Gatland compelled his successor not to 'break his heart' and ruin his legacy after the third-fourth playoff defeat. The New Zealander has set a fine platform for his fellow countryman.

Edwards spent almost 12 years in a similar role with Wales and departed alongside head coach Warren Gatland following the side's fourth-place finish at this year's World Cup.

EXCLUSIVE BY WILL KELLEHER: Gatland confirmed the Lions have been to date knocked back in their attempts to convince the Premiership to move their final in 2021 by a week.

WILL KELLEHER: The Welsh Rugby Union have been leading an investigation into the former attack coach's conduct since he was jettisoned from Japan on September 17.

The BBC unveiled their six-strong shortlist for this year's Sports Personality of the Year on Monday. The public will vote on December 15 with the winner crowned in Aberdeen that night.

Ben Stokes is the bookies' favourite for the top gong but Fury feels aggrieved by his omission before taking to Twitter to list why he should be up for the public vote.

The three-time Six Nations Grand Slam-winning coach, who left Wales after 12 years in charge after the World Cup, is coaching the Barbarians against his former team on Saturday.

OLIVER HOLT: Ben Stokes stopped the sporting world last year with two magical moments. There are six credible SPOTY candidates, but Stokes would get my vote.

WILL KELLEHER AT THE PRINCIPALITY STADIUM: Warren Gatland bid a final farewell to Wales with a special send-off match with his former flame.

Dan Biggar has always been up for the fight. When the Wales fly-half signed for Northampton Saints in the autumn of 2017, the East Midlands club were spiralling down the Premiership.

RORY KEANE AT THE AVIVA STADIUM: It took an entire game to ship 43 points to Leinster last weekend. On Saturday night, the Saints had conceded the same total after 48 minutes

Sportsmail sensationally revealed that Howley had been sent home from Japan on the eve of the World Cup after a bookmaker, Betway, alerted the WRU of a rule breach.

The 28-year-old has been at English and European champions Saracens since 2017, but in 2020 the full back will rejoin the Scarlets where he will earn in the region of £400,000 a year.

MARCUS TOWNEND AT CHEPSTOW: Davies is currently sidelined having undergone knee surgery after being injured while playing Fiji in the World Cup.

CHRIS FOY'S WORLD OF RUGBY: Wayne Pivac has to pick him. How can he resist? Wales' head coach must decide in the next 48 hours if he believes 'if you're good enough, you're old enough.'

Teen sensation Louis Rees-Zammit re-confirmed his desire to play for Wales after agreeing a new contract at Gloucester.

The 18-year-old Gloucester winger, who has been in phenomenal form for his club scoring nine times in 10 matches this season, could make his debut against Italy the day after his 19th birthday.

Teen star Rees-Zammit can have an instant impact for Wales in the Six Nations according to new coach Wayne Pivac, who included the 18-year-old as one of five uncapped players in his squad.

EXCLUSIVE BY MATT HUGHES: The Six Nations powerbrokers are largely content with the existing deal, which is worth £90m a year between the BBC and ITV and is delivering record viewing figures.

SIR CLIVE WOODWARD: The 2020 Six Nations campaign will begin on Saturday, February 1 with a number of teams eyeing glory in this year's competition.

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW BY CHRIS FOY: It turns out that balancing on a rock perched above the waves of the Mediterranean, is not Shaun Edwards' natural habitat.

Louis Rees-Zammit can be the new George North for Wales in the Six Nations, according to his more senior team-mates. The 18-year-old Gloucester winger could make his Test debut on Saturday.

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW BY RIATH AL-SAMARRAI: George North has started to notice something on those occasions when he cannot hide from the inevitable.

George North looks likely to line up at outside centre in Wayne Pivac's new-look Wales team to face Italy as Rhys Webb is set for a recall.

George North's move to centre for Wales was confirmed on Thursday afternoon as Wayne Pivac revealed his first Test side for the Italy Six Nations game.

Louis Rees-Zammit missed out on his Welsh debut this week as he has hardly been able to train due to his English exile, according to coach Wayne Pivac. The teen isn't in the Wales squad to play Italy.

WILL KELLEHER IN CARDIFF: Wales often overachieved, pulled performances from nowhere... galvanised by Gatland they showed heart and fire. Now they face life after him with Pivac.

WILL KELLEHER AT THE PRINCIPALITY STADIUM: PC Pivac's first job on the Welsh beat went without a hitch as the former copper's new side thrashed Italy easily in Cardiff.

BY WILL KELLEHER AT THE PRINCIPALITY STADIUM: Wales will be ready for a rude awakening in Dublin on Saturday - aware that Ireland will not walk on to their punches as Italy did.

ROUND-UP: The Six Nations kicked-off this weekend with a thrilling round of fixtures, as Ireland, France and Wales got off to the perfect start, as our team of the filled up with French players.

With England firing bombs at their Championship rivals each week, and Scotland responding with talk of 'hate', Wales coach Wayne Pivac is finding the pre-match mudslinging all a bit unnecessary.

There have been concerns over Biggar's concussion record, having taken two blows to the head during the World Cup against Australia and Fiji in September.

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.

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.

The last two Tests between Wales and France have been edge-of-the-seat thrillers. Both were won by wily Wales just when all looked lost:

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.

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.

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.

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.

Wales' oracle has spoken and delivered doses of reality to his nation. Alun Wyn Jones does not talk much, but when he does it is worth listening to the totemic and decorated captain.

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.

CHRIS FOY: Twickenham will be a sanitised zone but the health and safety initiatives will not extend to the field of play, as England seek to end Six Nations campaign with a vengeance.

MIKE BROWN: Players love seeing what grenades Eddie Jones throws during his press conferences. Sometimes they will be watching on social media to see what he comes out with.

SIR CLIVE WOODWARD: It might have been a little subdued before the match but we should have known England and Wales would provide some action to perk us up. The 33-30 win for England was all action.

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

Sportsmail's Chris Foy gives his thoughts on the Six Nations with England now sitting top of the table following their win over Wales and France's defeat to Scotland on Sunday.

Joe Marler has given his response to the storm over his manhandling of Alun Wyn Jones's genitals with Piers Morgan among those weighing into the debate on Twitter.

Joe Marler's England future has been left in doubt as he awaits confirmation of a citing for manhandling Alun Wyn Jones's genitals, amid fresh Test retirement speculation.