These are your rugby headlines from Wales and beyond on Friday, January 21
Biggar's grandfather nearly let cat out of the bag
New Wales captain has spoken of his family's pride after he was named skipper for the Six Nations - but revealed his grandfather nearly let the cat out of the bag early.
Biggar was informed of the news by Wayne Pivac on Monday night ahead of Tuesday's squad announcement. Like all good boys he phoned his grandparents to tell them the good news on the hush-hush.
But it nearly backfired due to their bursting pride in their grandson.
“It’s been a strange couple of days after being tipped the wink on Monday night,” said Biggar.
“I think, admittedly, it’s a bit of a short-term solution with a lot of boys out injured and a lot of senior boys missing – but I’m still very, very proud to be asked and to be seen in that regard by the coaches.
“It’s something I’m looking forward to, I will need some help and guiding through things but I’m really proud.
“My wife’s been taking the mick out of me a little bit, when I ask her to do things around the house, she says things like ‘you wouldn’t have asked me that before you were captain’.
“I phoned my grandparents and told them on Monday night. My grandfather said that it has always been his dream for me to captain Wales.
“I think they were actually more excited about it than me; they phoned all the neighbours to tell them on Monday night before the squad was announced, so I was panicking a bit in case the news got out."
Ireland's huge Six Nations boost
Ireland's chief medical officer Dr Tony Holohan has advised the Irish government that they can begin lifting most remaining Covid restrictions - meaning full houses for Six Nations games in Dublin.
Ireland are set to welcome Wales to the Aviva Stadium on the opening weekend of the tournament.
According to the Irish Mirror, Taoiseach Micheál Martin is set to make a significant State of the Nation address today and will lift the 8pm curfew on pubs.
Dr Holohan has "given the green light" to the Government to lift all Covid rules on the hospitality sector. All restrictions including caps on how many people can attend indoor and outdoor events can be stood down too.
The ruling will fall in line with Wales, with capacity crowds expected at the Principality Stadium for clashes against Scotland, France and Italy.
Along with Wales, the Italians and Scots head to Dublin for this year's competition.
Dupont tests positive
France star Antoine Dupont has tested positive for Covid.
Doubt surrounds Cardiff’s Champions Cup clash away to Toulouse this weekend due to a number of coronavirus cases within the French club, with Dupont the most high profile.
He is one of around 10 who have registered positive results among the players and staff.
Dupont has been sidelined since December 11 with a knee injury, with his preparations for the Six Nations now hampered further by Covid.
Cardiff are preparing for the game to be on despite the hosts' problems.
"We've had no communication from anyone to say the game is in doubt," said Cardiff director of rugby Dai Young.
"So we're just planning as the game is going ahead. We'll crack on.
"It's in the media that there are cases out there. Obviously that's something that we don't get involved in. It's for them [Toulouse] to speak to the relevant parties."
Walker doubles down
Welsh Rugby Union performance director Nigel Walker has doubled down on his ambition to make Wales Women’s programme the best in the world, but said that doesn’t mean it will have the most money.
Twelve Wales Women internationals became the first to become full-time professionals in Wales last week, while another nine semi-professional players have signed “retainer” contracts. Up to six more part-time players will follow suit.
All of the contracts are for 12 months, with negotiations on renewing the deals or offering them to other/more players to begin late this summer or early autumn ahead of the postponed World Cup in New Zealand this autumn.
“This is just the start,” Walker said.
“I said a few months ago that I wanted to build the best women’s programme in the world and that’s still the ambition.
“It doesn’t mean it’ll have the most money or the most players on contracts, but in terms of the ethos around the programme and performance being at the heart of everything we do, it will be the best programme in the world and we’re committed to doing that.
“We know that we need a number of professional full-time athletes in that squad and that will be the ambition. I’m not saying money is no object, but we are going to produce the best programme for our women players that we can.”
Twelve full-time deals were offered after an initial 10 were tabled, but Walker admits he would have liked to have gone further but financial constraints prevent it at the moment.
"If money were no object, would we have 40 players on full-time contracts? Of course we would, but we live in the real world.
"We’ve gone further than we thought we would when we originally came through this process, and I think an important point to mention is [Wales captain] Siwan [Lillicrap] and some of her senior players, we have consulted with them on a regular basis and they felt this was the most workable structure.
"I’m happy with it, the players are happy with it, now there’s a lot of hard work which has been acknowledged for coaches, for support staff, for players, over the coming months to put in a credible performance in the Six Nations and then on to the World Cup."
As for the sustainability and future of contracts, Walker added: "If we didn't think it was sustainable we would not be entering into these contracts.
"One year obviously ties very nicely with the World Cup cycle. We will see where we are when we get to the end of the summer/beginning of the autumn when we start those negotiations for contracts for post-World Cup. The coaches will have a huge part to play in that."
'No Djokovic business going on'
Exeter coach Rob Baxter has hinted Henry Slade has received the vaccine after stating his squad won't have any medical exemptions or "Novak Djokovic business going on" when they travel to Montpellier this weekend.
Slade has been outspoken on Covid-19 vaccinations in the past, initially flagging his suspicions in May 2021.
His vaccination status raised questions for England coach Eddie Jones, with the Red Rose heading to France and Italy during this year's tournament - countries where athletes are prevented from travelling unless they're fully vaccinated.
But Baxter appears to have dismissed those fears - giving Jones a big boost in the process.
“Put it this way, if you don’t see him picked it won’t be because he is injured unless he gets injured today [Wednesday] in training," said the Exeter director of rugby.
"Surmise of it what you want. The truth is – and I know Henry doesn’t mind me saying this – despite what everybody said and what everyone tried to report, Henry never said that he wasn’t going to get vaccinated.
“He said at the time he wanted to see what the situation was and that was months and months and months ago.
"That is all I am prepared to say because that is what Henry said was fine to say. He never said he wasn’t going to have it, he said he wanted to see what the situation was. Everybody else seems to have surmised what they want from that.
“It is not for me to discuss every player’s individual medical status but you guys will see the team when we go over there and we have got no players with medical exemptions or anything like that, so there is no Novak Djokovic business going on anywhere."
Wasps star raises £40k to support Tonga
Wasps' star Malakai Fekitoa says he is yet to hear from his family in Tonga nearly a week after a devastating tsunami swept the island following the eruption of the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai volcano.
His mother and family are from the island where communication lines have been damaged.
He has raised nearly £40,000 on an online fundraiser amid warnings of a crisis on the island.
"I want to make sure that all the aid destined is received by the community," Fekitoa wrote in the initial post for the campaign, before adding: "We need to send essential products, so we will send as many containers as possible from Auckland, New Zealand to Tonga. No matter what kind of help you want to collaborate with, all types of help are appreciate it [sic]. We will provide an address where material products can be delivered."
In an update, he added: "Thanks to all of you who are making this possible. I’m very grateful and overwhelmed by your support. It’s amazing to see how joining forces and working together we can make a big difference. Any type of donation, large or small can have an extraordinary impact. Receiving so much support from you all have [sic] been incredible."
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