James Botham should have been planning for his wedding this summer but there won’t be a more delighted Welshman in Melbourne this weekend when the Cardiff Rugby flanker gets a start against the Wallabies. Putting the name of Botham and Australia into the same sentence conjures up images of the great England cricketer Ian, Jim’s grandfather, taking on the Aussies on the cricket field. A number of those battles came at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground.

By Gareth James Cardiff Demons and South Wales Jets have teamed up to help secure the future of women’s and girls’ rugby league in South Wales. Together they will be running two development programmes. One, for women and girls aged 15-19, at Cardiff University Sports Park, Mendip Road, Llanrumney, Cardiff, runs for ten weeks, starting […]

You can tell when a team has its back firmly up against the wall because there is nowhere else to reach for new explanations. Wales have tried them all. They’re under-strength, they’re over-cooked, they’re rebuilding, they’re short on preparation time, there are too many rookies, not a big enough player pool, too many overseas players in the way at regional level, the fly-halves are too small, the props are too raw, there are leaves on the line and we’re experiencing exceptional call volumes at this moment in time, so please continue to hold

Wales have been forced into four changes, two of them positional, for the second Test against Australia in Melbourne on Saturday. Two of the changes come in the back row, where Taine Plumtree moves to number eight with Aaron Wainwright ruled out of the remainder of the tour by a hamstring injury.

Former Wales scrum-half Rhys Webb has insisted he will appeal a four-year ban from the French Anti-Doping Agency (AFLD) for taking a growth hormone substance. Webb, 35, tested positive in July 2023 and was provisionally banned the following month having joined French second-tier club Biarritz earlier in the year.

Wales have suffered a huge blow – the loss of number eight Aaron Wainwright – ahead of Saturday’s second Test against Australia in Melbourne. Wainwright, who won his 50th cap when Wales went down to a 25-16 defeat in the series opener last weekend, suffered a leg injury and was forced off during the closing stages.

Wales’ hopes of reaching the quarter-finals of the U20 World Championship were blown of course in storm-ridden Cape Town when defending champions France secured a 29-11 victory at Athlone Stadium. Wales were unable to capitalise in the first half when they had a gale force wind behind their backs. France scored three converted tries to give the defending champions a comfortable 21-6 lead at the break.

The former Swansea, Oxford University, London Welsh and Wales prop Ian Buckett has died at the age of 56. Born in north Wales, Buckett was admired and feared in equal measure as a loose head prop who played for Wales throughout the age-grade ranks before going on to win senior honours. He made 186 appearances for Swansea over 10 seasons and played for the All Whites against New Zealand in 1989 and South Africa in 1994.

The pressure is mounting on Wales and their head coach Warren Gatland after they suffered an eighth successive defeat last weekend. They have a chance to make amends in Sydney on Saturday, but coach and analyst Tomas Marks says they will have to make major improvements.

Richard Whiffin has named his Wales U20 men’s side to take on France U20 in Tuesday’s third round of Pool A clashes in the U20 World Championship at Athlone Sports Stadium in Cape Town (UK 3.30pm). Captain Ryan Woodman along with second row Jonny Green and back row Morgan Morse are the only players to be making a third consecutive starting appearance in the showpiece tournament.

Wales skipper Dewi Lake was proud of his side’s effort in the 25-16 defeat to Australia in Sydney but was the first to admit that “unfortunately resilience doesn’t win games”. As new Wallaby coach Joe Schmidt notched a win in his first game in charge, Lake was left to reflect on an eighth straight defeat for Wales, who now haven’t won a game since last year’s World Cup pool stages.

Warren Gatland could find himself moving into unchartered waters in Melbourne next week when his Wales team attempt to break a run of eight successive defeats. The 25-16 loss to the new look Wallabies in Sydney meant Gatland equalled his worse run as Wales head coach. His side are now without a win since last year’s World Cup and face a return game against Australia this weekend, and then autumn Tests against Fiji, Australia and South Africa to try to salvage a win this year.

Warren Gatland has revealed he used to try to rattle new Australian coach Joe Schmidt when he was in charge of Ireland. The two Kiwis will resume their coaching rivalry in Sydney on Saturday with Gatland trying to end a run of seven straight defeats with Wales and Schmidt hoping to open his Wallaby account with a much-needed win.

Wales kick off their Australia tour on Saturday when they tackle the Wallabies in Sydney. Warren Gatland’s team face two Tests followed by an appointment with Queensland Reds as they look to rediscover a winning formula that has deserted them since the 2023 World Cup.

Not many senior players wearing the red shirt of Wales have won in Australia. No-one, in fact, in the past 55 years. Which – should he need any – will provide Wales captain Dewi Lake with extra motivation when he leads out his team for the first Test against Australia in Sydney on Saturday.

It’s said time moves faster as you get older and that certainly feels true if you’re a Welsh rugby fan. One minute you’re celebrating a record win over Australia at the World Cup, the next you’re wondering if a victory is possible against the same opponents after seven straight defeats.

Wales prop Cerys Hale has announced her retirement from all rugby following Wales’ recent Test match against Spain. Hale, 31, will bring the curtain down on her international and club career after more than a decade playing first-class rugby in Wales and England.

Cardiff centre Ben Thomas has been named as Wales’ fly-half, and wing Josh Hathaway will earn his first cap in the first Test against Australia in Sydney on Saturday. Thomas, 25, replaces Sam Costelow, marking his first international start in his third Test appearance after two substitute roles in 2021.

Wales defence coach Mike Forshaw knows that the Australians will be a “different animal” to the side they dished out a record beating to at last year’s World Cup in France. The Wallabies have a new coach at the helm in Joe Schmidt and will be looking to make a statement in the former Ireland coach’s first game in charge.

It was probably fitting that the first team drawn out of the hat for the 30th anniversary Investec Champions Cup tournament next season was that of the reigning champions Stade Toulousain – who won the first title in Cardiff in 1996. The French giants will be hot favourites once again to add to their six titles, the first of which was secured at the old National Ground, Cardiff Arms Park when they beat Cardiff after extra-time.