rewind 15 years and warren gatland was brought in after a - gatland was brought in after a dismal worlds time around. the challenge for — challenge this time around. the challenge for all _ challenge this time around. iie: challenge for all of challenge this time around. tie: challenge for all of us challenge this time around. ti2 challenge for all of us i think is that we want our regional teams to be competing on and doing better in the competitions and it is great to see the foreman at the beacon and it was tested in doing reasonably well in europe at the urc is a competition involved in and we have all of our teams in the bottom half of the competition. three at the bottom so that for us, for me is a big challenge. bottom so that for us, for me is a big challenge-— bottom so that for us, for me is a big challenge. warren gatland was asked if he contemplated - big challenge. warren gatland was asked if he contemplated to - big challenge. warren gatland was asked if he contemplated to be - big challenge. warren gatland was i asked if he contemplated to be more ruthless and get rid of

back to coach wells as - warren gatland who told me today he didn't know much about the sexist bullyingt results over the past 12 months and under the last regime and they have loss to italy and georgia. the expectation in wales, will be big. shill the expectation in wales, will be bi. �* the expectation in wales, will be bi, ~ . ., the expectation in wales, will be bi. ~ , the expectation in wales, will be bi-. , ., big. all i can say is that the probably — big. all i can say is that the probably the _ big. all i can say is that the probably the last _ big. all i can say is that the probably the last few - big. all i can say is that the | probably the last few weeks big. all i can say is that the i probably the last few weeks i big. all i can say is that the - probably the last few weeks i have seen good performances from the regions which is encouraging, so hopefully players will come into camp with a bit of a spring in their step and be excited about being involved with wales. i know we will work hard and now that ireland may be underdone in the first game with limited preparation bu

warren gatland has named his welsh side to face ireland at a sold out principality stadium in the openingn saturday. leigh halfpenny makes his first wales start for 19 months after returning from a serious knee injury. joe hawkins, who won his first senior cap against australia in the autumn, makes his six nations debut at inside centre. he partners wales' most—capped men's international back george north in the midfield. alun wynjones starts, while dann biggar is back at fly—half after missing the autumn internationals. that's all the sport for now. you can find more on all those stories on the bbc sport website. that's bbc.co.uk/sport. a bbc investigation in egypt has revealed how dating apps and online activity are being used to abuse and blackmail people for their sexuality and gender identity. criminal gangs are targeting vulnerable people online and the state police are also using similar tactics. this report features some distressing scenes from the start. a group of friends ambushed by someone they thought they could trust — naked, terrified, and forced to dance at knife—point. th

to rugby union where warren gatland has named his welsh side to face ireland at a sold out principalityurday. leigh halfpenny will return and make a first wales start for 19 months after a serious knee injury and joe hawkins makes his six nations debut at inside centre. gatland has decided he'll partner the nation's most capped men's international back george north in the midfield. alun wynjones starts, while dann biggar is back at fly half after missing the autumn internationals. england open their campaign against scotland at twickenham on saturday. they'll be a fresh look to the home side with a new coaching team who are impressed by what they've seen so far. there is a freshness about the players at the minute. i have been enormously impressed and how diligent and hard working and profession of the group have been. but also i think they have enjoyed the training and they know it's has been tough and purposeful, and we are trying to prepare for a wonderful side that will be pinned against this weekend. that wonderful side that will be pinned against this weekend.— against this weeken

scarlets hooker ken 0wens will captain wales in the six nations, coach warren gatland has brought in, plus 0spreys pair rhys davies and keiran williams. dan biggar had been in charge for the 2022 six nations and summer gatland said he chose 0wens as his captain, despite him having never previously led his country before because he�*s "incredibly experienced and a passionate welshman". wales began their campaign against ireland. gregor townsend has named ruaridh mcconnochie in scotland�*s six nations squad. the bath wing has switched allegiance having previously represented england, but he hasn�*t played for them for three years. stafford mcdowall, cameron henderson and ben healy have also been named in townsend�*s squad, with all four looking to earn their first cap for scotland. that�*s all the sport for now. from me and the rest of the team, bye—bye. this is bbc news. we�*ll have the headlines and all the main news for you at the top of the hour, straight after this programme. across the uk, people are on strike. in england... there is a growing anger in this country... ..scotland.

one gatland has named his welsh side ——warren gatland has named his welsh side to face ireland at a soldurn and make a first wales start for 19 months after a serious knee injury and joe hawkins makes his six nations debut at inside centre. gatland has decided he'll partner the nation's most capped men's international back george north in the midfield. alun wynjones starts, while dann biggar is back at fly half after missing the autumn internationals. he has been one of the worlds top defensive pull—backs in rugby for a number of years. so much so that teams take time defensively and positioning and use that as part of the review process as well. so it is good to see him back, and he has been training him, who got two experienced players in that position that are going to pretty hard so, i'm just looking forward to seeing him get out there on the field. great britain's four man bobsleigh team are hoping to emulate the success of skeleton's matt weston by picking up the gold medal at the world championships this weekend. they've already had the most successful season ever and are currentl

warren gatland has named his welsh side to face higher than that a sold—out principality stadium in the his six stations debut at inside centre. he has decided he will beckon in in midfield. when jones starts and back at fly half after missing the autumn internationals. that is all your support for now. much more on all of those transfers over on the bbc sport for now. back to you. thank you so much. more now and one of our top stories this afternoon, the prediction by the international monetary fund that the uk economy will shrink by 0.6% this year, that is worse than any other major advanced nation. we can speak now to pauljohnson, director of the institute for fiscal studies, a leading economic research group. that afternoon to you. why is it that the uk sticks out in this way? what are the specific factors that the uk is the on the economy to shrink in 2023 of the major economies as i think the first thing to say is these projections need to be taken with a bit of salt, i suspect this scented —— this isn't exactly how it will pan out, and be used to projections from a couple of mont

coach warren gatland has brought in four uncapped players to his 37—man squad — cardiff duo teddy williamsptain, despite him having never previously led his country before, because he is "incredibly experienced and a passionate welshman". looking at the squad i think as we were _ looking at the squad i think as we were picking a team the way he played — were picking a team the way he played in — were picking a team the way he played in the autumn i know he was coming in _ played in the autumn i know he was coming in from injury and he is probably the number one in that position— probably the number one in that position in the moment. a huge amount— position in the moment. a huge amount of— position in the moment. a huge amount of respect for him as a person— amount of respect for him as a person i— amount of respect for him as a person i think you will be popular with the — person i think you will be popular with the players. he wears his heart on his— with the players. he wears his heart on his sleeve. and i think he will relate _ on his sleeve. and i think he will relate to— on his sleev

scarlets hooker was named as captain for the first time in his career by returning head coach warren gatlandmeans a lot, and it means a lot to my family and everybody who has supported me, it is a big moment for them as well. and their opponents in that opening game are ireland, the side given a boost, with captainjonny sexton declaring himself fit for their opener. the fly—half recently had surgery on a cheekbone injury and feels his side are raring to go for this year's tournament. it's a big year ahead for us and we are in an ok place and we are building nicely, ithink, but we are in an ok place and we are building nicely, i think, but we not near our potential and we need keep exploring that and try to find ways to get better and i think that's the key for a world cup year, keep to continue building and how it looks for the six nations we need to focus on the first game and try and it was away full stop as can be very tough, obviously. and great britain's ellie downie has retired from gymnastics at the age of 23. she anounced it on social media saying that, "after really tough last few y

coach warren gatland has brought in four uncapped players to his 37—man squad — cardiff duo teddy williamsgar had been in charge for the 2022 six nations and summer tour of south africa before tipuric led wales through the autumn nations series. wales begin their six nations campaign against ireland on february 4th. gregor townsend has named ruaridh mcconnochie in scotland's six nations squad. the bath wing has switched allegiance having previously represented england but he has not played for them for three years. stafford mcdowall, cameron henderson and ben healy have also been named in townsend's squad, with all four looking to earn their first cap for scotland. that's all the sport for now. train drivers have announced more strikes on the railways in the first week of february. members of the aslef union will strike on 1st and 3rd february after the union rejected a pay offer — affecting 15 train companies. the first strike will coincide with industrial action by civil servants, teachers and nationwide protests against the government's controversial new strike law. our transport corres

warren gatland has named his welsh side to face ireland at a sold out principality stadium in the openingjury and joe hawkins makes his six nations debut at inside centre. gatland has decided he'll partner the nation's most—capped men's international back george north in the midfield. alun wynjones starts, while dann biggar is back at fly—half after missing the autumn internationals. he has been one of the top defensive fullbacks in world rugby now for a number of years. so much so that i have seen new zealand teams take out clips of him defensively and positionally and use that as part of their review process as well, so it is good to see him back. he has been training well and we have two experienced players in that position that are going to compete pretty hard. i'mjust looking that are going to compete pretty hard. i'm just looking forward to seeing them get out on the field. and leicestershire have signed former india cricket captain ajinkya rahane for the final four months of the 2023 season. the 34—year—old batter will be available after indian premier league duty with chennai supe

meanwhile, wales head coach warren gatland has said he doen�*t know a lot about claims that there iss than i do. i haven�*t read too much of the press about things. it is like anything, there are two sides to every story and you hope you get a balance in terms of both sides being represented in the proper way. the quarter—final line ups are complete at the australian open and there were no signs of the hamstring problem, causing some bother for novak djokovic... who breezed breezed into the last 8. djokovic blew away the australian home favourite alex de minaur injust over two hours on the rod laver arena. djokovic lostjust five games in a comfortable straight sets victory. he�*ll go level with rafael nadal�*s overall record of 22 grand slams if he wins at melbourne park .. it would also be his tenth aussie open title. djokovic paid tribure to his medical team after the win. djokovic will take on russia�*s andrey rublev who�*s seeded fifth. he was involved in something of an epic this morning with denmark�*s holger rune.. it went to a fifth set tie break — before rublevjust edged thr