We are now midway through the BKT URC campaign, with all 16 teams having played the first nine of their 18 regular season matches. So as the league returns this weekend with Round 10, how have the Welsh sides fared so far?

Immanuel Feyi-Waboso has revealed the English side of his family convinced him he should wear the red rose rather than the red jersey of Wales. Feyi-Waboso knew the time to choose between England and Wales would come but not quite so soon.

Adam Beard says Wales can upset the odds and pull of a huge shock by beating Guinness Six Nations title favourites Ireland in Dublin next week. Wales have not won a Six Nations game at the Aviva Stadium since 2012, drawing one and losing four of the subsequent meetings.

Keelan Giles has been backed to deliver more match-winning moments for the Ospreys after the wing was one of three players to sign a new deal to remain at the region. Giles, Max Nagy and Tom Botha have all agreed new contracts that will keep them at the Ospreys after this season.

Ioan Lloyd feels he has benefited from the presence of former international half-backs Neil Jenkins and Rob Howley in adapting to life as Wales’ number 10. Lloyd helped orchestrate Wales’ thrilling fightback from 27-0 adrift in their opening Guinness Six Nations game against Scotland, after going on as replacement for an injured Sam Costelow.

Liam Belcher is a man who lights things up wherever he goes. On the pitch, he’s been an illuminating presence for Cardiff Rugby this season, shining brightly with his endeavours at hooker and he will be a key figure once more in Saturday’s BKT United Rugby Championship clash with Connacht at the Arms Park.

The Welsh Rugby Union are hoping Cardiff will still come to the party for their controversial new tournament, the Elite Domestic Competition. The WRU have named nine of the 10 clubs that will contest the new tier they want to replace the current Welsh Premiership.

Wales’ young team may have shown genuine promise for the future two rounds into the Guinness Six Nations but captain Dafydd Jenkins insists there is no sugar coating the results. England ran out 16-14 winners at Twickenham on Saturday despite trailing 14-5 at half-time after a penalty try and Alex Mann’s touch down had placed Warren Gatland’s team in the driving seat.

Warren Gatland insists Wales will become a good team in time, despite no victories so far in this season’s Six Nations. A 16-14 defeat to England at Twickenham – after Gatland’s men had led 14-5 – means Wales have now lost nine out of their last 10 matches in the tournament. Seven of those 10 games have been under the New Zealander in his second stint in charge, but Gatland remains upbeat that his young side will soon gain more than just plaudits and pats on the back.

Wales captain Dafydd Jenkins wants no more pats on the back for near misses or heroic, but doomed, fightbacks. Jenkins takes his team to Twickenham on Saturday for round two of the Six Nations with one outcome on his mind – winning.

George North is a rare specimen in the Wales team that will run out at Twickenham in that he knows what it is like to win there. The Ospreys star has seen highs and lows against England in over a dozen years but says his drive and desire is undiminished as he prepares to take up membership of an exclusive club.

Louie Hennessey is looking forward to making it back-to-back home wins with Wales U20 in the Six Nations on Friday night – and maybe showing some Sonny Bill Williams style along the way. Last weekend Hennessey picked up his first Championship win at the fifth attempt as he helped co-centre Harri Ackerman’s men beat Scotland 37-29 in Colwyn Bay.

Jamie George has urged his England team to put their passion on full display when one of rugby’s great rivalries is renewed at Twickenham on Saturday. Wales are the opponents in round two of the Guinness Six Nations and new captain George is determined to match their zeal for the jersey when he leads the team out on home soil for the first time.

Taking his Wales team to Twickenham won’t hold any fears for Warren Gatland. He has nothing but good memories of games at the home of English rugby, having won titles with both club and country at the 82,000-seater venue.

Cameron Winnett reckons Alex Mann is like a big brother and he may need that sibling solidarity when the pair play for Wales against England this weekend. Winnett and Mann were junior school pupils when Wales last beat the old enemy in a Six Nations game at Twickenham.

Warren Gatland insists Wales can go to Twickenham with confidence after he included fit-again George North in a drastically altered Wales team to face England on Saturday. The Wales coach has pulled a familiar play against the old enemy by naming his team 24 hours earlier than stated. North, who missed the defeat to England with a shoulder injury, has been recalled in place of Owen Watkin in the centre as one of seven changes to the team that lost 27-26 to Scotland.

Freddie Steward has called on England to win back the support of Twickenham as they launch a new era with Saturday’s Guinness Six Nations clash against Wales. In their most recent home fixture, Steve Borthwick’s side were booed by fans after falling 30-22 to Fiji in the build-up to the 2023 World Cup – the first time they had ever lost to the Islanders.

Coach Alex King believes Wales need to have a “no fear” approach when they face England at Twickenham on Saturday. Wales last toppled their fierce rivals in a Six Nations game on English soil 12 years ago.

Barry John, who died at the age of 79 this week, played with Gareth Edwards for Cardiff, the Barbarians, Wales and the British & Irish Lions. They won Triple Crowns, a Grand Slam and a Lions test series together on the field, and were lifelong friends off it.

The hope must be that Wales get better the longer this Six Nations goes on, after they and Scotland delivered another titanic classic at the Principality Stadium last Saturday that ultimately ended in a home defeat. It was a compelling 80 minutes of Test match rugby.