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.

On an emotional Saturday night at Cardiff Arms Park, Josh Adams scored twice to steer the home side, 28-27, into the quarter-finals of the EPCR Challenge Cup and pay the perfect tribute to the club’s former chairman and benefactor Peter Thomas. A huge crowd joined the current team, former players and members of Thomas’ family on the pitch for a minute’s silence followed by a minute of applause to remember the man who kept the region alive through his support.

Cardiff’s two Joshes – Adams and Turnbull – are twinned in their shared determination to lift some of the dark clouds over the Arms Park this weekend. A last 16 meeting at home to Sale Sharks on Saturday evening has taken on added significance, beyond simply trying to make the quarter-finals in a tasty-looking Anglo-Welsh clash.

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.

Former Wales full-back Lee Byrne says his former side face a “huge task” on Saturday as they head to defending champions France in the Six Nations. Les Bleus claimed a record 53-10 victory at Twickenham last weekend and can retain their trophy with a bonus-point win at the Stade de France if Ireland fail to claim a point against England in Dublin later in the day. Wales’ only victory of the tournament in coach Warren Gatland’s second spell came last weekend in Italy.

“We don’t talk about Bruno!” is a famous song from Disney’s film Encanto, but very little has been mentioned about the Italian winger Pierre Bruno. Strange, really, as he has emerged from the shadows of former powerhouse Monty Ioane to become a tour de force on the Italian wing. Bruno has 10 Italian caps, five international tries and in round three of the Six Nations he made a staggering 155 metres in attack from his 15 carries against the Irish.

Welsh rugby officials have acknowledged that top players will need to find opportunities abroad if the national game is to survive amidst a climate of financial turmoil. Although Warren Gatland’s Wales team have lost all three of their Six Nations matches, off-field issues have been even more concerning. Out-of-contract Welsh players are currently unable to sign new deals, and even if they could, the proposals on the table are unimpressive considering the severe budget cuts that the country’s four regions are set to face next season.

Three games into the Six Nations and three defeats for Warren Gatland in his second spell as Wales coach. Is this really the same man who left on such a high and with such credit in the bank three years ago? Daniel Parker says the figure in the big red WRU coat looks strangely unfamiliar. How do Wales fans begin to process that absolutely dismal defeat to the Old Enemy? While there have been more depressing final scores in the history of the fixture – those of us old enough to remember the dark days of the 1990s and early 2000s can unhappily attest to that – there can hardly have been a more abject performance from the men in red.

Wales international Willis Halaholo is one of a dozen Cardiff players facing massive wage cuts of almost 80 per cent if they decide to stay around next season. Some players have reportedly been offered just £30,000 to re-sign, highlighting the financial pressure facing rugby players in Wales, despite the recent strike being avoided before last Saturday’s game against England. Although Cardiff have not yet made formal offers to players whose contracts are up, those players have been informed of the potential salaries on offer, forcing them to make crucial decisions about their careers.

By David Williams Josh Macleod will make his Wales debut against Georgia on Saturday – as a No.8 – as one of six changes made by coach Wayne Pivac that includes the return of wing Josh Adams. The Scarlets forward, who is normally a flanker, has been selected at No. 8. with Jac Morgan, who […]

Josh Adams wants Cardiff to set a minimum target of the United Rugby Championship play-offs after helping them get away to a flier. Adams was part of the side that beat Munster 20-13 at the weekend in their league opener to give coach Dai Young plenty of encouragement for the campaign ahead. “The play-offs certainly should be a target, and with the quality of the squad we’ve got there’s no reason why we can’t achieve that but when you start a new season you always look to better your last,” said Adams.

They say respect must be earned, not just given It seems the concept has been lost on the South African media, despite Wales claiming a hard-fought 13-12 historic victory in Bloemfontein last Saturday.  That win has set up a much-anticipated series decider in Cape Town this weekend. Who would have thought it?