Here are your rugby morning headlines for Thursday, October 30.
Australian rugby legend George Gregan believes Wales will "come back" stronger than ever - but says their revival depends on identifying and nurturing the next generation of talent.
The former Wallabies captain, who faced Wales numerous times during his glittering career, says history shows Welsh rugby always finds a way to rise again after a dip -- and that the foundations for success are already there.
"They'll come back. History shows that'll be the case," Gregan told OLBG. "I remember that period with Sam Warburton and Toby Faletau, it was special. They always have really good scrum-halves and fly-halves, and a hard-working pack led by Alun Wyn Jones.
"Now it's about the next generation. Where's the next group of players coming from? That's the challenge for Wales, to identify and nurture that next group. When they do, they can go on and have a bit of a run."
Gregan also believes the return of Louis Rees-Zammit from his brief NFL adventure could help speed up that process.
"It's good to see Louis Rees-Zammit back," he added. "The fact he wants to play for his country and be part of that rebuild is really good. Sometimes a rebuild can happen quicker than what people think."
While Wales remain in a transitional phase under new head coach Craig Bellamy, Gregan says the sport is stronger when traditional powers like Wales are competitive.
"Having everyone strong is great for the game," he said. "No one likes blowouts - you want games where there's jeopardy. Wales will come back. Every team has dips, but the key is to make sure they don't last too long."
The legendary scrum-half, who captained Australia to the 1999 Rugby World Cup and played more than 130 Tests, also paid tribute to the Welsh rugby atmosphere, hailing Cardiff as the loudest stadium he ever played in.
"Cardiff was the loudest - it was an amazing atmosphere," Gregan said. "With the roof closed, it was special. It was just so loud. Even when it's quiet, it's loud!"
France have tightened security around their training sessions this week amid renewed suspicions of South African "spying" before the two nations meet again in a high-stakes clash, according to reports.
French outlets Le Figaro and Le Parisien claim head coach Fabien Galthié restricted media access at France's Marcoussis base, limiting journalists to just 15 minutes of training time - far less than usual.
The move comes with the South Africa Under-20 side training nearby ahead of a fixture against France's youngsters next month, sparking fears that any onlookers could feed information back to Springboks boss Rassie Erasmus.
The French Rugby Federation normally allows full viewing of training sessions, with the only restriction being a ban on filming line-out calls. However, with memories of past controversies fresh in the mind, Galthié is taking no chances.
Warren Gatland famously accused South Africa of spying on the British and Irish Lions in 2021, claiming Erasmus had inside knowledge of the Lions' play calls.
Erasmus denied those claims, and later alleged Wales had photographed Springbok plans during that same year's autumn internationals.
While there's no suggestion of wrongdoing on this occasion, France remain wary of the world champions' reputation for finding an edge.
Freddie Thomas has backed Louis Rees-Zammit to inject Wales with confidence this autumn and said he's not someone who will be afraid to call people out when standards drop.
There will be one new yet familiar face for Thomas in the Wales camp in the shape of his former Gloucester team-mate Louis Rees-Zammit.
Thomas is confident Rees-Zammit is just what Wales need to get back on track. Get the latest breaking Welsh rugby news stories sent straight to your inbox with our FREE daily newsletter. Sign up here.
"He's an unbelievable player, it's good to have him in the squad," he said. "I was in the Gloucester Academy with him.
"It's always nice to have an old friend back in the group, but he brings experience, he brings energy, he brings what we need in the group which is a bit of excitement.
"He brings an X factor to what we've got in the back three already. Josh Adams, Blair Murray, Tom Rogers, we've got some really dangerous back threes, so he gives us a bit of a competition and a way we want to play, we'll suit having a good, dangerous back three.
"He's definitely not shy, he's a confident bloke and that's what we need, because I feel like there were times last year where it was probably a quiet group and not many boys prepared to speak up in meetings and call each other out.
"I feel like that's where we're trying to take strides this year, like having that accountability where if someone calls you out, that's a good thing where everyone's trying to get better. So having all these boys that are going to speak, it's very positive for the group."
By Duncan Bech, PA Rugby Union Correspondent
Henry Pollock has been warned he is a "marked man" as the England star looks to build on his stellar debut season.
Fresh from appearing on the British and Irish Lions tour to Australia, Pollock has been named on the bench for Saturday's autumn opener against the Wallabies at Allianz Stadium.
The 20-year-old back row continues to generate interest after Steve Borthwick revealed he has been deployed on the wing in training with a view to becoming a hybrid player, a valuable asset in the modern game.
Former England and Lions wing Ugo Monye insists bettering the 2024-25 campaign will be difficult, but is backing Pollock to rise to the occasion.
"I'll quote Henry. He posted this on Instagram on September 23: 'What you've seen so far is only the start'," TNT pundit Monye told the PA news agency.
"I'm here for the next episode because if that's the start, he's going to have an absolute rock star of a career.
"Debut for England, he's nominated for European player of the year, scores two tries on his England debut and goes on a Lions tour.
"But the second season is always tougher and it's undoubtedly going to be a huge challenge for him.
"He would have got away with certain bits and pieces in his first season because people didn't know him so well.
"Now he's a marked man, he's a targeted player, but understanding the personality of Henry, that's what he wants.
"Henry will have a mindset of unequivocally backing himself. He actually won't care. He won't care for opposition, not in a disrespectful way, because he has ultimate belief in his ability."
Monye, who won 14 caps as a wing for England from 2008 to 2012, believes Pollock has work to do if he is to become a viable option in the back line.
"Is Henry Pollock quick enough to play out on the wing? He's not Henry Arundell quick, but he's quick enough," Monye said.
"But his challenge will have to be to develop his aerial game because the way the laws have gone with escort lines and screening, you can get really exposed if you're not good there and you can get really awarded if you are.
"It's a big challenge because there's lots he's going to have to pick up. He's got work to do, not just in the air but understanding the importance of the backfield coverage, working as a unit, all of that. He'll have two years to work on that before he gets the World Cup.
"There are some skill things and some rugby IQ things he will have to learn. The athleticism side of it would be so natural to him, the way he roams and understands the game.
"His feel of the game is lent way more to the mind of a back than it is to a forward, and that's what makes him such a special player."
::The Quilter Nations Series is live on TNT Sports and discovery+ from 1-29 November.
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