Steff Evans is the joint leading tryscorer in European rugby this season, has 13 caps for Wales, and is still only 28 – but expects no calls from Warren Gatland. The wing – whose finishing skills helped see off a star-studded Sharks team last week in arguably the best regional result of the season – reckons he won’t be required any more at Test level. It’s a harsh self-judgement, but Evans insists: “That boat has probably sailed for me.

Sioned Harries’ first trip to Scotland for the Six Nations was 12 years ago in her first year in the Wales Women’s team. That was a different world, with the women’s teams from all the nations playing as amateurs and second-class citizens. Not anymore!

Toby Booth believes his Ospreys side will face the best team in England “by some distance” when they tackle Heineken Champions Cup round-of-16 opponents Saracens on Sunday. While the Ospreys contest their first top-flight European knockout game for 12 years, Saracens are on familiar territory.

Tributes have been paid throughout Welsh rugby after the death of Peter Thomas, the former Cardiff chairman. A hugely influential figure within the sport, the 79-year-old passed away on Wednesday, three years after he was diagnosed with lung cancer.

Welsh rugby found a rare show of unity to commit to change at the weekend, avoiding a cliff-edge moment that would have threatened the game’s immediate financial future. On Sunday, member clubs of the Welsh Rugby Union overwhelming supported significant plans for governance change at an EGM in Port Talbot.

Dwayne Peel believes the Scarlets rolled back the years with their stunning victory over the Sharks but insisted the standards set has to be the blueprint for the future. Peel watched his team overcome a Sharks squad that included 10 Springboks in a 32-20 victory that was a throwback to the streetwise muggings handed out to star-studded visitors to Llanelli in years gone by. Sam Costelow kicked 22 points, including six penalties and converted two tries by Steff Evans as the Scarlets maintained their outside chances of Heineken Cup qualification.

Sisilia Tuipulotu was hailed as being on her way to becoming one of the best prop forwards in the world after her try capped an emphatic victory for Wales over Ireland in the TikTok Women’s Six Nations. Tuipulotu scored the last of Wales’ five tries as they hammered under-strength Ireland 31-5 at Cardiff Arms Park in the opening round fixture. In front of a record home crowd of 4,962, the 19-year-old from Newport powered over in her first Test start in the front row – after switching from lock – to cap an impressive display and earn a glowing accolade from head coach Ioan Cunningham.

Dwayne Peel has warned his Scarlets they will have to withstand a Boks battering if they are to get anything out of their return to action on Saturday night. While the region are unable to rely on their rested and the wounded after their Six Nations efforts, the Sharks will come armed to their sharpest teeth from South Africa in the shape of 10 Springbok internationals.

Kelsey Jones is refusing to settle for the best of the rest tag as she sets her sights on a TikTok Women’s Six Nations to remember with Wales. The hooker, who will start in the No.2 jersey against Ireland in the 2023 curtain-raiser on Saturday, is among the 25 players now on a full-time WRU contract having been part of the latest cohort to earn a deal earlier this month.

Elinor Snowsill says Wales are determined to make this year’s TikTok Six Nations as good, if not better than last year’s, with excitement and anticipation building in the camp. Last season, Ioan Cunningham’s squad finished third behind England and France after winning their opening two games against Scotland and Ireland, both of which they will play in reverse order this year.

John Manders has told the rank-and-file clubs across Wales not to worry about their future funding providing they back the Welsh Rugby Union’s governance proposals at next Sunday’s EGM in Port Talbot. Manders is chairman of the union’s Community Game Board and is responsible for the £10.4m ring-fenced budget that is invested in the running of the community game in Wales.

Taine Basham is the first to admit his outlook on life has changed completely since becoming a dad. His partner, Giovanna, gave birth to a baby boy in December, with little Tomas now four months old. It’s put everything in a new perspective for the Dragons back row forward, including the ups and downs of the past couple of years on the rugby front.

Wales kick off the 2023 TikTok Women’s Six Nations on Saturday and here is where you can watch all the weekend’s action in the UK and Ireland. Wales welcome Ireland in the first game of the Championship, with the hosts keen to build on their third-place finish last year. Holders England then take on Scotland at a sold-out Kingston Park, no fear if you are not one of the lucky ones with a ticket, the match is live on TV and radio.

Throughout his career, Dan Lydiate has demonstrated a driven determination to fight his way back from injury. After all, this is someone who broke his neck while playing rugby as a teenager and is still going strong some 16 years later. Yet his motivation for returning from his latest lay-off – due to a broken arm suffered on Wales duty – was greater than ever. He was intent on doing it for his father.

Wales star George North has spoken of his pride after moving into the all-time top 10 of international rugby union try scorers. North’s early touchdown against Guinness Six Nations opponents France was his 46th for Wales and the British and Irish Lions. It put him level with New Zealand trio Christian Cullen, Joe Rokocoko and Julian Savea, and just one behind Irish great Brian O’Driscoll.

By Graham Thomas Dan Edwards hopes the James Hook flair factor can finally deliver a victory for the Wales U20s on Sunday night. Edwards will again be the man with his hand on the tiller at No.10 when the Welsh youngsters try to end their Six Nations campaign with a first victory against their French […]

Warren Gatland insists the straws he was left clutching after defeat in Paris can be used to build a World Cup revival. Most Welsh fans were fearing the worst at the Stade de France, but the glint in the eye of Gatland post-match proved he finally felt he had got something positive out of his team at the fifth time of asking in this tournament, despite a 41-28 defeat.  “I’m really proud of the effort the players put in. We’ve still got a lot of work to do, but I thought we showed some real character out there today,” said Wales coach Galtand, who made 27 changes over the course of the Six Nations and used 35 players. 

In Warren Gatland’s first tenure with Wales, he was innovative and progressive. He utilised the rule of 60 caps, employed Shaun Edwards as defence coach, located training camps in Poland and Switzerland, oversaw 45-minute training sessions, built a cryotherapy programme, captured Paul Stridgeon as head of physical performance, and made Sam Warburton a young captain – all in a quest to be world class.

Taulupe Faletau has been acclaimed as one of the true greats of Welsh rugby by his cousin, England star Billy Vunipola. Faletau, 32, will win his 100th cap against France in Paris on Saturday and can celebrate in style afterwards with a glass of the expensive Japanese whiskey Vunipola is sending him to mark the occasion.

After demolishing England with a performance that made him cry with joy, France coach Fabien Galthié wants his entertainers to finish the Six Nations in style with a home win against Wales on Saturday. Defending champions France even have an outside chance of keeping their title. But they must beat Wales at Stade de France and hope No. 1-ranked Ireland then slip up at home to an England side reeling from last weekend’s 53-10 hammering by Les Tricolores.