News about Archie Griffin

ALEX BYWATER: Warren Gatland admitted he should never have made Cory Hill captain for Wales' one-point win over Queensland Reds after the lock withdrew from the Brisbane game for 'personal reasons.' Hill's selection as skipper had proved controversial in some quarters given that in 2021, he was named as one of a number of men who damaged a woman's house. The forward was never charged and received no punishment for his part in the incident. On Wednesday, he spoke about it publicly for the first time and expressed his remorse.

The Wallabies have notched up consecutive wins for the first time since 2021, outlasting Wales 36-28 in heavy rain at AAMI Park in Melbourne.

ALEX BYWATER: International rugby matches can be decided by fine margins and at the highest level, a team's mistakes are often punished by the opposition. These are two lessons Wales' young players learned in abundance in Melbourne yesterday (SAT) as Warren Gatland's side suffered a ninth consecutive defeat. Wales did plenty of good things at AAMI Park. They scored four tries, two of which came from their outstanding captain Dewi Lake via the profitable source that was their rolling maul.

When a young Wales team takes to the field in Sydney on Saturday morning, any sort of win will do. Warren Gatland's side - one now dominated by inexperienced players at international level with a smattering of Test knowhow - has, unfortunately, become used to losing in 2024. Wales have tasted defeat in each of their last seven matches, their last win coming against Georgia in October 2023 at that year's World Cup. Since that game with the Lelos, Wales have been knocked out of the World Cup by Argentina, lost all five of their 2024 Six Nations games to finish rock bottom, and been beaten by double global champions South Africa.

Former rugby league star Regan Grace is poised to win a first international cap for Wales in Australia next month despite not having played a competitive game of union at club level. Grace, 27 and contracted to Bath, was named on Monday as part of Warren Gatland's 34-man squad for two Tests with the Wallabies and a clash with the Queensland Reds. Hooker Dewi Lake captains a young and inexperienced party with Grace a notable inclusion after he was called up to head coach Gatland's squad last week as injury cover.

SIR CLIVE WOODWARD: England's victory over Wales was a poor game between two teams that are discussing rebuilding. I don't like the plot. The two best teams both countries were able to defeat at Twickenham on Saturday night were the two best sides both countries were able to put out. It's not about rebuilding. It's about winning. At the end of the tale. To me, this kind of talk establishes a mentality in which you are barely making an excuse for losing. It's a cop out. That shouldn't be happening in the Six Nations, which is rugby's pinnacle.

On Saturday, England will face Wales for the first time in more than four years, while the visitors have gone the other way by redesigning almost half of their lineup. Although England's Steve Borthwick is expected to stick, Warren Gatland has chosen to twist. The Wales head coach announced his Twickenham team a day early and it featured seven starting changes, while his England counterpart is expected to select the same XV that began with the victory over Italy in Rome on the first weekend of the Six Nations. The team will be announced at 1 p.m. today at 1 p.m. If, as predicted, it will be the starters that defeated Italy, the first time England has gone unchanged since the World Cup final in 2019. Borthwick's pick, in part, and partially due to the postponement of casualties.

After the wing was released by Gloucester with immediate effect to request a player in the NFL, they would be without Zammit, and Gatland was caught off guard. "I learned it about an hour ago," he said. About half an hour ago, I think I spoke to Louis. It's a little surprise. Gloucester had contacted us and I talked with George Skivington (club's director of rugby) about 12. ' In the last 24 hours, stuff has happened very quickly.'