#Leon Brown

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…

THE Dragons failed to break their South African duck after being beaten 33-25 by the Lions in Johannesburg. Dai Flanagan's side headed to Ellis Park buoyed by an encouraging first block of the United Rugby Championship but their weakened team couldn't upset the odds. Wing Sio Tomkinson, hooker James Benjamin and novice scrum-half Che Hope scored…

To say Wayne Pivac needs to start drilling down names into his World Cup plans must be an early candidate for understatement of the year. Quite how many players are inked in at this stage we cannot know after a Six Nations that ended chaotically for Wales, but maybe we can have a stab at projecting how Pivac's squad will look. Alun Wyn Jones has…

Wales are playing for pride on Super Saturday as their Six Nations 2022 campaign draws to a close with a home clash against Italy. The reigning champions are set to relinquish their title but can still claw their way up to third in the table if results fall their way. Wayne Pivac's men have been hamstrung by key injuries and third place would…

Wales lock Rowlands, 31, is out of contract at the end of 2022-23 and has been linked with Bath and Racing 92. "At the moment, we don't know our budget. We can't speak to players," said Flanagan. However, the Welsh Rugby Union's (WRU) Nigel Walker said Rowlands turned down a contract extension last summer. Walker, the governing body's performance…

Rugby's Greatest Championship returns this Saturday and will feature what is set to be a titanic clash between two fierce rivals at Twickenham. It will be the first home match of the tournament for Eddie Jones' side who are looking to build on their 33-0 demolition job in Rome while Wales are riding a wave of confidence following a 20-17 victory…

Wales lock Rowlands, 31, is out of contract at the end of the season and has been linked with Bath, and Flanagan expects other teams to be interested. "At the moment, we don't know our budget. We can't speak to players," said Flanagan. "If one player is out of contract, another 20 are in the same boat." Rowlands, who joined Dragons from Wasps in…

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…

WALES welcome captain Alun Wyn Jones back ahead of schedule as they host whipping boys Italy in their final Six Nations match. Wales' title defence has not gone to plan so far as they have been beset by injuries and lost three of the four games they have played. However, they did show signs of improvement last week as they pushed Grand Slam chasers…