a quality in which he was ever really found wanting. But the former Wales scrum-half – who seemed to swagger his way through big matches – believes Warren Gatland can still build some of that conviction, even though many people have already dismissed their chances of success in France next month.

George North was barely out of short trousers when he made his debut as a teenager at the World Cup against South Africa in New Zealand. That was a dozen years ago, and the child prodigy has grown into one of the greatest players of his generation, underlined by two Grand Slams, two more Six Nations titles, two World Cup semi-finals, two tours with the British & Irish Lions and 44 tries in 113 games for Wales and two more in Lions Tests.

Wales will be without Taulupe Faletau and Alex Cuthbert, who are among five players from the Wales squad who will not travel for the team’s next training camp in Turkey between July 23-31.

Wales head coach Warren Gatland has promised seven-times capped England prop Henry Thomas will “bring something different” to their preliminary World Cup training squad. Montpellier tighthead Thomas, who has played for Sale and Bath in the Gallagher Premiership, was capped by England between 2013 and 2014 and has served World Rugby’s stand down period of three years to represent another country.

Keiran Williams has admitted it could be an emotional Judgement Day for the Ospreys on Saturday as he and his teammates brace themselves for a number of departures. The centre will go up against fellow new Wales squad colleague Mason Grady as the Ospreys attempt to beat Cardiff with a bonus point to pip their great rivals to the Welsh Shield and a place in the Heineken Champions Cup next season.

Wales star George North has spoken of his pride after moving into the all-time top 10 of international rugby union try scorers. North’s early touchdown against Guinness Six Nations opponents France was his 46th for Wales and the British and Irish Lions. It put him level with New Zealand trio Christian Cullen, Joe Rokocoko and Julian Savea, and just one behind Irish great Brian O’Driscoll.

After demolishing England with a performance that made him cry with joy, France coach Fabien Galthié wants his entertainers to finish the Six Nations in style with a home win against Wales on Saturday. Defending champions France even have an outside chance of keeping their title. But they must beat Wales at Stade de France and hope No. 1-ranked Ireland then slip up at home to an England side reeling from last weekend’s 53-10 hammering by Les Tricolores.

Taulupe Faletau has been described as a ”fantastic servant” for Welsh rugby as he prepares to win his 100th cap for Wales against France on Saturday. Wales coach Warren Gatland has lavished praised on Faletau who has kept his place for the final round of the Six Nations, in a team for Paris that shows six changes. No.8 Faletau will reach his century mark having made his debut against the Barbarians in June 2011 and won his 50th cap against Fiji at the World Cup in 2015.

Warren Gatland has revealed that a threat of possible player strike action before Wales’s Six Nations game against England caused “quite a significant split” and “tension” within his squad. Wales head to Rome for a Six Nations appointment with Italy on Saturday after losing their opening three games. Another defeat could mean a first Six Nations wooden spoon for 20 years, given that Wales’ final fixture is against France in Paris.