Leigh Halfpenny realised his boyhood dream 13 years ago, but today he will achieve something he never could have imagined in his wildest fantasies. Away from the spotlight of the Lions tour, before a restricted crowd at the Principality Stadium against low key opposition, Halfpenny will run out to play a Test match for the 100th time. He becomes the eighth Welsh player to reach three figures – alongside Alun Wyn Jones, Gethin Jenkins, Stephen Jones, George North, Martyn Williams, Gareth Thomas and Adam Jones.

By Tom Prosser Wales U20s head coach Ioan Cunningham stressed the importance of his players learning from their mistakes after his side lost 36-19 to France. Wales have now lost back to back games and face the so far unbeaten England at the Arms Park on Wednesday. “Frustration again, if I’m honest, especially in that first half I felt we gifted France 24 points,” said Cunningham.

Scotland coach Sean Lineen admits he has been left dismayed by his team’s 43-3 thrashing at the hands of Italy at Cardiff Arms Park in the third round of the U20 Six Nations. The Scots – who meet Wales in the final round of the tournament – were flattened by an efficient and impressive Italian outfit who rain in six tries. “Poor, very poor,” said dejected head coach Lineen.

By Paul Jones Wales forwards coach Jonathan Humphreys can’t wait for the fans to create a buzz again at the Principality Stadium when Wales take on Canada on Saturday.   This will be the first Wales home game with a crowd in 15 months, this is something that some of the players have never experienced before.   “It is sad that some people have won first caps and had massive experiences while friends and family can’t be there,” said Humphreys.  

By Tom Prosser Wales’ hopes of winning the U20s Six Nations were dealt a big blow after they fell to a 36-19 defeat to France.  Cardiff Rugby’s Jacob Beetham scored a try in each half while Morgan Richards of the Dragons also went over for Wales on a sunny afternoon at Cardiff Arms Park. But France were clinical in attack and ran in five tries to seal a bonus-point win.

Sam Riley is hoping the feelgood factor – as well as the know-how – from his Harlequins connection can fuel him all the way to a Six Nations title. The England U20 hooker has already seen his club lift the Premiership crown after their thrilling win over Exeter Chiefs last weekend. That victory was followed by the news that four Quins players were called into the senior England squad and the satisfaction has filtered through to Riley, who faces Ireland U20 on Thursday night in a match that is live on S4C Clic.

Ollie Leatherbarrow insists he and school pal Murray Redpath can lead a Scottish turnaround when they face Italy in the U20 Six Nations Championship on Thursday. The Scots have begun the tournament with two defeats, even though they showed flashes of inspiration against two powerful sides in Ireland and England. Now comes Scotland’s chance at getting off the mark at Cardiff Arms Park, where the entire tournament is being hosted, in an afternoon clash that is live on S4C Clic.

Wales U20s are back in action on Thursday at Cardiff Arms Park, when they take on France in the Six Nations. Coach Ioan Cunningham has made eight changes from the side that lost to Ireland, including drafting in scrum-half Ethan Lloyd. The Cardiff player told Tom Prosser why he’s eager to make a big impression on his home patch. Ethan Lloyd wants to put pressure on Tomos Williams and Lloyd Williams at Cardiff Blues – but for the moment he’s happy to try and turn the screw on France in the U20 Six Nations. The Wales U20 scrum-half is already making waves at Cardiff Arms Park where there are high hopes he can follow the same route as Tomos Williams from Treorchy to full senior caps.

Tom Rogers declared himself “over the moon” after learning he will win his first senior Wales cap against Canada at Principality Stadium on Saturday. Scarlets wing Rogers, 22, is one of five players who will make their Test debuts this weekend and he is joined in the starting line-up by Dragons lock Ben Carter. Wales head coach Wayne Pivac also has fresh faces Gareth Thomas, Taine Basham and Ben Thomas among his replacements for the Canada game.

By Paul Jones The British and Irish Lions are preparing for their first match in South Africa after their hosts have been cleared to return to action after three positive coronavirus tests were confirmed on Sunday.  The entire Springboks squad was placed in isolation as a precautionary measure after the positive tests, leading to the cancellation of Sunday’s training session, but were given the green light to resume training on Monday afternoon following feedback from the medical advisory group overseeing the series.  One of the players who tested positive, scrum-half Herschel Jantjies, has subsequently been cleared to join the training group, SA Rugby said in a statement. 

By Steffan Thomas  Taine Basham is hoping to use this summer’s tests against Argentina and Canada as a steppingstone towards the 2023 Rugby World Cup.  The 21-year-old Dragons openside has trained with Wales in previous squads but is expected to finally win his first cap at the Principality stadium next month.   He has long been considered one of Welsh rugby’s brightest prospects but fell down the pecking order following a broken arm suffered in January.  

Adam Beard believes getting dropped from the national squad last autumn was a blessing in disguise and insists he can fill the boots of injured Lions captain Alun Wyn Jones. The Ospreys lock – who was called into the British and Irish Lions squad on Saturday night for their tour to South Africa following Jones’ shoulder dislocation – was a regular starter for Wales during the latter part of the Warren Gatland era. But he was then dropped by Wayne Pivac and sent back to the Ospreys after a dip in form.

Conor Murray has admitted the loss of Alun Wyn Jones will be huge for the Lions after the Ireland scrum-half replaced the Wales skipper as tour captain. Murray was the surprise choice to replace Jones as British and Irish Lions captain for the trip to South Africa. The Lions suffered a devastating blow as Jones was ruled out of the tour after dislocating his shoulder in the 28-10 victory over Japan at Murrayfield on Saturday.

By Tom Prosser “The boys are all extremely disappointed as we are like one big family but we know we have to bounce back-that is what great teams do.” Those are the motivational words of Wales U20s skipper Alex Mann who is eager for his side to write the wrongs of their 40 points to 12 defeat to a strong Ireland team. “It’s international rugby at the of the day, we knew it was going to be tough,” says Mann.

Wales were unable to make it back-to-back wins in the U20 Six Nations as Ireland ran in five tries in a dominant 40-12 victory at Cardiff Arms Park. After starting with a victory over Italy, skipper Alex Mann’s side found the tournament favourites a much tougher assignment, although they did manage two tries themselves. Wales knew they were going to be given a sterner test by last season’s Triple Crown winners and the Grand Slam champions from 2019.

Scotland U20 head coach, Sean Lineen was disappointed with his team’s performance in their 31-12 loss to England in the second round of the Six Nations at Cardiff Arms Park. Despite some spirited defence and impressive individual performances, they were outclassed by an organised and efficient performance from the Red Rose. England ran in five tries including one from the outstanding, Sam Riley who was awarded man of the match for his efforts. The others came from captain Jack Van Poortvliet, Fin Smith, Deago Bailey and Arthur Relton.

Sam Costelow will be expected to roll out the big gun when Wales face Ireland on Friday in their second match of the U20 Six Nations championship. The young Scarlets fly-half is going to be told to get his long range kicking boots on as Wales plan to meet fire with fire against an Irish team who kicked a great deal in their opening win over Scotland. It was Costelow’s assured place-kicking that proved critical for Wales in their 25-8 victory over Italy last Saturday at a rain-lashed Cardiff Arms Park.

The Six Nations U20 tournament continues on Friday with Wales taking on Ireland at Cardiff Arms Park. Before that, though, there will be an English player facing Scotland who hopes a big Welsh influence tips the balance in his favour. Orlando Bailey is the apprentice learning his trade at Bath from master craftsman Rhys Priestland, as he tells Tom Prosser. England U20 star Orlando Bailey has revealed how Rhys Priestland is his guiding light who he bombards with “10 questions every day.” The highly-rated England U20 full-back is at Bath, where he admits to picking the brains of the 50-cap Welsh international fly-half whenever he has the opportunity.

By Rob Cole Manon Johnes should have been getting ready to go to the Women’s World Cup later this year, but she is just as happy to be preparing to make her debut in another major sporting occasion, the Women’s Varsity Match at Welford Road. With a season of Premier XVs rugby behind her with Bristol Bears, as well as another Six Nations campaign with Wales, the 20-year-old Oxford fresher should have nothing to fear about facing Cambridge in Leicester on 4 July. First capped by Wales as a 17-year against South Africa in 2018, the back row forward with 13 Welsh caps to her name, has grown in stature on the international stage throughout her teenage years and was looking forward to locking horns with New Zealand and Australia at the World Cup. That is until it was postponed until next year.

Ioan Cunningham insists there as fare more to come from his Wales team after they won their opening match of the U20 Six Nations tournament against Italy. Wales eased to a comfortable 25-8 victory at Cardiff Arms Park, but the coach believes they have only shown a glimpse of their capabilities. Despite having not played a competitive game since March 2020, Wales dispatched the Azzurri with a penalty try and 18 points from the boot of Sam Costelow.