ALEX BYWATER AT THE AVIVA STADIUM: Ireland produced a statement 24-14 win over Wales in Dublin to make it back-to-back wins in the Six Nations. Sportsmail rated both sets of players.

WILL KELLEHER AT AVIVA STADIUM: Wayne Pivac rued 'unacceptable' errors made by Wales in their first Six Nations defeat since 2018 as they lost 24-17 in Dublin to Ireland.

WILL KELLEHER AT AVIVA STADIUM: The storm stayed away but Ireland built a big green wall to barricade themselves against Welsh tides in Dublin, beating the Grand Slam champions.

Wayne Pivac called for patience after he lost his first Wales match, saying it would not take major surgery to reinvigorate their Six Nations challenge.

EXCLUSIVE: The Six Nations are facing a battle to win support from clubs and players for an expanded tournament featuring South Africa.

Leigh Halfpenny reckons Wales can roll back the clock and repeat their feats of 2013 this year by winning the Six Nations title, despite losing to Ireland in their last encounter.

SPECIAL REPORT BY WILL KELLEHER: No player has run out in a Test match at Wales' Principality Stadium having been born after the ground was built. Rees-Zammit could change that fact.

The Welsh face an unbeaten French side in Cardiff on Saturday. Wayne Pivac's side come into the game on the back of a defeat in Dublin to the Irish - their first Six Nations loss since 2018.

Les Bleus are unbeaten in the tournament so far after wins against England and Italy at home but Wales lock Jake Ball has warned they are ready to make the most of a 'hostile' atmosphere in Cardiff.

EXCLUSIVE: When it comes to Shaun Edwards and rugby, emotion usually drives everything. But Saturday's Wales clash is strictly business. He does not do teary-eyed returns.

Wayne Pivac believes his wise Wales will overcome French flair on Saturday in the Six Nations having picked the most experienced line-up to grace the championship.

Wales have brought in Ross Moriarty and Gareth Davies for their next Six Nations match against France as Wayne Pivac made two changes for the Cardiff Test.

If on Saturday the tide has turned against Wales, the French are flooding through in attack and causing chaos it will be the old men of the sea who guide those in red to calmer waters.

WILL KELLEHER AT PRINCIPALITY STADIUM: And so the fortress has fallen. After 10 years of being out-gunned in Cardiff, the French revolution is well and truly alive.

WILL KELLEHER AT THE PRINCIPALITY STADIUM: Wayne Pivac was left livid with two decisions costing Wales a win over France as they lost at home in the Six Nations for the first time in three years.

Shaun Edwards stood in the bowels of the Principality Stadium wearing the quiet contented look of a man who had just transformed a team that for years had an attitude problem.

As Sportsmail reported last month, full back Liam Williams has made a swift departure from under-fire European and English champions Saracens after their salary cap disaster.

Liam Williams, Josh Navidi and George North all set to be fit for selection for boss Wayne Pivac as Wales were handed a triple boost before taking on England at Twickenham on March 7.

EXCLUSIVE BY WILL KELLEHER: Welsh victories at Twickenham are rare but much-celebrated occasions. Sportsmail spoke to those involved in the most recent triumphs.

Wales will be hopeful Dan Biggar does not spark a backline injury crisis ahead of their Six Nations match against England after going off early for Northampton on Saturday against Saracens.

Wales will give Dan Biggar every chance to make the England Six Nations match this Saturday, with Sam Warburton saying they are 'confident' the fly-half will be fit.

Wales wing Hallam Amos will miss the rest of the 2020 Guinness Six Nations due to a knee injury. Amos sustained the injury during the Cardiff Blues' Guinness PRO14 victory over Benetton.

Sam Warburton may have seen the Wales-England rivalry become friendlier in recent years but he called on his players to make themselves heroes at Twickenham on Saturday.

Anthony Watson and Mark Wilson will make their first England appearances since the World Cup final in Saturday's Guinness Six Nations match against Wales at Twickenham, the RFU has announced.

Liam Williams will play his first Test for four months in the Six Nations against England, coming straight into the starting team as Wayne Pivac rings the changes for Wales.

The 21-13 defeat killed off English hopes of a Grand Slam, before Warren Gatland rubbed salt in the wounds by questioning their big-game ability.

Alun Wyn Jones moved to ease fears that Dan Biggar is not fit for Wales' trip to Twickenham by saying he will play against England on Saturday despite suffering a knee injury for Northampton.

Wales captain Alun Wyn Jones and his team-mates set out to antagonise Sinckler at the Principality Stadium and the England prop was replaced soon after losing his composure in last year's meeting.

NIK SIMON: England face Wales in a mouth-watering Six Nations clash seeking revenge after suffering defeat in Cardiff a year ago.

Watkins, who won 18 caps for Wales between 2003 and 2006, retired in 2011 and was diagnosed with a rare form of pelvic cancer in 2013. He leaves his wife Stacey and sons Siôr and Tal.

England became Triple Crown winners with a rollercoaster victory against Wales at Twickenham.

Sportsmail runs the rule over every player from the two sides after England survive a late Wales onslaught and win 33-30 at Twickenham to keep their Six Nations title hopes alive.

WILL KELLEHER AT TWICKENHAM: Are Wales now dashing instead of dogged? Under Warren Gatland they were rarely, if ever, easily beaten in a game that mattered. Not in the Six Nations anyway.

CHRIS FOY AT TWICKENHAM: Wales didn't even bother to try to antagonise Kyle Sinckler again this time. He has matured a lot in the space of a year, as he proved on Saturday

England could find themselves in treble trouble after Eddie Jones slammed the 'rubbish' refereeing at Twickenham and Joe Marler grabbed Wales captain Alun Wyn Jones by his genitals.

Joe Marler demonstrated some impressive handling skills for a front-row forward in England's Six Nations victory over Wales at Twickenham.

All around him, others were losing their heads, but this time Kyle Sinckler did not. The pantomime villain of last year's England defeat in Cardiff proved on Saturday how much he has changed.

WILL KELLEHER AT TWICKENHAM: Justrin Tipuric called for calm after Wales' third consecutive defeat - making this their worst Six Nations run since 2007.

England are facing a triple ban after Joe Marler, Manu Tuilagi and Courtney Lawes were all cited following Saturday's ill-tempered victory over Wales.

The skipper will play in his 148th Test - levelling Richie McCaw - his 139th for Wales to add to nine for the British & Irish Lions. Meanwhile Webb wears the No 9 shirt for first time since 2017.

Wales are still livid at Joe Marler for his grabbing of Alun Wyn Jones' genitals with Wayne Pivac saying there is 'no place in the game' for the England prop's act.

In a shambolic development on Friday afternoon the final match of the Championship was officially postponed while Scotland were warming up for their captain's run ahead of Saturday's game.

INTERVIEW BY STEFFAN THOMAS: Jamie Roberts is far from your average rugby player and the former Wales centre is more qualified than most in sport to articulate his fears over coronavirus.

The Welsh Rugby Union announced on Tuesday that they had to take further measures to reduce costs with no money incoming with postponed indefinitely during pandemic.

Wales' leading internationals are set for a 25 per cent salary reduction for three months while Premiership Rugby is working on possible scenarios to restart the season.

EXCLUSIVE BY ALEX BYWATER: Hadleigh Parkes and Owen Williams are to end their Wales careers after they turning down offers in regional rugby in favour of big money moves to Japan.

Wales head coach Wayne Pivac has revealed that 'two or three' of his squad have tested positive for coronavirus. The pandemic saw the Six Nations brought to a halt before it could finish.

EXCLUSIVE BY WILL KELLEHER: Wayne Pivac's side were due to play Japan in Shizuoka on June 27 before jetting down to New Zealand for a two-Test series shortly afterwards.

From the bank that sent flowers to a recently bereaved widower to the ferry company that waived its strict no-refund policy on pre-paid tickets after a customer went into hospital.

Joe Root knows England have 'something special' on their hands in Jofra Archer but has already started the job of managing expectations around the breakout star of the summer.