There won’t be a dry eye in the Halfpenny household – or at the Principality Stadium – when Leigh Halfpenny takes to the field for one last time in a Welsh jersey against the Barbarians on Saturday. After 15 years and 101 caps, he will be hanging up his boots at international level before taking his place among the modern-day greats of Welsh rugby.  His has been an incredible career, as the following statistics prove:

Taking on a Swansea-based team will bring back fond memories for Hollywoodbets Sharks boss John Plumtree as he heads into this weekend’s ground-breaking BKT URC clash with the Ospreys. The Kiwi spent almost five years as coach of Swansea RFC through until late 2001, winning two league titles and the Welsh Cup. Since then, he’s worked in his homeland of New Zealand with the Hurricanes and the All Blacks, as well as in South Africa, Ireland and Japan.

The clock is counting down to ‘full time’ on the amazing rugby career of the world’s most capped player, Alun Wyn Jones. He will be back at the venue he graced for so long, and with such distinction, in a Welsh jersey this weekend when he captains the Barbarians team that will face Warren Gatland’s home side in a special, post-World Cup fixture.

Ioan Cunningham has made six changes to the Wales team hammered by New Zealand for their final match of their inaugural WXV1 campaign against Australia. The head coach has opted to ring the changes for the game against the Aussies at the Go Media Mount Smart Stadium, Auckland on Friday, November 3rd (KO: 7pm local time).

Warren Gatland’s Wales side to face the Barbarians on Saturday will come face to face with at least seven players they met at the World Cup in France. Scrum half Lautaro Bazan Velez came off the bench in the 29-17 quarter-final victory for Argentina over Wales in Marseille earlier this month, and half the Australian pack that met Wales in Lyon are also coming back for more.

Leigh Halfpenny expects a “pretty special” Wales send-off on Saturday while hoping to continue playing for another two seasons. Halfpenny announced his decision to retire from international duty following Wales’ exit from the recent Rugby World Cup and will make his final appearance in the red jersey against the Barbarians in Cardiff.

Eddie Jones has insisted he wanted to continue as head coach of Australia as he gets ready to take charge of the Barbarians against Wales in Cardiff this weekend. The former Wallabies coach says he has not had a job offer from Japan after his resignation was confirmed.

Cardiff coach Matt Sherratt has paid tribute to his region’s Wales World Cup contingent for returning to action sooner than expected. Tomos Williams, Corey Dowachowski and Mason Grady all offered their services and proceeded to play their part in Cardiff’s 16-9 victory over the Dragons at a wet and windy Rodney Parade last weekend.

Cardiff coach Matt Sherratt made few apologies for the lack of drama as his team won a 17th successive derby clash against the desperate Dragons. The BKT United Rugby Championship clash between the rivals went the way of all the others in the last nine years, but Sherratt admitted the 16-9 win at Rodney Parade will not live long in the memory.

Jamie Roberts has spoken of his pride after being selected for a new role in Welsh rugby – one of three Independent Non-Executive Directors on the 12-strong WRU Board. Another playing legend, Terry Cobner, is set to take over from fellow Seventies star Gerald Davies as the WRU’s 51st president after next month’s AGM.

Ioan Cunningam has admitted Wales Women are “hurting” after a record 70-7 defeat to New Zealand which former international Alecs Donovan said will have “embarrassed” the players. Cunningham’s team have won plenty of plaudits for their progress over the past couple of seasons, yet they are bottom of their group in the new WXV1 tournament Down Under with one game left to play, against Australia. They were over-run by a New Zealand team who were on a different level as the Black Ferns ran in 12 tries, with just one in reply from Abbie Fleming.

You have to go back to 2 January, 2021 for the last time Zebre won an away match in the BKT United Rugby Championship and last weekend’s opening round defeat to Ulster was their 20th defeat in a row. But Ospreys head coach Toby Booth, who has spent the past week studying the Italian side, knows his team will be in for a battle at the Swansea.Com Stadium in Round 2.

Dwayne Peel insists there is no need to press the panic button as his Scarlets head into another testing United Rugby Championship assignment out in South Africa. Peel’s team conceded nine tries as they went down to a thumping 63-21 defeat at the hands of the Vodacom Bulls at Pretoria’s Loftus Versfeld last Sunday.

Ellis Jenkins admits there are times when he wonders what might have been. But he is also grateful to still be playing the game he loves, after fearing his career was over at one stage. We caught up with the Cardiff Rugby flanker for an in-depth chat as he prepared for Sunday’s BKT United Rugby Championship derby against the Dragons RFC at Rodney Parade.

Dennis Gethin, the former secretary and president of the Welsh Rugby Union, has died at the age of 79. Born in Seven Sisters, he enjoyed a hugely successful career in both rugby and the law. He was the 11th and last secretary of the WRU – the role became CEO in 2002 – and the 40th President of the union, serving between 2007-19.

Leigh Halfpenny has been described as the best defensive full-back in the world by Warren Gatland after the Wales star announced his retirement from Test rugby. Gatland – who took Halfpenny to the World Cup 15 years after first capping him as a teenager – paid a glowing tribute to the 34-year-old who has said he will leave the international game after Wales’ match against the Barbarians on November 4 at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff. Wales head coach Gatland said: “Leigh has had a fantastic career for Wales, firstly on the wing and then at 15 where he has been brilliant – probably the best defensive full-back in the world and a tremendous goal kicker.

Nigel Walker has insisted the planned global rugby calendar and new tournaments are the result of consultation between players and officials. World Rugby has approved plans to set up a new international league competition for Wales players and those of other nations as part of a radical shake-up of the global calendar.

If the four Welsh regions need reminding of the need to get their Wales World Cup players back in action as soon as possible, it was provided by Glasgow Warriors at the weekend. Glasgow coach Franco Smith spoke of his pride in the Scotland World Cup stars who helped secure a 43-25 victory over Leinster on the opening weekend of the URC season.

Keiron Assiratti will never forget April Fools’ Day in 2023 – it was the day his career suddenly took off. Up until then both he and his fellow prop Corey Domachowski had doubts hanging over their ability, their playing futures and their livelihoods.

Dwayne Peel admitted the Scarlets got what they deserved from their United Rugby Championship opener in South Africa – precisely nothing. The Scarlets coach watched his team get trampled over by the Bulls as they lost 63-21 in South Africa to complete a conspicuous weekend whitewash of four defeats for the Welsh regions.