Former England prop Henry Thomas will make his first Wales start in Friday's Guinness Six Nations opener against France. The ex-Sale and Bath tighthead, who also played French club rugby for Castres and Montpellier, has won four caps as a replacement since switching allegiance to Wales in 2023.

Households now have a much better idea of their bill increases from April, which will rise at a time when many other bills are also tipped to go up sharply.

The average British household will pay an extra £123 in their annual water bill from April 1. The 26% increase equates to a rise of around £10 a month, from £40 to £50. The change will take the average water and wastewater bill from £480 to £603 for the next year alone.

Household water bills in England and Wales are expected to rise by an average of 26 per cent to £603 this year, marking the biggest annual increase since privatisation 36 years ago.

The Six Nations is almost here as rugby’s annual spring spectacular returns with perhaps the most open edition yet.Defending champions Ireland are on the hunt for an unprecedented three-peat, but face a potentially tricky opener against the team that denied them back-to-back grand slams a year ago.

The ex-Sale and Bath tighthead has won four caps as a replacement since switching allegiance to Wales in 2023.

The UK is set for more icy temperatures later this week where the mercury drops to -5C and there are 13 cities in England and Wales that are predicted to see snow flurries

The UK is facing another Arctic snow blast where temperatures could drop to -6C and snow clouds cover large parts of the country which is still recovering from storm damage

Still reeling from the havoc wreaked by Storms Eowyn, the UK is now in the firing line of a fresh Atlantic low-pressure system, set to clash with icy Arctic air and unleash a fierce winter onslaught

New weather maps show parts of England, Wales, and Scotland blanketed by snow, as the temperature is also expected to plunge to -6C this week.

Josh Hathaway has said he was always going to pick Wales over England ahead of his first Six Nations in the red jersey. The 21-year-old, who featured off the bench for Gloucester days before Wales' tournament opener against France on Friday night, had previously turned out for England U20s.

A France side bolstered by Antoine Dupont will begin their quest to deny Ireland an unprecedented third successive Six Nations title when they launch this year's edition at home to Wales on Friday.