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.

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.

Wales prop Samson Lee scored his first try in more than 100 appearances for Scarlets to edge the reigning Guinness PRO12 champions to victory over arch-rivals Ospreys.

The never-ending saga of France-Wales in Paris generated scenes of such absurdity that it really needed Inspector Clouseau with his white mac and magnifying glass to complete the farce to complete the farce.

England and Wales. Two countries steeped in rugby history with a rivalry to match.

The Scarlets won at the third time of asking in the Guinness Pro12 as they grabbed a try bonus point to do the double over Newport Gwent Dragons with a 34-20 victory.

England and Harlequins prop Joe Marler was last night banned for two games after his “gypsy boy” slur against Wales forward Samson Lee during last month’s RBS 6 Nations Championship game at Twickenham.

England prop Joe Marler has been described as “not in any way shape or form racist” just hours after being was told he will face an independent misconduct hearing for verbally abusing Samson Lee.

Wales assistant coach Robin McBryde says prop Samson Lee is not someone “distracted by things on the outside”.

Eddie Jones has placed his players on standby to round up any loose cockerels at the Stade de France as England prepare for fun and games from opponents intent on denying them the Grand Slam.

England prop Joe Marler currently remains available for Saturday's Grand Slam match against France in Paris after escaping sanction for striking Wales' Rob Evans.

Wales prop Tomas Francis has received an eight-week ban for making contact with the “eye or eye area” of England forward Dan Cole in last Saturday’s Six Nations game at Twickenham.

Wales recorded their ninth successive victory over Scotland in the RBS 6 Nations Championship to stay firmly among this season's title contenders.

Donal Lenihan's recipe for Irish success in the first Six Nations game against Wales.

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.

Argentinian’s transformation of Aussie scrum means Welsh pack must up game, says Baldwin...

The omens approaching Wales’ team hotel yesterday weren’t promising.

Wales boss Warren Gatland believes that group rivals England are faced with a number of questions that need answering as they head into a World Cup on home soil.

Wales head coach Warren Gatland admits that he has some “tough calls” ahead as he applies the finishing touches to his 31-man World Cup squad.

World Rugby boss Brett Gosper has claimed his tweet was "over-interpreted" into partisanship when posting that hosts England failing to reach the World Cup quarter-finals would be "not the words we want to hear".

Wales will not receive the RBS 6 Nations trophy in Rome next Saturday if they win this season’s title.

Wales 23 Ireland 16: Ireland’s Grand Slam ambitions have been ended and their hopes of retaining the Six Nations title severely dented by a seven-point defeat to Wales at Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

France 13 Wales 20

Dan Biggar scored a try and Leigh Halfpenny kicked five penalties as Wales kept alive their RBS 6 Nations title hopes by beating France in Paris.

Warren Gatland has plunged his long-term future as Wales head coach into doubt after admitting Roger Lewis’s departure as Welsh Rugby Union chief later this year "probably does" have a bearing on his own long-term future.

Guinness Pro12

Mike Brown is still suffering concussion symptoms and faces a race against time to prove his fitness for England’s pivotal RBS 6 Nations clash against Ireland in Dublin.

Pascal Pape will be formally charged today over an incident which threatens to bring his Six Nations’ campaign to an abrupt end.

RBS Six Nations

Taulupe Faletau insists there is “still a chance” that Wales can be crowned RBS 6 Nations champions this season.