Here are the latest rugby headlines on Tuesday, January 10.
Rees-Zammit update
Andrew Baldock, PA
Louis Rees-Zammit appears increasingly unlikely to be fit for Wales' opening Guinness Six Nations games against Ireland and Scotland.
The Gloucester wing suffered an ankle injury during his team's Gallagher Premiership defeat at Leicester on Christmas Eve.
And while he is continuing to progress on the rehabilitation front, Ireland's visit to Cardiff on February 4 looks too soon.
"He is doing all right," Gloucester head coach George Skivington said.
"I think he will be available mid-Six Nations. That is a rough guide and not set in stone, though."
Rees-Zammit has missed Gloucester's last two Premiership fixtures, and he will now sit out Heineken Champions Cup appointments with Leinster and Bordeaux-Begles.
Rees-Zammit, who has won 22 caps, would be a major attacking weapon for Wales head coach Warren Gatland.
Gatland, in charge of Wales for a second time, is due to name his Six Nations squad next week.
While the back-three positions are not an area of weakness, given players like Liam Williams, Leigh Halfpenny, Josh Adams, Rio Dyer and Alex Cuthbert are available, Rees-Zammit offers an additional try-scoring dimension.
After the Ireland Test, Wales tackle Scotland at Murrayfield seven days later before hosting England on February 25.
Young star tipped to 'bleed departing Wales lock dry'
Wales second-row Ben Carter has been tipped to bleed departing lock Will Rowlands dry as he gets set to take over the boiler room at the Dragons.
Rowlands, who is currently out injured, will leave Rodney Parade for France at the end of the current season after falling victim to Welsh rugby's contract freeze - leaving the 21-year-old Carter as the main man in Dai Flanagan's second-row.
The loss of Rowlands, who was named the Welsh Rugby Writers' Player of the Year in 2022, is huge, with Wales having lost two other senior second-rows suddenly in the past few years, but Dragons forwards coach Luke Narraway is hopeful that Carter can extract as much knowledge from the former Wasps man before he leaves Gwent this summer.
"They work quite closely and well together," said Narraway. "They're quite similar characters and they play the game quite similar as well. Will's a little bit older and a little bit more experienced.
"I know that they're quite close in terms of how they see the game and Will shares his experience with Ben. One thing I'd say about Ben is he's a proper student of the game.
"When he was injured, he was coming up to me and asking how he could get better or review teams differently. He'll leave no stone unturned. I'm sure he'll bleed Will dry in terms of experience and make sure he gets everything out.
"I see no reason why they can't still play together for Wales. Ben's such a young man, he could have a really big career."
Carter featured for Wales during the autumn campaign, but has been out injured in recent weeks for the Dragons. However, he is in contention to feature against Pau this weekend - days before Warren Gatland names his Six Nations squad.
Narraway added that Carter's consistency at such a tender age was crucial, believing he has the ability to add more impact to his game that would see him nail down a place as a Wales regular in years to come.
"Ben's a quality player," he added. "He's shown that at international level as well. He's been in a few squads now and that shows the belief they've got in him.
"He's got a few people in front of him with plenty of experience. It is up to Ben to try muscle his way into that.
"He's one of the most consistent 21-year-olds I've seen. It's how he gets that consistency mixed in with moments where he really affects games. I see no reason he can't do that and be a stalwart for Wales for the next decade."
Emerging Welsh flanker aims to be like Savea
Scarlets openside Dan Davis has revealed he models his game on New Zealand legend Ardie Savea.
Davis made Welsh rugby sit up and take notice over the festive period with a couple of outstanding performances in the Scarlets' victories against Dragons RFC and Cardiff, respectively.
The 24-year-old offers something different to the other sevens in Wales with his explosiveness and dynamism, especially in the wide channels which is similar in style to All Blacks loose-forward Savea.
"Growing up I looked at the likes of Ardie Savea in New Zealand," said Davis.
"I just think he's class in terms of how explosive he is and his physicality. I just think that's something I try to model in my game, and something that I strive to be like."
Davis also revealed he was inspired by Wales pair Justin Tipuric and Sam Warburton.
"Players like Justin Tipuric who is class and Warburton," he said when asked if he had any Welsh rugby role models growing up. "They are quality.
"I strive to be similar to them. Most of the sevens in Wales are pretty dynamic but I like to back my footwork and explosiveness.
"It's just trying to improve all areas of my game and showing it on the weekend."
Super Cup hoping for Challenge Cup link
Rugby Europe's Super Cup are hopeful of establishing a link with the EPCR that could see clubs from emerging nations like Georgia, Romania, Portugal and Spain involved in the Challenge Cup.
After Georgia defeated Italy and Wales last year and Portugal qualified for this year's World Cup, the need for clubs from these nations to play at a higher level is apparent. The first two Super Cups have been won by Georgian club Black Lion - for whom many of the side that defeated Wales in Cardiff play.
The tournament also hosts clubs from Belgium, Israel and Netherlands. The tournament is expected to expand from eight teams in its first two iterations to 16 by 2025, but it would appear that becoming involved with the European rugby's second tier, the Challenge Cup, is the long-term aim.
Rugby Europe Super Cup's Head of Communication, Philippe Tuccelli, said: "We have a working relationship with EPCR and we are working and talking together about this possibility.
"We want to have a link between the Super Cup and the Challenge Cup. We are discussing and this is one of the topics on the table.
"Super Cup is both a commercial and development competition. The aim is to provide meaningful matches to unions who do not have access to EPCR competitions.
"World Rugby has been supporting this competition since day one. The Super Cup is a core investment between Rugby Europe and Super Rugby and that competition couldn't have happened without World Rugby."
Cowan-Dickie to miss start of Six Nations
England hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie will miss at least the start of the Six Nations with a "serious" ankle injury that will likely need surgery.
The 29-year-old went off during the second-half of Exeter's win over Northampton last weekend, with the Lions hooker not travelling to South Africa for their Champions Cup clash with the Bulls.
"Luke's injury looks relatively serious," Exeter director of rugby Rob Baxter told BBC Radio Devon.
"He's seeing a surgeon today; that will maybe give us a more definitive outcome and timing."
The 41-cap international is joining Montpellier next season, but Baxter suggested he could return from this injury before the end of the current campaign. However, England's tournament opener against Scotland on February 4 will come too soon - as might much of the Six Nations.
"It does look like an operation is going to be required but that said, at this stage, it wouldn't be a season-ending situation," Baxter said.
"We could still see him back for a good chunk of the season if rehab and everything goes well."
Read more:
England pick two of Wales' brightest prospects for Six Nations amid fears they could be lost
Welsh rugby team score 'try of the season' with move from the Gods
Warren Gatland's likely new full Wales coaching team as things stand
The life and tragic death of Carwyn James, the lonely Welsh rugby genius who worked as a spy
