George North was barely out of short trousers when he made his debut as a teenager at the World Cup against South Africa in New Zealand. That was a dozen years ago, and the child prodigy has grown into one of the greatest players of his generation, underlined by two Grand Slams, two more Six Nations titles, two World Cup semi-finals, two tours with the British & Irish Lions and 44 tries in 113 games for Wales and two more in Lions Tests.

Billy Boston has described a statue of him and fellow Welsh rugby greats Clive Sullivan and Gus Risman in his home city of Cardiff as among the “highlights of my life”. Boston celebrates his 89th birthday next month and was in the Welsh capital to see three of rugby’s ‘codebreakers’ honoured with the first statue in Wales to feature non-fictionalised, named black men.

Wales will be without Taulupe Faletau and Alex Cuthbert, who are among five players from the Wales squad who will not travel for the team’s next training camp in Turkey between July 23-31.

The British and Irish Lions are set to play in front of a record crowd of around 100,000 at Melbourne Cricket Ground during their 2025 tour of Australia. The MCG has been announced as the venue for the Lions’ second Test against Eddie Jones’ Wallabies on Saturday, July 26.

The new rugby season will begin with the country’s brightest youngsters reliving whether or not they reached their true potential. As the senior Wales squad continue their preparations for the World Cup in France, the Wales U20s are reflecting on what might have been.

Mark Jones earned a lot of plaudits for the way in which he turned around the Wales U20 team at the World Rugby U20 Championship, but the former Wales wing will return home to an uncertain future. Having picked up the head coaching reins when Bryon Hayward stepped down a month before the tournament, he helped to transform a team that was a bunch of losers in the Six Nations into a side that picked up two wins and ended sixth overall in South Africa.

Over the last six Junior RWC they have finished in 6th or 7th, so it’s an opportunity for these players to go one better than previous Welsh teams.

The last time Wales were heading towards a World Cup, Jac Morgan had his attention elsewhere. That was in the summer of 2019, when Morgan was helping Wales beat New Zealand in the World Rugby U20 Championship in Argentina.

Ryan Woodman’s Wales side came good when it mattered as they piled on six tries in an impressive 40-21 win over Romania to set-up a shot at fifth place in the World Rugby U20 Championship. The Georgians had impressed everyone by beating Argentina and Italy, as well as pushing host nation South Africa all the way, in their pool matches.

Wales’ campaign at the World Rugby U20 Championship continues in South Africa on Sunday when they face their final pool match against Georgia. The winners will meet either Australia or New Zealand for fifth place, but Mark Jones’ side must absorb the lessons of their defeat to France, according to Welsh rugby coach, analyst, and consultant, Tomas Marks. Having lost against France in the final pool match, Wales U20s should take a lot of learning from that match going forward into their fourth game and middle tier match against Georgia on Sunday. Wales lost to an exceptional team and the number one seeds of this competition.

Alun Wyn Jones can help toughen up the Toulon dressing room, insists the French club’s director of rugby, Pierre Mignoni. The former Ospreys and Wales legend has joined Toulon on a short-term contract.

The Scarlets will face opposition from Georgia for the first time next season when they meet Black Lion in the European Challenge Cup. EPCR have announced that Georgia’s Black Lion and the Cheetahs from South Africa have accepted invitations to compete in the 2023/24 tournament.

Sion Parry is hoping to make the leap from carpenter and semi-pro rugby player to become an international this summer after being called up into the Canadian national squad. The tough as teak Pontypridd openside enjoyed a stellar season in the Indigo Premiership at Sardis Road last winter and his reward has been a surprise offer from Canadian head coach Kingsley Jones to join the two Test tour to Tonga.

Mark Jones’ Wales youngsters restored some pride but made too many mistakes to make it into the top tier semi-finals at the World Rugby U20 Championship. Their 43-19 defeat to the unbeaten reigning champions, France, meant they dropped to third in their pool with seven points from their opening two games.

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.