Gareth Davies has been backed to continue delivering the goods for the Scarlets – despite his surprise retirement from international rugby. The Wales scrum-half decided to end his Test career on Thursday, just four days before Warren Gatland is due to name his squad for the autumn series.

There are big decisions to be made in Welsh rugby right now – such as who does Warren Gatland pick in his squad next week and should the Wales coach be able to stick his nose into other people’s business. Gatland is due to name his group of players for the autumn internationals on Monday, as he attempts to turn the tide in matches against Fiji, Australia and South Africa.

Wales coach John Kear declared himself pleased with his team’s victory over Jamaica as they warmed up with a 22-16 win ahead of next week’s World Cup qualifiers. Kear’s men mounted an impressive comeback to secure victory in their first Test match in two years, at a rain-lashed Gnoll in Neath.

Having now completed a hat-trick of leagues, Henry Thomas is ideally placed to compare the contrasting competitions. He spent 11 seasons in the English Premiership with Sale and Bath, before embarking on a three-year stint in the French Top 14 with Montpellier and Castres.

Jonathan Davies has admitted he is going to miss rugby hugely after bringing down the curtain on his 18-year senior career. The former Wales, British and Irish Lions and Scarlets centre Jonathan announced his retirement from professional rugby on Sunday.

Scarlets skipper Josh Macleod has paid tribute to his team of “warriors” and to the support from the travelling fans after a nerve-jangling 25-19 victory over Cardiff at a sold-out Arms Park. Flanker Macleod had to watch on from the sin bin as the visitors were left with just 13 men for eight minutes in the closing stages of the United Rugby Championship derby after both he and wing Tom Rogers were yellow carded in quick succession.

Dwayne Peel is a man under pressure, but he has got used to that. The Scarlets coach takes his team to Cardiff Arms Park on Saturday, still seeking a first win of the season after three rounds of the United Rugby Championship.

Wales recorded a first victory in South Africa with an all-action performance against Japan in Round 3 of WXV2 at the Athlone Sports Stadium, Cape Town. Wing Nel Metcalfe, scrum half Keira Bevan and full back Jasmine Joyce, who was Player of the Match, all crossed for tries for Wales.

Alun Lawrence is proof that a lot can happen in 12 months in the life of a professional rugby player. When he helped Cardiff Rugby secure a BKT United Rugby Championship victory over the Scarlets a fortnight ago, it coincided with a telling anniversary.

Wales skipper Hannah Jones has told her players to park their disappointment at being pipped by Italy in the second round of their WXV2 campaign and challenged them to finish on a high against Japan on Friday. The prize is a first win in WXV having failed to win in the top-tier tournament last year and having fallen to both Australia and Italy in South Africa this month.

Cameron Winnett’s stellar first season in senior rugby has been crowned with him being named as the Welsh Rugby Writers’ Association Welsh Young Player of the Year for 2024. The 21-year-old Cardiff Rugby full back not only nailed down the full back berth at his region but is now the proud owner of seven senior Welsh caps.

No player has started more Test matches for Wales over the past 12 months than Gareth Thomas. He may not have the public profile of some of his team-mates, but the Ospreys prop has established himself as a real mainstay of the national side. Thomas has worn the No 1 jersey for 11 of Wales’ 13 Tests going back to September of last year, taking in the World Cup, the Six Nations and the summer tour of Australia.

Ebbw Vale team manager Dan Haymond believes his club have struck a significant blow by inflicting back-to-back defeats on Llandovery. The Steelmen have played the pre-season favourites for the Super Rugby Cymru title twice in successive weeks and won both matches.

Dragons head coach Dai Flanagan insists there are still reasons to be cheerful – even though his team lost part three of their season-opening trilogy. The Sharks did to the Dragons what they had done to the Ospreys in the opening round of the BKT United Rugby Championship by striking in the final play to win a pulsating game 33-30 at the weekend.

Ospreys coach Toby Booth believes his team’s “never-say-die attitude” can help them build a firm foundation from which to rock Munster on Saturday night. Last week, the Ospreys came from 13-3 down to claim a 37-24 United Rugby Championship bonus point victory over the Stormers in Bridgend – a performance head coach Booth reckons can form the basis for what would be a shock away in Cork.

Cardiff head coach Matt Sherratt admitted his team had been on a rollercoaster ride that eventually ended with them thrown off the track by Glasgow. The Arms Park club had their moments, but were often a defensive shambles as they were eventually hammered 52-26 in front of their own fans.

Aaron Wainwright is the rugby coach who has no interest in being “a rugby coach.” That is to say, the Wales back rower and newly crowned Welsh Rugby Writers’ Player of the Year for 2024, is not coaching with a view to a fresh career when his playing days are over.

Wales can climb one place in the world rankings if they beat Italy on Friday night, but this will be a battle of two first round strugglers at the WXV2 tournament in South Africa. Ioan Cunningham’s team can move from 10th to ninth – and swap places with their opponents – if they can win in Cape Town.

How best to utilise the undoubted talents of Mason Grady is one of the big debates in Welsh rugby. At 6ft 5ins and 17st 9lbs, with bags of pace and power, the 22-year-old Cardiff star has all the raw ingredients.

Gloucester winger Christian Wade feels “exceptional” Louis Rees-Zammit needs to keep improving his American football fluency if the former Wales rugby union player wants to succeed in the NFL. Wade left rugby in 2018 to pursue an NFL career, making his debut with Buffalo Bills the following year and even scoring a touchdown in that pre-season game, but spent the rest of his tenure on the practice squad.