Warren Gatland insists he is not worried about losing his job as Wales coach, despite watching his team lose 24-19 to Fiji on Sunday in what was a record-equalling 10th successive Test defeat. Wales had not lost 10 matches since the 2002-03 season and now face two tough weekends against Australia, energised by their victory over England on Saturday, and world champions South Africa.

Warren Gatland has told Wales fans they need to be patient – even though they have now been waiting over 400 days for a victory. In comments that will stretch credulity among most supporters, the Wales coach said his team needs more time, even though the latest defeat – a 24-19 loss at home  to Fiji – was the 10th in succession. Gatland may have led Wales to Grand Slams and Six Nations titles in his first spell in charge, but his second stint now includes ownership of the joint worst record of any Welsh coach.

By Graham Thomas Ben Thomas admits it “does his girlfriend’s head in” how relaxed he is. The Cardiff star – described by Warren Gatland as the best back in Wales this season – admits he likes to feel chilled, on and off the field. “There isn’t much that gets my blood pressure raised, to be honest,” […]

Ioan Cunningham has left his position as Wales Women’s head coach by mutual agreement. Cunningham’s departure after three years at the helm follows a recent turbulent spell in the Welsh women’s game that saw the Welsh Rugby Union’s handling of now completed contract negotiations fiercely criticised.

Wales coach Warren Gatland has named uncapped Scarlets wing Blair Murray in his team for Sunday’s Autumn Nations Series opener against Fiji. New Zealand-born Murray steps into the Test match arena after just six games for the Scarlets.

Former Welsh rugby writer Steve Bale, one of the most respected and well-travelled sports reporters of the past four decades, has died at the age of 72 after losing a battle with illness. A classically trained journalist, he progressed from the newsroom at the Neath Guardian in his home town to work for the Swansea Evening Post, South Wales Argus, Western Mail, The Independent, The Sunday Express, Daily Express and finally the Sunday Times.

Wales start their Autumn Nations Series campaign this weekend, but Sunday’s match against Fiji is unlikely to be the critical one. Granted, Warren Gatland’s team have not won for over a year and have slipped beneath the Fijians in the world rankings – to 11th, one place lower than the South Seas Islanders. But things change quickly in rugby and the Fiji that were hammered 57-17 last week by Scotland did not bear much resemblance to the hard-edged team that reached the quarter-finals of last year’s World Cup before they were narrowly beaten by England.

Will Rowlands insists the bell has rung and “school time is over” for Warren Gatland’s Wales squad. The 33-year-old Racing 92 giant is back in the Welsh fold after taking a summer off and missing the three Test defeats against the Springboks and Wallabies (twice) that took the current international losing streak up to nine.

Newport head coach Tyron Morris has questioned the Welsh Rugby Union’s decision to shut down Super Rygbi Cymru for most of November. Morris’s Black and Ambers currently sit third in the new semi-professional structure, behind leaders Cardiff and Ebbw Vale.

Filo Tiatia will be given a chance to prove he should be the man to step up and take permanent charge at the Dragons. The former All Blacks forward, who joined the Dragons as defence coach this summer, will now call the shots as interim head coach after their decision to part company with Dai Flanagan.

It says much about Gareth Anscombe’s self-belief that he wants to play for Wales at the next World Cup. After all, the last tournament was only 12 months ago and it ended in another bitter injury nightmare for the 33-year-old outside-half.

Welsh fans will be able to join Warren Gatland and his squad in running the rule over next week’s opening opponents in the 2024 Autumn Nations Series when Fiji kick-off their tour with a clash with Scotland at Murrayfield this weekend. The side is drawn exclusively from their Super Rugby Pacifica team the Drua because the game falls outside the Test window.

The Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) has acknowledged it “needs to apologise” for threatening to pull the women’s team from competition, though the organisation denies any sexist intent behind its actions. According to a report by The Telegraph, the WRU allegedly warned the women’s team they could be withdrawn from the upcoming Rugby World Cup if they did not agree to new contract terms.

Tommy Reffell insists he will have no problem if Warren Gatland gives out the hairdryer treatment in the Wales dressing room this autumn. Reffell was one of the Leicester players who took a full blast of hot air from Tigers coach Michael Cheika recently.

Lock Ben Carter has been released from Wales’ Autumn Nations Series squad after suffering a knee injury and replaced by Cardiff’s Teddy Williams. Dragons skipper Carter was hurt during training, the Welsh Rugby Union said.

It may be the “Land of his Mother” but new Wales squad member Blair Murray will be doing all he can to learn the words of “Land of my Fathers” ahead of his potential first Wales cap next week. The 23-year-old Scarlets wing has made such an impact since arriving in Wales in June that he found himself being chosen by Warren Gatland as one of two uncapped players in his 35-man squad for the November clashes with Fiji, Australia and South Africa.

The Wales coaches and players arrived in camp ahead of the three-match Autumn Nations Series this week, all with the same blunt message in mind – “we’ve got to start winning matches”. Warren Gatland’s men may have wound-up their summer tour to Australia with a 36-35 win over Queensland, but the hard facts show they have lost their last nine internationals and haven’t tasted victory in a meaningful match since beating Georgia 43-19 at last year’s World Cup on 7 October.

Dwayne Peel says he’s delighted to see so many of his Scarlets receive “the greatest honour” of being selected by their country. Eight of his players have been named in the Wales squad for the autumn internationals, with the uncapped Blair Murray joined by fellow wing Tom Rogers, centre Eddie James, fly-half Sam Costelow, back rower Taine Plumtree, hooker Ryan Elias and props Kemsley Mathias and Henry Thomas.

Llandovery head coach Euros Evans has praised his side for finding a way to win after their 33-26 weekend triumph at Aberavon in Super Rygbi Cymru took them up to fifth place. The Drovers held firm and eventually went on to seal a third straight victory following up on their win at Newport and the six-point home success against Swansea. The hat-trick of wins followed three defeats on the spin before that.

Welsh rugby enjoyed its most successful weekend in the league for more than three years amid a hat-trick of victories for the Scarlets, Ospreys and Cardiff. It’s the best return since all four regions won in March 2021. There have been three wins since then, but not all against teams from other countries. To hear Hymns and Arias echoing around Welsh grounds over the weekend was an indication of just how much the victories meant after some tough times.