Towards the end of last season, Johnny McNicholl asked himself a rhetorical question: “Am I Welsh? It’s a tough question to answer. I don’t know.”

In Wales, the party will continue for some time.

Joe Schmidt urged Ireland supporters not to lose faith in their team after they were blown away in Cardiff on Saturday by a Wales team that secured the Grand Slam.

As a man who won three Grand Slam titles on home soil, Adam Jones expects Wales to repeat the trick in Cardiff on Saturday.

Scarlets held on to win an intense, hard-fought Guinness PRO14 clash against champions Leinster at Parc y Scarlets.

As far as preparation goes for your biggest game in a decade, a 50-point hammering is not ideal.

Munster are closing in on appointing an American football strength and conditioning coach as head of athletic performance, causing surprise and disappointment within Munster and Irish rugby circles that indigenous candidates have been overlooked again.

Wales moved up to second in the NatWest 6 Nations table behind champions Ireland after claiming an expected bonus point victory over Italy.

Taulupe Faletau will captain Wales and Scarlets flanker James Davies makes his Test debut in Sunday's NatWest 6 Nations clash against Italy in Cardiff.

Worcester wing Josh Adams will make his Wales debut in Saturday's NatWest 6 Nations opener against Scotland.

The Scarlets secured a European Champions Cup quarter-final place as Pool Five winners after toppling Toulon.

Wales 18 New Zealand 33: Wales could be minus a third of the team beaten by New Zealand for next Saturday’s autumn series finale against South Africa.

Munster 21 Scarlets 30: For 40 minutes at Thomond Park last night, Munster played some of their finest rugby of the season and deservedly opened up a 15 point lead over Welsh visitors Scarlets in a truly remarkable Guinness Pro 12 encounter.

Scarlets claimed the scalp of Guinness PRO12 leaders Munster with a stunning 30-21 comeback win at Thomond Park.

New Zealander Charles Piutau is anxious to get back into Ulster action for the visit of the winless Scarlets to the Kingspan Stadium this evening (7.05 pm),

Connacht boosted their Guinness PRO12 play-off hopes with a 30-17 bonus-point win over the table-topping Scarlets at the Sportsground.

Scarlets 25 Munster 22: Anthony Foley may find himself scratching his head over this one for some time to come after Munster gave up a 10-point lead to lose a game they did not trail in until the final second.

Scarlets made it two Guinness PRO12 wins from two after overcoming a big Ulster side 22-12, despite being reduced to 14 men for 27 minutes in total at Parc y Scarlets.