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Rising young lock/back-row Ross Haylett-Petty will remain with the Force for a further two seasons after making his Super Rugby debut in 2015.

Lloyd Williams and Matthew Morgan complete the replacements.

Lancaster said: “I thought Browny was excellent”. We have to be more direct, we were a little bit lateral.

Full-back Williams, meanwhile, has not played since the end of last season due to a foot problem, and his Scarlets colleague Lee has been sidelined since suffering an Achilles injury during Wales’ RBS 6 Nations victory over Ireland six months ago.

He seems to get better with age and has it all. The retirement of O’Driscoll was meant to signal the end of an era.

Twenty legends of rugby representing the twenty nations at this World Cup – including Australia’s Michael Lynagh – lined up on either side of the giant rugby ball that was the central focus on the field.

Their quiet confidence is armored by bitter lessons taken from 20 years of failure from the second to the seventh World Cups, having to catch up with rivals on how to play tournament rugby, and the sweet knowledge of what it takes to win the Webb Ellis Cup.

Further coverage: BBC Radio Wales, BBC Radio Cymru, BBC Radio Scotland, BBC Radio Ulster and BBC Local Radio.

Uruguay first five Felipe Berchesi is relishing the once-in-a-lifetime experience of playing Wales in his team’s opening Rugby World Cup match in Cardiff on Monday morning.

“They’re not being arrogant, but it’s seven games – you’ve got to think you can win seven games or why are you even going?”

When Wales started their European Championship qualifying campaign against Andorra last September, it was marked by a lethargic, stilted performance that saw them eke out a victory thanks to Gareth Bale and a spirited defensive effort.

Would you rather be England’s captain or coach for this World Cup? The game is for playing.

That they are favored to achieve both of those objectives in Britain would seem to greatly add to the pressure.

“They were taken by the history here”, Brown told Reuters on a bitingly cold early Spring day in the Midlands as some of his under 14 players went through their routines in replica long flannels, white shirts and red caps while being filmed for a documentary to be...

Wales were made to wait in their bid to secure qualification for next year’s European Championship as Chris Coleman’s side were held to a 0-0 draw by Israel at the Cardiff City Stadium.