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Tommy Reffell Happy To Face The Hairdryer Treatment For Leicester And Wales

Tommy Reffell Happy To Face The Hairdryer Treatment For Leicester And Wales
Tommy Reffell insists he will have no problem if Warren Gatland gives out the hairdryer treatment in the Wales dressing room this autumn. Reffell was one of the Leicester players who took a full blast of hot air from Tigers coach Michael Cheika recently.

Swansea City “Edge” Forward As Luke Williams Looks To Carry The Fight

Swansea City “Edge” Forward As Luke Williams Looks To Carry The Fight
When football managers – and rugby coaches – talk about training sessions having “an edge” about them, it normally only means one thing. There’s been a fight. It may not have been full-on, fists swinging, bare-knuckle bruising. But someone, somewhere has over-stepped the mark and tempers have boiled over. Nine times out of 10, managers love this kind of thing. It proves their players are more like thin, hungry dogs, than fat, sleepy cats and they look forward to unleashing the hounds on Saturday afternoon.

In Praise of Jess Fishlock . . . Wales’ Big Fish in Whatever Size Pool

In Praise of Jess Fishlock . . . Wales’ Big Fish in Whatever Size Pool
Has there ever been a more reliable Welsh footballer than Jess Fishlock? It’s a question worth considering after her country’s heroine once again came to Wales’ rescue late on Tuesday night.

Steve Cooper Facing Touchline Ban After Latest Yellow Card

Steve Cooper Facing Touchline Ban After Latest Yellow Card
Steve Cooper is facing a touchline ban for Leicester City’s Premier League fixture against Ipswich, having received his third yellow card of the season during the Foxes’ defeat to Manchester United. The Welsh manager’s protests over a potential offside in the lead-up to United’s second goal in their 5-2 Carabao Cup win led referee Andrew Madley to show him a yellow card, a move Cooper later claimed the official “enjoyed” giving.

Teddy Williams Gets Wales Call After Ben Carter Blow

Teddy Williams Gets Wales Call After Ben Carter Blow
Lock Ben Carter has been released from Wales’ Autumn Nations Series squad after suffering a knee injury and replaced by Cardiff’s Teddy Williams. Dragons skipper Carter was hurt during training, the Welsh Rugby Union said.

Blair Murray Brushes Up On His Welsh Anthem . . . With Some Help From His Mum

Blair Murray Brushes Up On His Welsh Anthem . . . With Some Help From His Mum
It may be the “Land of his Mother” but new Wales squad member Blair Murray will be doing all he can to learn the words of “Land of my Fathers” ahead of his potential first Wales cap next week. The 23-year-old Scarlets wing has made such an impact since arriving in Wales in June that he found himself being chosen by Warren Gatland as one of two uncapped players in his 35-man squad for the November clashes with Fiji, Australia and South Africa.

Salt Keen To Join Pepper In Adding Special Flavour To England Batting

Salt Keen To Join Pepper In Adding Special Flavour To England Batting
Phil Salt is optimistic Brendon McCullum can get the best out of him when the England Test head coach also assumes control of the white-ball sides. The parallels between them as ultra-aggressive opening batter-wicketkeepers were remarked upon during Welsh star Salt’s stint this year with Kolkata Knight Riders, the Indian Premier League franchise McCullum previously played for and coached.

Jess Fishlock Drags Wales To The Brink Of History . . . But Rhian Wilkinson Knows They Must Improve

Jess Fishlock Drags Wales To The Brink Of History . . . But Rhian Wilkinson Knows They Must Improve
Ceri Holland finally settled Wales’ near fatal anxieties with the goal that puts her team on the edge of history. After missing countless chances in a one-sided second leg of their play-off semi-final at home to Slovakia, Holland scored the crucial goal eight minutes from the end of extra-time.

It’s Time We Had Some Wins, Admits Wales Coach As Autumn Series Looms

It’s Time We Had Some Wins, Admits Wales Coach As Autumn Series Looms
The Wales coaches and players arrived in camp ahead of the three-match Autumn Nations Series this week, all with the same blunt message in mind - "we've got to start winning matches". Warren Gatland's men may have wound-up their summer tour to Australia with a 36-35 win over Queensland, but the hard facts show they have lost their last nine internationals and haven't tasted victory in a meaningful match since beating Georgia 43-19 at last year's World Cup on 7 October.

Dwayne Peel Proud of His Eight-Strong Scarlets’ Wales Gang

Dwayne Peel Proud of His Eight-Strong Scarlets’ Wales Gang
Dwayne Peel says he’s delighted to see so many of his Scarlets receive “the greatest honour” of being selected by their country. Eight of his players have been named in the Wales squad for the autumn internationals, with the uncapped Blair Murray joined by fellow wing Tom Rogers, centre Eddie James, fly-half Sam Costelow, back rower Taine Plumtree, hooker Ryan Elias and props Kemsley Mathias and Henry Thomas.

Stadio Olimpico

New Look England Vow To Make Twickenham “Erupt” By “Drawing Line In The Sand” Against Wales

Freddie Steward has called on England to win back the support of Twickenham as they launch a new era with Saturday’s Guinness Six Nations clash against Wales. In their most recent home fixture, Steve Borthwick’s side were booed by fans after falling 30-22 to Fiji in the build-up to the... Read More

Rhys Webb Is Back For Wales After Spell When He Couldn't Even Watch Them

Rhys Webb ends a six-year Guinness Six Nations absence in the Wales number nine shirt on Saturday admitting he did not even want to watch the team play during his international exile. The 34-year-old Ospreys scrum-half last begun a Test three years ago and has not made a Six Nations... Read More

Rome Wasn't Built In A Day . . . And Neither Will The Wales Recovery

Wales youngsters Joe Hawkins and Mason Grady have been backed to come through the jeers and taunts of a Roman amphitheatre on Saturday - even if they don’t win. The centres - both 20-years-old and with a combined tally of just five caps - will form the raw midfield defensive... Read More

Rhys Webb Set For Wales Recall As Warren Gatland Prepares To Shake Things Up Again

Rhys Webb is set to make his first Test start for three years as part of another big shake-up by Wales coach Warren Gatland. The Ospreys scrum-half - who has not been selected to begin a Test since 2020 - is poised to come in to face Italy in the... Read More

Tom Shanklin Says Things Are Different To The Roman Ruin of 2003 . . . Wales Are Not As Good

Tom Shanklin has got the Six Nations set with Wales – two Grand Slam titles, two Triple Crowns and the one that few people mention, a single Wooden Spoon. That last unwanted award was earned 20 years ago, the last time Wales were whitewashed in the 23-year history of the... Read More