Today's rugby news as Wales legend tells Gatland's men to 'box clever' and Stuart Hogg shifted

These are your morning headlines on Monday, October 28

Bomb says Wales will need to 'box clever' to find autumn scalp

Former Wales prop Adam Jones says that Wales will have to 'box clever' if they're to claim a scalp this autumn.

Saying he "always" has hope when it comes to Wales, Jones admitted he didn't know if Wales would end their year-long wait for a Test victory, but added that Warren Gatland's side would give their all despite the off-field troubles in recent years.

"Results-wise, it hasn't been great," said the Harlequins on TNT Sport. "We're kind of behind the eight ball all the time funding-wise, whether it's the regions or the academies.

"The playing base isn't what it used to be, with numbers. It's hard. Traditionally, we've punched above our weight.

"For the amount of professional players we've got, we've always done really well. We've still got class players. Boys like Dewi Lake, Jac Morgan, Dafydd Jenkins - although he's injured.

"Will they beat South Africa? Will they beat Australia or Fiji? I don't know but they'll fight and give their all, which is all they can do, given they're still behind the eight ball a bit."

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When asked if Wales necessarily have the power to compete with the best teams in the world - in particular, Wales' third autumn opponent, world champions South Africa - he added: "If you look at the team they put out in the summer, the young kid from Bath - Archie Grffin - did really well against Australia.

"It's a step-up against Ox Nche and these guys. Not many teams have that size to compete with South Africa now.

"We know we've got to box clever. We've got to go out there and have a crack at them. Ox Nche got on top of Tyrel Lomax and he's one of the best tighthead props in the world.

"It's not an easy feat, but I'm sure Gats will have them revved up and backs against the wall, which traditionally he's been very good at. Us against them mentality and they'll give it a crack."

Hogg shifts position

Stuart Hogg played a key role in helping Montpellier to a 16-0 Top 14 win over La Rochelle at the weekend.

The former Scotland international scored 11 points - three penalties and a conversion- and did so in an unfamiliar position, with the 32-year-old being utilised at fly-half.

The former Glasgow man has made the majority of his career appearances at full-back but has been switched to stand-off where he has flourished.

Speaking before the match, Montpellier head coach Joan Caudullo said: “We have a difficulty in this position and Stuart, who is not a training 10, brings us a lot strategically. He no longer has his 20-year-old legs, which can be seen when he plays at full-back, but he has enormous qualities in animation, for diving into intervals and he communicates a lot.”

The French club have an option to extend Hogg’s contract for the 2025/26 season.

Sheedy hails crowd support

Cardiff fly-half Callum Sheedy hailed the support of their 16th man after their stunning comeback against Ulster on Saturday night.

Matt Sherratt's side were 19-0 at the turnaround at the Arms Park after a thoroughly disappointing first 40 minutes under the floodlights.

But a rejuvenated Blue and Black team emerged in the second half to stun their Irish opponents, with Sheedy himself striking the winning points from a conversion.

Sheedy said: “We came in at half-time and it wasn’t a great position to be in, 19-0 down, but there was no panic. We just knew we had to fire some shots, throw some punches and the second half is probably the best our attack has looked all season.

“We talk about fight and it was there in abundance in the second half. Those last 90 seconds, when you are defending and they are throwing everything at us, those are the reasons you play the game.

“To have that feeling in the changing room where you know you have left literally everything out there and to come away with the win and see the Arms Park like that, it’s really special.

“It was an awesome second half and we will really grow from that.”

Sheedy added: “I thought the crowd were outstanding. That really does give us a boost when it’s in those tight finishes.

“It was amazing. To hear them singing and really getting behind the boys in the last five minutes when we were cooked was really special. I enjoyed that. It definitely helped us get over the line.

“We have spoken about making the city proud of us and we knew we had to really put a marker down to keep them coming back, to make them proud of us, and we obviously went 19-0 down so they would be even more proud of us at the end!

“In all seriousness, you are hoping there will be kids going home from the Arms Park who will be playing for their local rugby club saying ‘Did you watch that game? I want to be like those players’.

“If we are doing that, then we are ticking boxes.”

He concluded: “The connection the players and the crowd have here is really special, with all the kids running on the pitch at the end of the game. I love it. I think it’s awesome. As players, we are in the entertainment business. Without the crowd, we are nothing, so to be able to put a smile on their faces is great.”

Wales star 'in British Lions form'

Another week, another impressive outing for Tomos Williams with new club Gloucester.

The scrum-half has to be Wales' most in-form player right now and will more than likely start as Warren Gatland's first-choice number nine against Fiji next month. And our colleagues at GloucestershireLIve believe he would be the man holding the the Lions shirt if the team was picked right now.

Gloucester beat Newcastle Falcons 36-7 at Kingsholm on Saturday and the Welshman was given a solid 8/10 rating for his exploits.

Rugby writer John Evely wrote: "The scrum-half is an absolute magnet for the ball, either that or he is always in the right place. The ball repeatedly found him from either charged down kicks or dropped passes and he quickly turned them into opportunities to attack.

"He crossed for yet another try after running a nice support line off Wade. If the British and Irish Lions were playing Australia next weekend, he would be my number nine."