Wales’ most-capped forward of all time – Cardiff Blues flanker Martyn Williams - has failed to win a starting place for the autumn Test series opener against Australia on Saturday.

CARDIFF BLUES knocked Munster off their perch at the top of the Magners League table with a comfortable victory over Connacht.

CONNACHT coach Eric Elwood has slammed the “ridiculous” scheduling of their Magners League clash away to Cardiff Blues.

WALES out-half Stephen Jones has welcomed the return of skipper Ryan Jones, prop Gethin Jenkins and scrum-half Mike Phillips from injury for his side’s clash with Italy tomorrow in Cardiff.

Ospreys teenager Tom Prydie has won a shock call-up to the Wales team for Saturday’s RBS Six Nations Championship finale against Italy in Cardiff.

LEINSTER’S young guns steered them back to the top of the Magners League table and now they have a four-point lead over champions Munster with a game in hand.

Wales coach Warren Gatland has made two changes for the RBS 6 Nations clash against Scotland on Saturday – but lock Alun-Wyn Jones keeps his place.

Ospreys 26 Cardiff Blues 0

OSPREYS coach Scott Johnson is keen for his side to get into a positive frame of mind ahead of a month that will shape their season.

WALES survived a punishing physical examination by Samoa at the Millennium Stadium – but were made to sweat for victory.

WALES captain Ryan Jones has urged his team to “play smart” against the renowned physical threat of Samoa tonight.

Wales’ head coach Warren Gatland has made five changes from the team beaten by New Zealand for Friday night’s Millennium Stadium clash against Samoa.

Wales will be without two British and Irish Lions scrum-halves for their opening autumn Test against New Zealand on November 7.

ALUN-WYN JONES will make his debut as Wales captain next week — and he could keep the job for a potential RBS 6 Nations title showdown against Ireland.

WALES boss Warren Gatland has no doubt that Gavin Henson is fit and ready to make his long awaited Test rugby return in Paris on Friday night.

CARDIFF BLUES will complete a triumphant march into the Heineken Cup quarter-finals tonight, but head coach David Young insists: “There is still work to be done.”

British Lion Dwayne Peel has been left out of the Wales squad for this season’s RBS 6 Nations Championship.

THE lowest point in Leinster’s season came in Castres before Christmas when they lost a game they ought to have won. Coincidence or not, they have won three games since they could just as easily have lost.

LOCK Alun-Wyn Jones believes Wales still have plenty of room for improvement despite their 21-18 victory over Australia at the Millennium Stadium on Saturday.

WALES BOSS Warren Gatland has identified playmaker Matt Giteau as the man his team must stop in their quest for an overdue Tri-Nations scalp.

Wales boss Warren Gatland has retained the team beaten by world champions South Africa for the Millennium Stadium clash against New Zealand.

Injury-hit Wales will face world champions South Africa and one of the most powerful back rows in Test rugby without a specialist open-side flanker.

JAMES HOOK has been given the responsibility of guiding Wales to Grand Slam glory after reclaiming the fly-half jersey for Saturday’s RBS 6 Nations showdown with France in Cardiff.

James Hook has reclaimed the fly-half jersey from Stephen Jones for Wales’ RBS 6 Nations Grand Slam showdown with France at the Millennium Stadium on Saturday.

Stephen Jones has won the race to start at fly-half in Wales’ Triple Crown showdown with Ireland at Croke Park on Saturday.

Stephen Jones and Dwayne Peel will start in the half-backs against Italy a week on Saturday after Wales head coach Warren Gatland made six changes to the side that beat Scotland.

JAKE WHITE ends his reign as South Africa coach ready to consider a host of job offers — including from Guinness Premiership clubs and a fourth division Welsh side.

England hooker Mark Regan has been included in the Barbarians team to face South Africa at Twickenham on Saturday.

EDDIE O’SULLIVAN’S odds on being the British and Irish Lions coach for the 2009 tour to South Africa drifted further yesterday after an admission by Lions bosses that the coach may not be from the four home nations.

Gavin Henson will make his first Test start for more than a year when Wales tackle world champions South Africa at the Millennium Stadium this weekend.

Gavin Henson has been recalled by Wales to the preliminary squad for their one-off Test against world champions South Africa this month.

WALES will share a beer with the Fiji team after today’s World Cup eliminator in Nantes but are determined it will be a party and not a wake.

Wales captain Gareth Thomas will win his 100th cap in Saturday’s World Cup eliminator against Fiji after making a rapid return from injury.

Wales expect captain Gareth Thomas to be fit for the World Cup quarter-finals after a scan indicated his rib cartilage injury is not as bad as first feared.

Wales head coach Gareth Jenkins has recalled experienced trio Stephen Jones, Gareth Thomas and Colin Charvis for Saturday’s pivotal World Cup clash with Australia in Cardiff.

Gareth Thomas will captain Wales at the World Cup next month.

Wales head coach Gareth Jenkins has dropped Brent Cockbain from his World Cup plans - and given a surprise call-up to uncapped Gloucester lock Will James.

IN a game that could have gone either way, Connacht were forced to accept a draw against a side touting title hopes.

WASPS forward James Haskell will make his England debut in Saturday’s RBS 6 Nations clash against Wales at the Millennium Stadium.

JAMES HASKELL has received a ringing endorsement from one of England’s leading coaches as he prepares to make his Test match debut.

ENGLAND coach Brian Ashton has ignored struggling Wales’ miserable RBS 6 Nations season and predicted possibly his team’s “toughest game of the tournament” on Saturday.

FRANCE prop Sylvain Marconnet has been ruled out of the rest of the RBS 6 Nations Championship after suffering a serious injury while on a skiing holiday.

Kevin Morgan has been recalled to the Wales side to face Italy in Saturday’s RBS 6 Nations clash after making a swift recovery from a fractured jaw.

GARETH JENKINS reacted to Wales’ 21-9 defeat to Scotland by making seven changes for Saturday’s RBS 6 Nations clash with France, including four in a revamped pack.