Former Ospreys flanker Sam Underhill has made England’s initial 28-player Rugby World Cup training squad – despite not having played for his country for almost a year. The Bath forward has been included in the group named by head coach Steve Borthwick alongside former Cardiff Met No.8 Alex Dombrandt.

Gareth Thomas is backing Tommy Reffell to fill the void left by the ‘outstanding’ Justin Tipuric and play a key role in Wales’ World Cup charge. The emergence of flanker Reffell was one of the bright spots of Wayne Pivac’s reign as Wales boss but the Leicester Tigers man started just one match during the 2023 Six Nations following Warren Gatland’s return.

Cory Hill followed the path taken by Rhys Webb when he decided to put family ahead of World Cup glory with Wales. Hill increased the chaotic nature of the preparation for the tournament when he became the fourth player to withdraw from the preliminary training squad.

Wales U20s scrum-half Archie Hughes has signed a new contract with the Scarlets. Having started his rugby journey with Tenby RFC juniors, Hughes burst onto the senior stage with two tries on his debut in a pre-season game against Nottingham at Parc y Scarlets two years ago.

What do you get when you add Bradley Davies to James Hook, Paul James and Andrew Bishop? A ‘Dream Team’ of coaches to help bring through the next generation of Ospreys stars. After 66 Welsh caps and more than 210 professional games for Cardiff Blues, Wasps and Ospreys, the 36-year-old Davies is all set to become the latest international ex-pro to be attached to the backroom staff at his old region after hanging up his boots.

Former Newport RFC star Simon Raiwalui has named a strong 45-man Fiji training squad as they continue their preparations for the Rugby World Cup in France – including a key clash against Wales.

Former Scarlets trio Harri Williams, Griff Evans and Iestyn Rees have all joined English Championship outfit Ampthill. Scrum-half Williams is set to play for Wales U20 at next month’s World Junior Championships in South Africa, while lock Evans and back row man Rees will join him in adding further Welsh flavour to Paul Turner’s Ampthill mob next season.

The rugby season in Wales wouldn’t be the same without the final curtain coming down with the staging of the Old Penarthians Sevens on Saturday, 10 June. This year’s 72nd edition will take place at their Cwrt-y-vil home in Penarth with 10 teams lined up to take part in the men’s competition, and a further five in the women’s tournament.

Alisha Butchers is back and ready to push for honours with Bristol Bears as the Allianz Premier15s reaches the business end of the season. The 39-times capped flanker, who celebrates her 26th birthday this month, hadn’t played since damaging her knee in the opening game of the World Cup in New Zealand last October.

Alun Wyn Jones has confirmed he will not be an Ospreys player next season. The former Wales and British and Irish Lions captain announced his retirement from international rugby last month after making a world-record 170 Test match appearances.

Jasmine Joyce will be joined by Morgan and Tom Williams in competing for Team GB in Rugby Sevens at the Kraków-Małopolska 2023 European Games between 21 June-2 July. Team GB have selected a squad of 178 athletes to compete at the third staging of the event, with Rugby Sevens making its debut. The winners of the men’s and women’s sevens tournaments will qualify for the Paris Olympic Games next year.

It was a chance to relax, to briefly escape the political and economic ills besetting, along with much else in British life, rugby union in Wales. A bright, warm evening completely unlike the last full international at St Helen’s, an atrociously cold and sodden encounter with Tonga in 1997.

Rhys Carre has become the fourth drop out from Wales’ 54-strong World Cup training squad in two weeks. Following on from the shock international retirements of Alun Wyn Jones, Justin Tipuric and Rhys Webb, the giant Cardiff prop has been axed by Warren Gatland ahead of the formal gathering of the full squad next week.

Ystrad Rhondda gave their outgoing head coach Dylan Jones the perfect send off by lifting the Worthington’s Mid District Cup in his final game in charge. Tries in each half in a man-of-the-match display from former Pontypridd wing Alex Webber on his return to Sardis Road, bookended a first half effort from blindside flanker Rhys Dauncey and one after the break from openside Jarrad Llewellyn, as they beat Brecon 3013 in the district showpiece. It was a fitting finale for former fly-half Jones, as he brings the curtain down on 21 years at Ystrad Rhondda – and the past 13 of those also spent coaching at the Gelligaled Park club.

There was standing room only around much of the grand old setting of St. Helen’s as Alun Wyn Jones sipped what most consider are the last drops of his summer wine. The 37-year-old is certainly in the deep winter of a career that has spanned 20 years, but there was only the joy of a bright sunny evening in Swansea as the Whites brought down the curtain on their 150th anniversary celebrations.

Rhys Webb has admitted stability and security for his family meant more to him than playing for Wales at a World Cup. Webb became the latest Wales player to announce his retirement from Test rugby before the tournament.

Alun Wyn Jones is going to play for both teams when the Barbarians return to St Helen’s on Wednesday night (kick-off 6.30pm) to help round off his former club Swansea’s 150th anniversary celebrations.

Former Ospreys coach Steve Tandy has signed up with Scotland for a further three years. Assistant coach Tandy, John Dalziel and Pieter de Villiers have all followed the lead of head coach Gregor Townsend in extending their contracts until April 2026.

Nick Tompkins’ Saracens teammate Owen Farrell insists there is plenty more to come from the club after they guidied them to Gallagher Premiership glory with a 35-25 success over Sale at Twickenham. Tompkins’ victory meant the Wales centre made amends for last season’s last-gasp final defeat by Leicester to deliver his club’s first silverware since they were relegated for salary-cap breaches in 2020.

Nick Tompkins can make sure he’s in good nick going into the Rugby World Cup by becoming a winner in the English Premiership final this weekend. The Wales centre lines up for Saracens who will be firm favourites to beat Sale Sharks at Twickenham on Saturday afternoon.