Member clubs to vote on leadership changes and governance reforms

THE WELSH RUGBY UNION has confirmed that an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) will take place at 6:00pm on Monday (Apr 13) at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff.

The meeting was formally requested by member clubs last month and will, for the first time under governance changes introduced in 2023, be accessible both in person and online. Clubs unable to attend will also be able to vote in advance via proxy, ensuring all members can take part in the decision-making process.

The EGM was triggered after a requisition notice was signed by 50 of the Union’s 282 member clubs.

Three key motions will be put to a vote.

The first proposes fresh elections for four Welsh Rugby Union Council members who currently sit on the Board of Directors, with new elections to be held within 14 days if the motion passes.

The second motion seeks to amend the Union’s Articles of Association to allow any four Council members to serve on the Board, replacing the current structure which requires representation from both district and national council members.

The third motion calls for a vote of no confidence in the WRU’s independent chair, Richard Collier-Keywood, which would result in his immediate resignation from the Board if approved.

The first two motions are classified as special resolutions and will require a 75 per cent majority to pass. The third motion is an ordinary resolution and requires a simple majority of 50 per cent.

The WRU Board has recommended that member clubs vote against all three motions and has issued an explanatory note outlining its position.

The outcome of the meeting is expected to have significant implications for the future governance and leadership of Welsh rugby.

Chris Richmond Hand and co-driver Ben Duke return from Spain with commanding win after gruelling mountain stages

LOCAL rally driver Chris Richmond Hand said he was left “totally gobsmacked” after securing victory on his first appearance at the Rally KH7 Costa Brava 2026 in Spain.

The challenging event, held around Girona near Barcelona, saw Chris and his co-driver Ben Duke return to Wales triumphant with a commanding 45-second lead. More international rallies are now firmly on their radar.

The three-day competition is the oldest historic rally in Spain and attracts some of the world’s finest classic motorsport entries. Being invited to compete was a proud moment for the Teifi Valley Motor Club member.

“Who doesn’t want to go to Spain to compete?” Chris said with a grin. “After 22 hours of travelling and only stopping for fuel, we made it – and what a rally it was. It was absolutely worth every mile.”

Chris remains on cloud nine after taking the Open Class win in demanding conditions. Rain and thick fog added to the already technical challenge of the mountain stages, but the Welsh duo rose to the occasion.

“I don’t really know where to start other than saying follow your dreams,” he said. “Doing an event like this in Spain has always been a bit of a bucket list thing for me.

“If someone had told me a few years ago that we’d be competing in rallies like this, I honestly wouldn’t have believed them – especially doing it in ABX, my Toyota Starlet.”

The rally’s twisting hairpin bends and technical stages proved demanding for both driver and co-driver. For Ben Duke, it was only his fourth time reading pace notes in competition.

“The stages were tough and demanding,” Chris added. “A huge thank you to Ben for doing a brilliant job on the notes all weekend – you absolutely smashed it. I also can’t thank Alex Sasplugas enough for inviting us. It was probably one of the most challenging rallies I’ve ever competed in.”

Chris said the result would not have been possible without the support of his team behind the scenes.

“A huge thank you to the service boys Dafydd Lloyd and Josh Clark – the car was faultless all weekend. That’s a real credit to all the hard work you put in behind the scenes.

“And of course a big thank you to all of our sponsors for their continued support. Without these amazing people, journeys and opportunities like this just wouldn’t be possible.

“Finally, to my awesome wife Letty – thank you for keeping everything afloat while I was away. I couldn’t do any of this without you.”

Chris now has his sights set on the famous Donegal Rally in Ireland later this year, where he hopes to continue his winning run and keep Wales firmly on the international rallying map.

Ramos penalty in Paris seals title as Ireland fall just short and Wales end losing run

FRANCE were crowned 2026 Six Nations champions in one of the most dramatic finales in the history of the tournament, sealing the title with the final kick of the championship on Saturday (Mar 14).

A tense and thrilling final match in Paris saw Les Bleus edge England 48-46, with full-back Thomas Ramos landing a long-range penalty deep into injury time to secure victory and the title. The kick not only broke English hearts but also ended Ireland’s hopes of reclaiming the trophy after they had earlier beaten Scotland in Dublin.

France finished the championship on 21 points, two ahead of Ireland, securing their second consecutive Six Nations title.

The competition, which ran from early February to mid-March, delivered high-scoring matches, historic upsets and a dramatic three-way title race between France, Ireland and Scotland that was only settled in the final minutes of the final game.

Super Saturday drama decides the championship

The tournament’s climax came on the traditional “Super Saturday”, when all three final matches were played on the same day.

Ireland kept their title hopes alive with a commanding 43-21 victory over Scotland at the Aviva Stadium. The win secured Ireland the Triple Crown, awarded to the home nations side that defeats England, Scotland and Wales in the same championship.

Ireland’s result briefly moved them to the top of the table and meant the championship would be decided later that evening in Paris.

Earlier in the afternoon, Wales hosted Italy in Cardiff. Wales produced one of their best performances of the campaign to defeat Italy 31-17, bringing an end to a long losing run in the championship and giving Welsh supporters something to cheer after a difficult period.

With those results completed, the title race came down to the final match of the tournament — the famous “Le Crunch” clash between France and England.

France and England produce classic encounter

The match in Paris delivered one of the most spectacular contests seen in the Six Nations for many years.

Both teams attacked relentlessly in a remarkable 13-try thriller that swung back and forth throughout the evening.

England, who had endured a difficult campaign, produced arguably their best performance of the tournament and repeatedly took the lead against the defending champions. At one stage they looked set to snatch an unlikely victory after Tommy Freeman’s late try put them ahead.

France, however, refused to give up. In the dying moments, Ramos stepped forward to kick the decisive penalty and send the Stade de France into celebration.

The dramatic finish confirmed France as champions and ensured the 2026 Six Nations would be remembered for one of the most extraordinary finales in the competition’s history.

Three-way title race builds throughout tournament

The championship had been finely balanced across the five rounds.

France began strongly and quickly established themselves as favourites, including a record 54-12 victory over Wales in Cardiff early in the tournament.

However, their hopes of completing a Grand Slam were ended when Scotland produced one of the shocks of the championship, defeating France 50-40 in a high-scoring encounter at Murrayfield.

Ireland also remained firmly in the title race despite suffering a heavy defeat to France earlier in the campaign.

Going into the final weekend, France, Scotland and Ireland were all still capable of winning the championship, setting up one of the most exciting finales the tournament has seen in many years.

Italy make history

One of the most memorable moments of the championship came in Rome when Italy defeated England for the first time in Six Nations history, winning 23-18 in a famous upset.

The victory was a major milestone for Italian rugby and underlined the continued improvement of the Azzurri, who have become increasingly competitive against the tournament’s traditional powers.

Italy ultimately finished fourth in the standings, ahead of both England and Wales.

England endure difficult campaign

Despite their spirited performance against France in the final match, England finished the championship with just one victory from five matches.

Early defeats to Scotland and Ireland, followed by the shock loss to Italy, left Steve Borthwick’s side struggling near the bottom of the table before their impressive attacking display in Paris.

However, the seven tries scored against France offered some encouragement that England may yet rebuild momentum heading into future international competitions.

Wales rebuilding after tough period

For Wales, the 2026 championship was largely about rebuilding confidence after a difficult run of results in recent seasons.

Heavy defeats earlier in the tournament highlighted the scale of the challenge facing Welsh rugby, but the final-round victory against Italy provided a welcome lift and brought an end to a lengthy losing streak in the competition.

Although Wales finished bottom of the table, the performance in Cardiff offered some encouragement for supporters looking for signs of recovery.

Standout players of the championship

Several players produced outstanding performances during the tournament.

France’s Thomas Ramos finished as the championship’s leading points scorer with 74, while winger Louis Bielle-Biarrey scored nine tries — the most in the tournament and a new Six Nations record for a single campaign.

Their contributions were central to France’s attacking style and proved decisive in the race for the title.

Final standings

France
Ireland
Scotland
Italy
England
Wales

Championship remembered for dramatic finish

The 2026 Six Nations will be remembered as one of the most entertaining and dramatic editions of the tournament.

From Italy’s historic victory over England to Scotland’s upset win against France and the extraordinary final-day drama in Paris, the championship delivered a competition full of twists and high-scoring rugby.

In the end, the title was decided by the very last kick of the tournament — a moment that ensured the 2026 championship will be remembered as one of the great Six Nations campaigns.