Happy new year everyone - here is the rugby news for January 1 with an exciting 12 months ahead as Wales go in defence of their Six Nations title.
Biggar - 'Huge, huge step backwards with no crowds'
Dan Biggar is concerned by the negative impact playing behind closed doors could have on Wales' Six Nations title defence.
The champions' first home game takes place against Scotland on February 12, with two more Principality Stadium fixtures to come against France and Italy.
But under Covid restrictions imposed by the Welsh Government, only 50 spectators are permitted to view outdoor events.
READ MORE: Gwyn Jones on why Biggar should captain Wales
The guidelines are reviewed weekly and First Minister Mark Drakeford has refused to give assurances that fans will be permitted to return in time for the Six Nations as case numbers for the Omicron variant continue to surge.
A capacity Welsh crowd for three games would be a huge boost for Wayne Pivac's side who, as things stand, face the prospect of playing over half the competition on home soil with the tiniest of crowds. In contrast, there will be an 82,000 Twickenham full house for Wales' game away to old enemy England.
Biggar insists unless the rules are eased, Wales will be surrendering the benefit of playing in Cardiff.
"It would be great if we could have fans, wouldn't it? You see what a difference it makes to an occasion. You saw it in the autumn, getting crowds back," said the Wales and Lions playmaker.
"Everyone coming to games has to have a passport, they'll be double or triple-jabbed and it's an outdoor event, so I don't see why they wouldn't be allowed in.
"It would be a huge, huge step backwards if there are no crowds for clubs and the Six Nations, which is obviously such a showpiece event.
"We played a lot of games with no crowds and if you look at the first handful of them, they almost felt like training games.
"It felt like it did not really matter whether you won or lost because it felt like a training match and the intensity was knocked out of it. You lose any advantage of playing at home."
Scotland, Ireland and France also have restrictions on numbers in place, while in Italy full houses are permitted provided fans have proof of vaccination.
"I'm just relieved to have signed for a club in England. I think the rest of the lads in Wales are pretty frustrated with it. That's normal, frustration, isn't it?" continued Biggar.
"We are probably getting into different things with politics now, but I think everything should be aligned.
"I hope for an event like the Six Nations and for the game up and down the UK moving forward that we get some sort of sensible outcome."
Biggar stressed the welfare of the public is what matters most, but if they have had the vaccinations "then I think it makes sense to keep crowds in."
Healey backs France for title
Austin Healey is tipping France to roar to the Six Nations title as he reckons rugby gets exciting again.
The former England star star says the collision dominated game has bored him in recent years and was heavily critical of the 'crash, bang, wallop rugby' produced by Warren Gatland's Lions and South Africa this summer.
But he feels huge strides are being made in the English Premiership, with teams taking a more adventurous approach, and reckons that brand will work at Test level too - with France the beneficiaries.
"For the past five, 10 years I had been progressively more bored watching rugby," Healey wrote in a column for the Telegraph.
"What we have seen in 2021, and it started with Harlequins, is the removal of the psyche of the forward bashing through brick walls to win games, and a realisation of what rugby is really about.
"Scrums are there to restart the game and supply the backs with steady ball, lineouts are there to either drive if you can to score, or create space for your attack.
"The belligerent bashing of each other has finally fallen foul to the running rugby we want to see.
"Harlequins were the team that set the pace. Rather than trying to not lose a game, go out to try and win it. It doesn't matter if we concede three tries, because we'll score five or six.
"And because of that mindset, everybody young and old wants to go and watch the game."
He continued: "We had the abject failure of the Lions tour - crash, bang, wallop rugby. A lot of that was driven by where they were - empty stadiums, a lack of emotion, the TMO process being a failure."
Healey says English referees have upped their game and "realised they are there to help facilitate entertainment."
He continued: "That attacking approach domestically is catching on internationally too. France are leading the charge at Test level and I think they will win the Six Nations and most likely the Rugby World Cup in 2023 as well."
Scarlets and Ospreys ready for battle
A major festive rugby game finally takes place today - we hope - when big rivals the Scarlets and Ospreys do battle in Llanelli.
The Ospreys welcome back Keelan Giles for his first competitive start in almost 10 months, while Liam Williams is down to make his first start of the season for the Scarlets.
Josh Macleod also returns 10 months after the injury that cruelly snatched a first Wales cap away from the west Walian. He had been named in the side to face Scotland, only to damage an Achilles in training 30 minutes after the internal team announcement.
Macleod and Williams would have played against Cardiff at the Arms Park on Boxing Day had the game not been postponed amid Covid cases in the home squad.
Williams hasn’t figured for the Scarlets since the Heineken Champions Cup clash with Sale in the spring, with injuries and Wales calls leaving him off limits to the Llanelli-based region.
His return will be eye-catching for the watching TV audience, but there will also be attention on Giles' Ospreys comeback.
He hasn’t begun a league or cup game since the date with Glasgow Warriors last March. Injuries have hammered him over the past three seasons, but the youngster who was on Wales’ radar as an 18-year-old is fit again and ready to launch another comeback.
The Wales U20s Grand Slammer from 2016 features in an Ospreys team still without Justin Tipuric as the flanker and club captain battles to return from the shoulder injury he picked up on Lions duty in the summer.
The Ospreys are seeking their first victory at Parc y Scarlets since 2015.
Scarlets : Liam Williams; Johnny McNicholl, Steff Hughes, Scott Williams (capt), Steff Evans; Dan Jones, Gareth Davies; Rob Evans, Ryan Elias, Harri O’Connor, Sam Lousi, Tom Price, Blade Thomson, Josh Macleod, Sione Kalamafoni.
Ospreys : Dan Evans; Keelan Giles, Michael Collins, Owen Watkin, Luke Morgan; Josh Thomas, Rhys Webb (capt); Nicky Smith, Elvis Taione, Tomas Francis, Will Griffiths, Adam Beard, Ethan Roots, Jac Morgan, Morgan Morris.
England Six Nations injury boost
Jamie George has recovered from a knee problem to give England's Six Nations title quest a lift.
Eddie Jones' second choice hooker sustained the injury in a 32-15 victory over Australia during the autumn and was not expected to return until the end of January.
But he has been named in the starting XV and captain for Saracens' Gallagher Premiership trip to Northampton on Sunday.
"Jamie was nearly OK for last weekend but now he's raring to go. It's great to have him back," Saracens boss Mark McCall said.
England open their Six Nations against Scotland on February 5 with only 500 fans allowed to attend Murrayfield because of Covid-19 restrictions.
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