Wales head coach Tom Brindle insisted he was proud of his team despite Wales’ 60-0 defeat to England in a women’s rugby league international at Headingley. Two tries apiece from Amy Hardcastle and Tara-Jane Stanley set England on their way as they scored 11 tries in a ruthless victory at the weekend.

Warren Gatland has underlined the importance of patience as he nurtures a new generation of Wales international players. Welsh rugby bid farewell to three of its biggest names – Alun Wyn Jones, Justin Tipuric and Leigh Halfpenny – in a tribute game that saw Wales beat Principality Stadium opponents the Barbarians 49-26.

Wales skipper Jac Morgan is expecting a few tugs on his jersey, a bit of niggle and a few harsh words when he finds himself playing against his Ospreys club captain Justin Tipuric in the game against the Barbarians. But while many see the non-capped match as being a bit of a jamboree, Morgan is going to impress upon his players that they will be representing their country – just as they did in France during the recent World Cup.

Leigh Halfpenny looks set to continue his rugby career in the southern hemisphere after he makes a final Wales appearance on Saturday. The Wales full-back, who has won 101 caps, will bow out of international rugby following the Barbarians’ Principality Stadium visit.

On the face of it, Richard Hodges has just about the toughest job in the United Rugby Championship as Zebre’s new defence coach. After all, the Italians conceded no fewer than 101 tries in losing all 18 league games last season, 28 more than any other side and an average of 5.6 a match.

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.