Tonight's rugby news as Wales duo given first chance to impress Gatland and Shane Williams' new job starts with a bang

Here are your rugby evening headlines for Thursday, September 19.

Sheedy and Davies among six handed Cardiff debuts

Callum Sheedy will make his first competitive start for Cardiff in their United Rugby Championship opener against Zebre Parma on Friday night.

Sheedy is one of six debutants in the starting XV. alongside scrum-half Aled Davies, wing Iwan Stephens, former England lock Josh McNally, loosehead Danny Southworth and openside Dan Thomas. Former Ireland prop Ed Byrne and South African scrum-half Johan Mulder are named among the replacements.

Head coach Matt Sherratt has also selected Wales summer tourists Mason Grady, Ben Thomas, Cam Winnett and James Botham. “It's brilliant to hand competitive debuts to eight new players, particularly with a home game at the Arms Park," said Sherratt.

“You’ve got guys coming in with experience of playing in big Premiership, European and international games and we are hoping some of that seeps into the club as well." Cardiff are without Wales caps Josh Adams, Ellis Bevan, Thomas Young and Seb Davies who are not fit enough to figure.

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“It's brilliant to hand competitive debuts to eight new players, particularly with a home game at the Arms Park," said Sherratt. “You’ve got guys coming in with experience of playing in big Premiership, European and international games and we are hoping some of that seeps into the club as well.

"It's great to have Callum back at Cardiff. He's a local boy who grew up on the terraces here and you can already see what it means to him to be here.

"It's a great fit because he has good attitude, great skill set and will give us composure on the field. I hope he plays for us the way he played for Bristol."

Shane's new job starts with a bang

Ysgol Dyffryn Aman got off to a winning start under Wales legend Shane Williams, beating Coleg Sir Benfro 24-5 in their Welsh Schools and Colleges League B opener.

Wales' record try-scorer landed the surprise new job as head of rugby at his old school earlier this year. You can read why he's taken on the role here.

Posting on social media, Williams said: "First game of the Wales Schools and Colleges season and off to a flyer! 24 - 5 win.

"Very scrappy game which was down to a resilient and tough @pembscollege team! Thank you for a proper game of rugby and good luck with the rest of the season! Onto the next one boys."

Elsewhere in League B, Bridgend College convincingly saw off Neath Port Talbot College 64-19, while there were also wins for Coleg Gwent and Newport High School over Ysgol Ystalyfera and Christ College Brecon respectively.

In League A, Gower College got the best of Coleg Sir Gâr, Llandovery College came out on top over Cardiff & Vale College, and Whitchurch High School were convincing winners against Coleg Llandrillo.

Former Cardiff and Wasps fitness guru swaps rugby for football

Cardiff Rugby's former head of physical performance Trystan Bevan has joined women's football club Gwalia United as General Manager of Performance.

Bevan is highly respected within rugby circles having held roles with Cardiff, Wasps and Newport RFC. His main goal is to help Gwalia, who are in the third tier of women's football in Wales, reach the Women's Super League.

“The one word I believe could summarise Gwalia is ambition," he told the BBC. "When I started speaking with Julian [Jenkins, club co-owner] at the start of the year, he made it clear he knows where we are, but also we know where we want to go.

"We also have to look at the landscape in Wales at the moment. Women’s sport is growing at a rate that’s quite significant, so it’s very exciting for me to be in the middle of it."

All Blacks get double injury boost for crunch Bledisloe Cup clash

The All Blacks have been handed a double injury boost with prop Ethan de Groot and wing Caleb Clarke returning to the starting XV to take on Australia in Sydney.

Both players missed New Zealand's narrow defeat to South Africa a fortnight ago but are back in situ for the first Bledisloe Cup clash. The All Blacks' hopes of winning the Rugby Championship ended with defeat in Cape Town and head coach Scott Robertson is under pressure to retain the Bledisloe Cup against an Australia side who shipped 67 points against Argentina last time out.

Robertson has also decided to bring Beauden Barrett back into the starting XV with the 33-year-old starting at full-back. “We have selected an experienced team which has combinations that have played some of our best rugby this season,” he said.

"The Bledisloe Cup is so revered by both of these teams, we are expecting a classic showdown against our Australian rivals. We have acknowledged the rich history of the Cup this week as a team and recognise that history does not bestow any rights. The Bledisloe Cup is always hard-earned and each year is its own chapter in the Bledisloe story.”