#Leigh Halfpenny

It has been a hugely eventful year in the world of rugby, amid a plethora of incident and individual excellence. Here's our A-Z guide of what went on in 2021. A is for Alun Wyn Where better to start than with a man who has risen to new heights this part year amid more superhuman exploits. Having skippered Wales to the Six Nations title, he was then…

Leigh Halfpenny is not a man who seeks confrontation, at least he doesn't when he's off the rugby field. Just about the most softly-spoken and shy player on the circuit, he has an unassuming personality that some would consider at odds with his soaring status in the sport. So you wonder whether Halfpenny will have the stomach for the animosity and…

Australia international Dave Dennis will captain the New South Wales Waratahs against the British and Irish Lions tomorrow after the back rower was released from Wallabies duty for the match. No.8 Dennis will join centre Rob Horne in the side after Robbie Deans agreed both could leave the Australian camp to feature against the Lions. In total, four…

Welsh rugby heads into the new year with one headline-grabbing decision having been made, but lots of other issues still to be resolved. The autumn internationals marked the end of the road for Wayne Pivac as Wales coach and a return to the helm for Warren Gatland. You never like to see anyone lose their job and Pivac is a decent bloke who gave it…

Ireland travel to Rome to face Italy in the Six Nations this weekend. This year's tournament has not gone to plan so far for Andy Farrell, with his side losing their opening two games against Wales and France. They face an Italian side who are also winless in the competition after defeats to France and England. Farrell has made seven changes to the…

Despite the World Cup drawing to a close many southern hemisphere stars who lit up the tournament will be staying on European shores. The French Top 14 and England's Aviva Premiership are set to be flooded with household names, with many looking for a well-paid swan-song to end a glittering career. Here are some of the best names staying on the…

Recent history tells us to look no further than an Englishman or a Frenchman to finish the Six Nations as the Championship's top points scorer. The cross-channel rivals have shared the'golden boot' between them in the last six years, Romain Ntamack topping the charts last season with a relatively modest 57 points as Les Bleus finished runners up…

You normally come away from an opening Six Nations weekend with a pretty good idea what teams you want to keep on side, from a handicap point of view at least, for the rest of the tournament. But, with the exception of England, the performance of the other five countries sent out some very mixed messages indeed. And it would appear that the coaches…

There have been some seriously dark times in the rich, turbulent history that is Welsh rugby. You only have to recall the countless thrashings by New Zealand - some of which are too painful to remember without feeling embarrassed - but South Africa dished out the worst beating on June 27, 1998. In the last passage of play, replacement Springbok…

Next weekend, the 2022 edition of European rugby's treasured showpiece begins and there is huge expectation of a classic Six Nations campaign. Sportsmail's panel of experts - columnists Sir Clive Woodward, Danny Cipriani and Andy Nicol, along with former Wales coach and captain Rob Howley and former Ireland full back Geordan Murphy - debate the…

Here are the latest rugby headlines on Thursday, November 24. Bookmakers have released the first odds on Wayne Pivac's potential successor as Wales coach, even though the Kiwi is still the man at the helm. The under-fire Welsh boss today names his team to face Australia at the weekend knowing he needs to find a winning formula as pressure builds…

WALES will be eager to build on their impressive win last weekend when they take on Georgia in their next Autumn Internationals match. Wayne Pivac's side bounced back from a heavy defeat to New Zealand with a morale-boosting victory over Argentina. And Man of the Match Taulupe Faletau stood out the most as it was his tries which inspired Wales to a…

It is sixth against ninth in World Rugby rankings as Argentina arrive in Cardiff to face Wales. Except this time, after a 30-29 win over England at Twickenham, it is Michael Cheika's Pumas riding higher in the global standings than Wayne Pivac's Wales. Three places between the two sides, three years and three months after Wales had topped the world…

WALES host New Zealand in the first of four autumn internationals TOMORROW. The Welsh side will be looking to pull off a famous victory as they have not beaten the All Blacks since 1953. Wayne Pivac's side will then face Argentina, Georgia and Australia to top off the autumn internationals. The All Blacks have already defeated Japan and will now…

Head coach Wayne Pivac has named the Wales senior men's team to face New Zealand in the opening round of the Autumn Nations Series on Saturday (KO 3.15pm) Wales play the All Blacks in front of a full house at Principality Stadium where the match is live on Amazon Prime, with English and Welsh live broadcasts available. There are also highlights on…

The annual Autumn Internationals rugby carnival is underway, with England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland to be tested by the best the southern hemisphere has to offer. New Zealand, Australia, South Africa and Argentina are all in action over a five-week period, which began with Scotland's narrow defeat to Australia at Murrayfield last…

These are the latest rugby headlines on Thursday, November 3. Wales head coach Wayne Pivac is due to name his starting XV today, when it will become clear how much injuries within the squad have taken their toll. The build-up has seen a number of players with injury issues, including key performers like Taulupe Faletau, George North and Josh Adams.…

Here are the latest rugby headlines on Thursday, October 27. Wales boss Wayne Pivac will be left sweating on the fitness of star winger Louis Rees-Zammit after the try ace was named in Gloucester's starting XV for their English Premiership clash with Exeter this weekend. The wing flyer is one of just two fully-fit back-three stars currently…

A week out from Wales' squad announcement for their final autumn campaign before next year's World Cup, there are some selection dilemmas still remaining. Scrum-half, as has often been the case, is a position where Wayne Pivac seems pretty settled on his cast list, but still a little fuzzy on who the leading man will be. As for full-back, injury to…

Here are your rugby morning headlines on Sunday April 10. Wales boss Wayne Pivac is sweating on the fitness of two more players for the summer tour to South Africa after Lions prop Wyn Jones and back three star Johnny McNicholl limped out of Welsh derby action. The duo were forced from the field with knee injuries as the Scarlets beat Cardiff at…

Head coach: Marco Bortolami Captain: Dewalt Duverago/Michele Lamaro Last year: 13th Betting: 150-1 Players In: S Hildago-Klyne (Exeter Chiefs), T Menoncello (promoted academy), A Garbisi (Mogliano), G Nicotera (Rovigo), G Da Rae (Rovigo), F Drago (Mogliano), M Drudi (Mogliano), S Scrafton (Hurricanes), O Ratave (Fijian Drua), M Zanon (Pau), M…

Wales begin their Six Nations defence with a trip to Dublin as Wayne Pivac seeks to prove the doubters wrong in this campaign. The extent of the holders' injury list is one that no sporting fan wants to see but Pivac is tasked with putting forward a solid title defence with seven key players missing. Totalling an incredible 657 combined caps, Wales…