As if things were not tough enough for Wales on Friday night – French crowd, the return of Romain Ntamack, and, of course, the irresistible will of Antoine Dupont – comes news of a new opponent. Dupont – widely regarded as the best rugby player in the world, and by many as the best of all-time – is now fueled, not just by the Euros paid to him by Toulouse, but also by bitcoin.

Warren Gatland insists Wales have some surprises up their sleeve – enough to thwart France when the Six Nations starts in Paris on Friday night. Without a Test victory in 14 months and on the back of a 12-match losing streak, Wales are enormous underdogs for their trip to the Stade de France.

Taulupe Faletau is close to fitness, Wales coach Warren Gatland has insisted, even though the No.8 will not play against France on Friday night. Faletau had been earmarked for a dramatic comeback in the Six Nations opener in Paris, but a knee injury has denied Gatland of arguably his one proven world class forward. But Gatland has suggested Faletau – who has not played for Wales since the win over Georgia at the World Cup 16 months ago – could make his return against Italy in round two of the tournament.

Ben Thomas is in line to be handed the key role of Paris playmaker when Wales begin their Six Nations campaign against France on Friday night. The Cardiff star – whose regular club position is at centre – is poised to be named at outside-half for the tournament opener.

They may be queuing up to take his place, but Liam Williams has a message for all the Welsh full back wannabees – ‘I’m not ready to give up my shirt’. The 34-year-old Saracens star is on a mission to reach 100 caps for this country and to carry on being Warren Gatland’s No.1 bomb diffuser at the back. He missed the 2024 Six Nations while he was away playing in Japan but returned to tour Australia in the summer.

Wales will have at least one representative on the British and Irish Lions tour to Australia this summer – Aled Walters, who has been confirmed as the squad’s head of athletic performance. Whilst the number of Welsh players included may turn out to be modest compared to recent tours, Walters will at least help carry the flag. Currently working with Ireland, Walters – who is from Llangadog in Carmarthenshire – will link up again with Ireland head coach Andy Farrell, who is heading the Lions party.

Adam Jones has thrown his support behind Warren Gatland, confident the Wales head coach can orchestrate a turnaround ahead of their daunting Six Nations opener against France in Paris on Friday. Jones, who earned 95 caps for Wales and played a pivotal role in three Grand Slam triumphs, has joined Gatland’s coaching team as a scrum consultant on secondment from Harlequins.

The 2025 Guinness Six Nations championship starts this weekend when Wales meet France in Paris on Friday night. Under the lights, Friday nights have become a regular fixture in the tournament and where better to kick things off than Paris.

Wales great Justin Tipuric says the Ospreys are playing with a smile on their faces as they continue their unbeaten run under new head coach Mark Jones. They recorded a six-try 43-0 bonus point victory over Benetton Rugby in Swansea on Friday night – their biggest league win in seven years.

Scarlets head coach Dwayne Peel has laid down the challenge to his players to remain in the top eight of the United Rugby Championship. Peel’s men have held onto to sixth place – but closed the gap between themselves and fifth-placed Cardiff to just two points – after a gritty, hard-earned 30-24 win over Edinburgh that extended their unbeaten run at home to six games.

At a time when there has not been much to celebrate – or even give a nod of approval towards in Welsh rugby in recent times – then Cardiff deserve some credit. Without much fanfare, they have risen to third in the United Rugby Championship (URC) table, the tournament which returns this weekend after the break for Europe.

Antoine Dupont can’t wait to get back into action in the Guinness Six Nations and he will return to captain Les Bleus against Wales on Friday 31 January. The Toulouse scrum half missed the 2024 tournament to concentrate on playing Sevens rugby for France at the Olympic Games.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

“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.

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.