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.

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.

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.

Ospreys outside-half Dan Edwards and Scarlets wing Ellis Mee are the two uncapped players to have been named in coach Warren Gatland’s Wales squad for the Six Nations. Gatland has also included hooker Sam Parry – who walked out of a national camp last year after feeling disrespected by the Wales coach – along with a number of players who have recovered from recent injuries.

Ospreys head coach Mark Jones paid tribute to his team as they continued their revival under his guidance. The Swansea region impressed as two tries from Jack Walsh helped them become the third team in Pool 2 to clinch a ticket into the EPCR Challenge Cup knockout stages for the second season in a row, as they beat Newcastle Falcons 35-15 at the Swansea.com Stadium.

Teddy Williams is hoping to round off a great week by picking up his first win on French soil when he leads Cardiff into their third-round clash in the EPCR Challenge Cup against Perpignan. The 24-year-old Welsh international second row confirmed on Thursday that he had signed an extension to his contract with the Arms Park club and was immediately made captain for the trip to France.

The Welsh Academies U23 XV promised to give the Wales U20 side a run for their money in the first of two clashes ahead of the U20 Six Nations and they did exactly that at the Arms Park. In front of a very healthy crowd, Richard Whiffin’s U20 team were forced to tough it out against their older and heavier counterparts in what should prove to be a very useful warm-up to the opening championship game against France in Vannes on Saturday 1 February.

Taulupe Faletau will reclaim his Wales No.8 spot for the Six Nations, claims Cardiff coach Matt Sherratt who insists: “If you’re good enough, you’re young enough.” After a frustrating 15 months sidelined by injuries, Faletau is slowly re-establishing himself as a familiar force on the field.

Dwayne Peel has warned his Scarlets youngsters they are in for a Shed-load of abuse on Friday night – and he couldn’t be happier. The Scarlets coach sends his team across the border to face Gloucester, knowing that a victory over the in-form English club will put them in sight of a place in the knockout stages of the European Challenge Cup and the last 16.

Dwayne Peel has refused to confirm the departure from the Scarlets of Wales fly-half Ioan Lloyd, who is poised to join Cardiff for the 2025-26 season. Lloyd, who has slipped down the national team reckoning for the No.10 shirt, will leave the Scarlets after two seasons in Llanelli.

Dragons head coach Filo Tiatia has insisted “no stone was left unturned” to try and prolong the career of Leon Brown. The Wales tight-head prop has announced his retirement from rugby at the age of 28, citing a persistent neck injury that has plagued him in recent seasons.

Richard Whiffin’s Wales U20 side will continue their build up to the U20 Six Nations Championship with two games against a Regional Academies XV over the next two weeks. Having used more than 50 players in two developmental fixtures against Scotland – they won the first at home 31-7 and went down 45-43 in Edinburgh – the Welsh youngsters will face two physical tests against an Under 23 team selected from the senior academies at the four regions.

Regan Grace has revealed he was inspired by Cardiff’s dual code legends of the past when he opted to move from Bath to the Arms Park. The former rugby league wing – who has switched on loan for the rest of the season from Bath – is aiming to kickstart his career after a frustrating period out injured.