Warren Gatland has called up uncapped back-row forward Taine Plumtree to Wales’ World Cup training squad for a two-week camp in Switzerland. Plumtree is part of a group that has travelled to Fiesch in the Swiss Alps, the Welsh Rugby Union said.

Harlequins centre Bryn Bradley is hoping to bring some of the lessons he learned from Jamie Roberts to bear when he tries to guide Wales into a Cup semi-final at the World Rugby U20 Championships. Standing in the way of the rejuvenated Welsh team and a top four finish after the pool stages is a gigantic French side who are seeking a third successive title.

The World Rugby U20 Championship continues in South Africa on Tuesday when Wales face a make-or-break clash against favourites France. Mark Jones’ side beat Japan 41-19 in their second game, but they will need a big improvement to live with the French, according to Welsh rugby coach, analyst, and consultant, Tomas Marks.

Head coach Mark Jones has named a starting side boasting five changes for the crucial Pool A encounter against France at Athlone Stadium on Tuesday 4th July in the U20 World Rugby Championship. (Live S4C, 3.30pm UK)

Gareth Davies is enjoying the grind of Warren Gatland’s Rugby World Cup training camp as the Wales scrum-half turned heads with photos posted on social media. The 32-year-old has been working to get into peak physical shape since the end of the season with Scarlets.

Wales U20s coach Mark Jones has admitted his team had to work far harder than he wanted to gain their first victory at the World Rugby U20 Championship. The 41-19 scoreline in Stellenbosch, South Africa, disguised the fact that with 15 minutes to go, Jones’ youngsters were actually trailing to a Japanese side reduced to 14 men.

You can often judge a team by how they react to a narrow defeat, so look out for a positive reaction from the Wales U20s in South Africa on Thursday. At 1.00pm UK time, the Wales youngsters take on Japan in the World Rugby U20 Championship and they have not spent the last few days celebrating losing.

The World Rugby U20 Championship continues in South Africa on Thursday and for Wales that means a meeting with Japan, following their narrow, one-point, 27-26 defeat to New Zealand in their opening game. It may not have yielded a victory, but as well as the two bonus points, there was plenty of information to harvest, according to Welsh rugby coach, analyst, and consultant, Tomas Marks.

While Wales are toiling in the sun in their training camp at the Vale of Glamorgan, Pool C rivals Georgia have also gathered to prepare for their fifth successive World Cup campaign. Head coach Levan Maisashvili, who masterminded wins over Italy and Wales in 2022, has selected a training group of 39 which will eventually be cut down to 33 to take to France.

Warren Gatland is weighing up making Dewi Lake or Jac Morgan the Wales captain at the World Cup – or even both. The radical plan has been forced on the head coach due to diminishing options among the older guard who are dropping by the wayside weeks before the action starts in France.

Wales U20s captain Ryan Woodman admitted he felt “gutted” after his team let slip a big lead to lose to New Zealand in their opening match at the World Rugby U20 Championship. But the skipper insisted his youngster would come back stronger, having run the Baby Blacks so close before losing by a single point, 27-26 in Paal, South Africa. There was no escaping the feeling of ‘what if’ at the end of classic game of two halves as New Zealand fought back to win.

Morgan Morse is ready to show why he is one of the most exciting prospects in Welsh rugby when he takes on New Zealand on Saturday. The Ospreys No.8 will be a key figure for Wales U20s when they begin their World Rugby U20 Championship campaign in South Africa.

Mark Jones has promised Wales will live by the sword when they open their World Rugby U20 Championship campaign against New Zealand on Saturday. The question is whether they will also die by the sword up against the renowned Baby Blacks.

Joe Westwood is hoping to follow in the footsteps of his grandfather, Keith, by facing New Zealand when Wales U20 kick-off their World Rugby U20 Championships in South Africa against the Baby Blacks this weekend. Keith Westwood played for the Combined Abertillery & Ebbw Vale side that faced Wilson Whineray’s 1963 All Blacks at Abertillery Park in a game the tourists won 13-0. A fine player for Ebbw Vale and Newbridge, he went on to become a legendary coach at Newbridge. 

Wales international hooker Scott Baldwin has announced his retirement from playing and will take up a coaching role at Gallagher Premiership club Newcastle. Baldwin, 34, made more than 180 appearances for the Ospreys, in addition to spells in the Premiership with Harlequins and Worcester. He also won 37 Test caps, and featured three times as a replacement during Wales’ Guinness Six Nations campaign last season.

Global brewing giants Heineken are to step down as title sponsors of rugby’s Champions Cup, leaving tournament organisers with a big financial gap to fill before their two tournaments kick off in December.

The Welsh Rugby Union was responsible for a “serious failure of governance” and missed opportunities to act on concerning behaviour within the organisation, a report has found. A committee of Senedd (Welsh Parliament) members noted “systemic failures in the culture” of the WRU following allegations of racism, misogyny, sexism and homophobia.

Former Cardiff Blues second row stalwart Macauley Cook has become the latest high-profile recruit at Pontypridd for next season. The 31-year-old is returning to Wales having spent the last three seasons playing for Jersey in the English Championship. He last played for Ponty in a British & Irish Cup game in 2013.

Abbie Fleming and Robyn Wilkins will line-up against their Wales teammates Beth Lewis, Sisilia Tuipulotu, Kelsey Jones, Lleucu George and Lisa Neumann in the English women’s rugby show piece final. The Allianz Premier 15s final will see Fleming and Wilkins’ Exeter Chiefs face the Gloucester-Hartpury Welsh quintet at Kingsholm on June 24.

Scarlets coach Dwayne Peel has welcomed the confirmation that his team will play the Barbarians this autumn in a fundraising memorial match in honour of Phil Bennett. A year on from his death last summer at the age of 73, the Wales and Llanelli legend has been remembered by the announcement of the September fixture.