All four Welsh regions will be in action this weekend (Saturday, 31 August) as the big build-up to the new season gathers pace. The Ospreys will welcome Aberavon, Bridgend and Swansea to the Swansea.Com Stadium for their innovative ‘Origin Series’, which will include three 30 minute matches against the new Super Rygbi Cymru teams in their reg

Leigh Halfpenny has always gone about his business quietly and with minimum fanfare, so it was entirely in keeping that his decision to join Harlequins was low key. No big unveiling, no leaked stories in the previous 48 hours to build the suspense.

Leigh Halfpenny will bring 17 years of wisdom and leadership to Harlequins next season, according to their coach, Danny Wilson. The former Wales and Lions full-back – now 35 – has joined the London club ahead of the new season, along with former Wales prop Wyn Jones.

The former Llanelli, Wales and British & Irish Lions utility back Peter Morgan, who went on to become chair of Pembrokeshire County Council, has died at the age of 65 after battling a brain tumor. A multi-talented player, he won the first of his four Welsh caps as a replacement centre against Scotland in Cardiff in 1980 at the age of 21. He started at outside-half against Ireland two weeks later.

Warren Gatland has admitted it was a terrible idea to make Cory Hill a Wales captain. The Wales coach said he regretted the decision to give the honour to Hill for the final game of the tour to Australia, what proved to be a one-point victory over Queensland Reds.

Morgan Morse will become the most-capped player for Wales U20 when he plays against the Junior Springboks in the final game at the 2024 World Rugby Junior Championship. It will be his 24th appearance, taking him past the 23 won by former Scarlets wing Ryan Conbeer, but he could go on to win 10 more next season.

Jess Fishlock – who else? – put Wales on the threshold of qualification for the Euro 2025 finals as she became her country’s joint highest goalscorer. The striker matched Helen Ward’s all-time goalscoring record as Wales triumphed 3-0 over Croatia in Karlovac, propelling them to the top of their qualifying group.

Wales have been forced into four changes, two of them positional, for the second Test against Australia in Melbourne on Saturday. Two of the changes come in the back row, where Taine Plumtree moves to number eight with Aaron Wainwright ruled out of the remainder of the tour by a hamstring injury.

Richard Whiffin has named his Wales U20 men’s side to take on France U20 in Tuesday’s third round of Pool A clashes in the U20 World Championship at Athlone Sports Stadium in Cape Town (UK 3.30pm). Captain Ryan Woodman along with second row Jonny Green and back row Morgan Morse are the only players to be making a third consecutive starting appearance in the showpiece tournament.

Cardiff centre Ben Thomas has been named as Wales’ fly-half, and wing Josh Hathaway will earn his first cap in the first Test against Australia in Sydney on Saturday. Thomas, 25, replaces Sam Costelow, marking his first international start in his third Test appearance after two substitute roles in 2021.

It was probably fitting that the first team drawn out of the hat for the 30th anniversary Investec Champions Cup tournament next season was that of the reigning champions Stade Toulousain – who won the first title in Cardiff in 1996. The French giants will be hot favourites once again to add to their six titles, the first of which was secured at the old National Ground, Cardiff Arms Park when they beat Cardiff after extra-time.

Former Wales defence and forwards coach Leigh Jones has been appointed as the new rugby performance director for the Scarlets. In this role, Jones will once again collaborate with head coach Dwayne Peel. Their professional relationship dates back to when Jones was part of the Wales coaching team under Graham Henry, who awarded Peel his first cap in 2001.