Wales head coach Warren Gatland believes that players can put down a Six Nations selection marker in Saturday’s clash against the Barbarians.
Gatland fields 12 of Wales’ Rugby World Cup squad among his starting XV at the Principality Stadium.
But he is also minus all players based outside Wales, with a star-studded list headed by the likes of Louis Rees-Zammit, Nick Tompkins and Will Rowlands.
The non-cap game is a tribute to ex-Wales forwards Alun Wyn Jones and Justin Tipuric, who retired from Test rugby earlier this year and will line up in Barbarians colours.
And full-back Leigh Halfpenny will join them, making a final Wales appearance after he recently announced his decision to step away from the international game.
The fixture’s scheduling, though, has been criticised, especially as the Welsh regions – Ospreys, Scarlets, Cardiff and Dragons – have United Rugby Championship matches this weekend.
Scarlets host Cardiff barely an hour after the Wales game finishes and, while Gatland named only a 23-man squad to help with regional player availability, all four sides have been weakened.
It is Wales’ final game before a Six Nations opener against Scotland on February 3 and there will be a new look to elements of Gatland’s group for the tournament.
Dan Biggar called time on his Test career after the World Cup, with fellow backs Liam Williams and Gareth Anscombe set for playing stints in Japan during the first half of next year.
Tom Rogers, Ben Carter, Teddy Williams, Harri O’Connor and Taine Plumtree will be among those looking to make an impression on Saturday, and Gatland said: “There is an an opportunity without players outside of Wales for people to put down a marker in terms of being involved in the Six Nations.
“I had a chat with the players about that earlier in the week and said they want to be in a situation where it is harder to play your way into this team, but it is easy to play your way out.
“I have demonstrated in the past that I have been pretty loyal to players who have gone out, put that jersey on and performed well.
“And for those players who do that it is a good opportunity to be selected for the Six Nations.
“We have kind of drawn a line under the World Cup now and we are talking about this next cycle and how we manage that – this group of players coming through.
“We haven’t got a number of players available to us, but there is a good chance for these young Welsh players that are here to go out there and see if they can give a performance.”
Jones, meanwhile, will captain the Barbarians, who are coached by Eddie Jones and Scott Robertson, with Tipuric packing down alongside back-row colleagues Michael Hooper and Rob Valetini.
Nine of the starting line-up played in the World Cup, including Valetini, Fiji wing Selestino Ravutaumada, Argentina fly-half Nicolas Sanchez and Wallabies prop Taniela Tupou.
But it will be a special day for Jones, Tipuric and Halfpenny – they have 352 caps between them – which is not lost on Wales captain Jac Morgan.
“Their professionalism and the standards they set as players, it is pretty inspirational for the young boys coming through and what we look to be like,” Morgan said.
“Even towards the end of their careers, they are probably among the last people out on the training field still trying to get better and improve.”
Paris Olympics: Home hero Dupont sends France into rugby sevens semi-finals
Antoine Dupont sealed hosts France's progression to the rugby sevens semi-finals as his late try clinched victory over Argentina at the Paris Olympics.
Dupont, voted the 2021 World Player of the Year, missed out on this year's Six Nations to prepare himself for the sevens at the Games.
And he scored a brilliant solo try in the dying seconds at a jam-packed Stade de France to wrap up a 26-14 triumph over Argentina on Thursday.
Aaron Grandidier had earlier crossed the line twice along with back-rower Andy Timo's opener in a dominant first half, though Argentina fought back after the break.
Rodrigo Isgro responded for Los Pumas before Marcos Moneta sneaked over after France were reduced to six when Jordan Sepho was sin-binned.
Yet home favourite Dupont stepped up in the decisive moment, whipping the crowd into frenzy after setting up a last-four meeting against South Africa, who overcame New Zealand in the quarter-finals.
South Africa finished third in Pool A as New Zealand topped the group, but the Springboks exacted revenge against the All Blacks to secure a semi-final berth.
The Springboks raced into a two-try lead before holding out for a 14-7 victory to stun one of the pre-tournament favourites.
Fiji, champions in 2016 when the event was first introduced and four years later in Tokyo, unexpectedly found themselves up against it as Chay Mullins bundled over twice to snatch a 10-7 lead for Ireland at half-time.
Zac Ward extended the Irish lead but two tries in less than 30 seconds from Selestino Ravutaumada and Terio Tamani snatched a 19-15 turnaround.
The two-time Olympic champions will meet Australia after the Wallabies downed the United States with ease.
Corey Toole and James Turner both crossed in the first half en route to a convincing 18-0 triumph in the final match of the day, sending Australia into their first rugby sevens semi-final at the Olympics.
Australia 40-29 Georgia: Schmidt lays down gauntlet ahead of Rugby Championship opener
Joe Schmidt has said he remains unsure about some of his Australia players following their 40-29 victory over Georgia at Sydney Football Stadium.
Rob Valetini and Fraser McReight scored doubles for the hosts, with Australia surviving a red card picked up by Filipo Daugunu for a knee to the head of Sandro Todua to maintain the Wallabies' new head coaches unbeaten start.
Schmidt made 10 changes to the side that beat Wales last Saturday in Melbourne, with some taking the opportunity with both hands, while others fell short.
"Some guys have really put their hands up and other guys probably need a bit of work," Schmidt said.
"Some guys are delivering really consistent training performances and pushing for match day selection. Whether you're playing Georgia or next time we come out in Brisbane, it will be South Africa.
"We have a number of players who we're not sure about, who is maybe the best option in a particular position or who's the best combination."
Australia led 26-10 at the break, and although Georgia rallied in the second half, the home side triumphed in only the third meeting between the pair.
Hunter Paisami and Isaac Kailea went over the line early on, but Dauganu's sending off allowed Georgia a way back into the contest.
The visitors closed to within two points of Australia with two scintillating tries early in the second half through Davit Niniashvili and Akaki Tabutsadze.
However, their challenge faded as Niniashvili was sin-binned for a deliberate knockdown, as McReight and Valetini secured three successive wins for the first time since late 2021.
“It is only three weeks that we’ve been together and we made 10 changes and we knew there was an element of risk in that,” Schmidt said.
“But I like the way we built our way into the game, bar the early three points.
“We put a few nice tries together and built a lead, but it was really disappointing that they got back into the game and we were scrambling just a little bit.”
The Wallabies next face world champions South Africa in their Rugby Championship opener in Brisbane on August 10.
New Zealand 47-5 Fiji: Barrett seeking improvements despite resounding win
New Zealand captain Scott Barrett insists improvements will be made despite the All Blacks easing to a 47-5 win over Fiji in San Diego.
Scott Robertson's men scored seven tries at the Snapdragon Stadium in a side that included six debutants from their 2–0 series win over England last week.
The All Blacks led 26-5 at half-time, but Fiji still managed to restrict their opponents to the lowest score of their eight Test encounters.
"Fiji certainly showed up tonight in the physical areas," said captain Barrett. "It wasn't fully polished, we have pretty high standards in this team.
"They were able to get their hands on the ball to turn it over at times but we created enough opportunities to turn into points."
Caleb Clarke and Cortez Ratima scored converted tries in the opening exchanges, before Vilimoni Botitu notched Fiji's only try of the contest.
Sevu Reece would increase the All Blacks' advantage in the second half, before George Bell, on his debut, went over for the final try of the encounter.
The result maintains New Zealand's eight-game winning run, with head coach Scott Robertson nodding to the future following impressive performances from his debutants.
“Keeping them to five points is pretty special," Robertson said. "We scored some great tries, we left a lot out there.
"I’m really proud of a lot of efforts and the six debutants who really stood up.
“It was exciting to see how that talent went. They showed why we picked them. We’ve had seven debutants over the three games.
"It’s been intense with the travel coming over here. I’m pleased everyone has learnt quickly and been incredibly professional off the field.”
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