You’re a six-year-old boy whose just been vomited on during your first ever visit to the national stadium. But come on son, brush it off. Your parents might have told you a treat was in store, and had you believe you’d be experiencing an atmosphere you’ll never forget. But that’s their problem. After all, no one forced you to be here. And a clear majority don’t get spewed on, so what’s the issue?

By Tom Prosser Welsh Rugby Union Community boss Geraint John says he hopes S4C’s new broadcast deal to show the Indigo Premiership will pack out clubhouses up and down the country. “We have worked closely with S4C on a new and exciting plan for the Indigo Group Premiership which we hope will bring in new audiences as well as satisfy the existing fan-base for the very best of Welsh club rugby,” says John “All clubs in the Indigo Group Premiership are set to feature in at least one live match during the season, in a regular slot on Thursday evenings.

By Steffan Thomas  The English Gallagher Premiership is set to hit Welsh language television with S4C to show highlights of English rugby’s top tier in the new year.  BT Sports show live coverage of the Premiership, but Channel 5 decided not to renew their contract to show highlights allowing S4C an opportunity fill the gap.

Wales ended their autumn campaign with a respectable 50 per cent success rate, but you’d be foolish to think Wayne Pivac’s side are in a good place going into the Six Nations as defending champions. To be blunt, Wales are miles off the standard required to win the Championship for the second time in succession. To sit and watch three Test matches in succession at the weekend, was a revealing experience.

Wales women’s coach Ioan Cunningham has praised his team for their autumn efforts – even though they were reminded how far they still have to go by a formidable Canada side. Cunningham saw Wales lose 24-7 at Cardiff Arms Park on Sunday night, even though the Canadians played for the last 50 minutes with just 14 players after captain Olivia DeMarchant was sent off for a dangerous tackle. The North Americans showed why they are ranked the third best team in the world as they shrugged off the loss of their skipper and prop to outscore Wales by four tries to one.

Wales coach Wayne Pivac said it was a “funny game” but Dave Rennie wasn’t laughing. Pivac saw his team almost let a commanding lead slip against 14-man Australia but rallied to win 29-28 with a penalty after the hooter at the Principality Stadium on Saturday. But fuming Wallabies coach Rennie has called for big match rugby officials to be held more accountable after being left convinced his men were robbed of a tour-ending Test triumph by “horrendous” decisions.

James O’Connor rates Cardiff as one his favourite rugby venues, but that won’t stop him wanting to silence the Principality Stadium on Saturday. The Australia star has graced every leading rugby stadium across the world – plus one or two late night bars along the way – but a more mature version of the one-time wild child of the Wallabies will be out to deny Wales a major scalp of their autumn series. O’Connor, now 31, first played in the Welsh capital over a decade ago but with periods overlooked or unavailable through selection policies, will earn only his 62nd cap in a match that will feature in extended highlights on S4C.

By Lucy Rees Wales Women’s Keira Bevan is hoping to put her skills to the test against Canada when the two sides meet at Cardiff Arms Park on Sunday. After being out for a year coming back from injury, the scrum-half is looking forward to being back in the squad. “All being well, this will […]

Wayne Pivac insists he has not left Wales and Lions star Jonathan Davies stranded on 99 caps. Scarlets centre Davies was left out of the Wales squad to face Australia on Saturday, but Pivac moved quickly to dispel suggestions that the 33-year-old’s Test career is already over. Cardiff centre Uilisi Halaholo, who tested positive for coronavirus last month and spent 10 days isolating, will partner Nick Tompkins in midfield against the Wallabies.

Australia will concentrate on setting solid foundations when they face Wales in Saturday’s final autumn Test series weekend, according to Wallabies star James O’Connor. The Aussie No.10 says his side must aim to provide a firm set-piece platform if they are avoid a third successive defeat to Wales for the first time since 1975. Both nations will go into the Principality Stadium clash desperate for a victory that would turn around perceptions of fraught November campaign.

By Paul Jones Jonathan Humphreys believes Ryan Elias has been a huge positive for Wales this autumn and insists the experience of playing the best sides in the world will stand them in good stead moving forward. Scarlets hooker Elias produced two outstanding performances against South Africa and Fiji respectively.   And Wales forwards coach Humphreys, who was a top international hooker in his playing days, is confident Elias will go from strength to strength after his experiences this autumn. 

By Steffan Thomas Welsh rugby has been told it must continue to bring its best players back if they are to achieve continued success at test level. This week former Wales centre Jamie Roberts became the latest high-profile figure to criticise the Welsh Rugby Union’s controversial 60 cap selection policy. The Dragons midfielder accused the WRU of blackmailing players with less than 60 caps to remain at one of the four Welsh regions.

By Steffan Thomas Y-11 Sports & Media, the majority shareholders at the Ospreys, are weighing up a move to buy the Melbourne Rebels.  The Hong Kong based sports marketing group bought a 75.1 per cent stake in the Ospreys in May 2020 creating a new holding company Ospreys International Group. They claimed at the time that all the financial benefits from the transaction would be put back into the Welsh side. 

By Tom Prosser Wayne Pivac was full of praise for his star speedster Louis Rees-Zammit after he scored a crucial try in Wales’ 38-23 comeback win over Fiji on Sunday afternoon. “That’s what he can do and you can’t coach that,” raved Pivac. “That just shows what an impact express pace can have.

By Hannah Blackwell Carys Phillips has admitted it had been a long two years before the comeback game she marked with a hat-trick of tries for Wales. The former Wales captain – mysteriously overlooked since her father Rowland and the Wales Women set-up parted company – scored three tries in Wales’ superb 29-19 victory over […]

Liam Williams doesn’t know if the infamous pitch invader cost Wales victory over South Africa – but he reckons he knows who would have come off worse had they collided. The Wales full-back had to check his stride and wheel around a man wrestled to the ground by two stewards late on during last week’s clash in Cardiff. “It’s just not on, especially in the middle of a game,” says Williams, reflecting on the embarrassing security lapse at the Principality Stadium.

By Paul Jones Wales play the third game of their Autumn Nations Series campaign when they tackle Fiji in Cardiff on Sunday. After defeats against New Zealand and South Africa, Wayne Pivac’s team will look to bounce back ahead of hosting Australia next weekend. Here, we look at some of the key talking points heading into the game.

Alex Cuthbert has been backed to deal with any flak which may be fired his way when he returns for Wales this weekend after four years away. The Ospreys wing will make his first appearance in a Wales shirt since 2017 as one of five changes for the Test against Fiji on Sunday. His most recent and 47th cap came against Georgia in the autumn series four years ago, during a period when he had become a target for booing from some fans, unhappy with his continued selection, as well as personal abuse on social media.

By Paul Jones Gareth Baber is looking forward to being back in Cardiff this weekend, even if his aim is to make it a jolting Sunday afternoon for most in his home town. Baber will return as coach of Fiji with an aim to spring a surprise by making it three defeats in successive autumn […]

Christ Tshiunza has been backed to make a big dent against Fiji on Sunday if the teenage forward comes off the bench to win his first cap for Wales. The 19-year-old Exeter Chiefs back row star, who has already created a sense of anticipation after breaking into Wayne Pivac’s squad after just a handful of matches, is poised to make his debut at the Principality Stadium on Sunday. Tshiunza has been named among the replacements, while the starting side includes Alex Cuthbert, a former Wales regular on the wing, but who has not figured in international rugby for four years.