The legislation was passed to protect the rights of workers in devolved areas like health and education.

Mr Drakeford barely disguised his anger over the fact that the plans were revealed “without a word of discussion” with the Welsh Government.

“It speaks volumes of the disrespectful agenda that this Westminster government has towards devolution and of course we will resist it”, he said.

On the principal of replacing rail workers with agency staff, Mr Drakeford saidL “It’s nonsense. The idea that you’ll find an agency worker capable of driving a train, of operating a signal box. These are hugely safety critical roles. This is just a piece of nonsense”.

He then went on to attack the Conservative government more generally, saying: “It’s sand in people’s eyes. Where was that government last week when it ought to have been around the table helping to resolve this difficulty? Why wasn’t it there speaking up on behalf of the travelling public and funding a solution?

“We’ve got a government that’s absent on the job – it doesn’t engage where it ought to engage, and it indulges in makebelieve sorts of policies… to disguise their own abject failures”.

The latest UK Government attack on workers’ rights and devolution – appalling, cynical and undemocratic from a party that doesn’t understand the first thing about social partnership. And it will be resisted. https://t.co/eANtoGS1Fq

— Jeremy Miles (@Jeremy_Miles) June 27, 2022

Numerous Members of the Senedd have objected to the move, including Welsh Liberal Democrat leader Jane Dodds who said: “This latest move by the UK Government is a disgrace. This is just the latest episode in a sustained assault by the Conservative Party on the democratic legitimacy of the Senedd and devolved lawmaking.

“The fact they are overriding our Parliament to try and trample on workers’ rights only makes it all the more disturbing.”

• This article originally appeared on our sister site The National.

Two of their three appointments with the Springboks are at altitude, starting in Pretoria.

And Wales have lost all 10 previous games they have played against the reigning world champions on South African soil.

But Nienaber said: “Wales have been training together for a few weeks now and we have no doubt that they will give everything against us on Saturday.

“They are an experienced squad and they have top-class players in their ranks, with some of them having represented the British and Irish Lions last year, so we are expecting a hard grind of a Test.

“They have physical forwards and backs that spark something from nothing, so we need to deliver a quality performance in order to get our season off to a strong start.”

Leicester number eight Jasper Wiese will start for South Africa at Loftus Versfeld.

The Tigers forward, who scored a try when Leicester beat Gallagher Premiership final opponents Saracens on June 18, features in a powerful Springboks side skippered by Siya Kolisi.

Kolisi is among nine players that started South Africa’s 23-18 victory over Wales in Cardiff last November.

The former Sale pair of scrum-half Faf de Klerk and lock Lood de Jager also start, while Nienaber has opted for six forwards and just two backs among his replacements.

“We have a talented group of players, and we believe the match-day squad we selected ticks the boxes in terms of what we would like to achieve in the opening Test against Wales,” Nienaber added.

“We have a plan for the season in terms of giving some of the young players a chance to show what they can do at international level, while at the same time taking stock of the seasoned campaigners and where they are in terms of their rugby.

“Unfortunately, with such a big squad there will always be a few unlucky players, but it is a fine balancing act to ensure we win Tests, build squad depth and transform as a team in the way we play.”

And Carlo Mey believes it took some time for his team to find the rhythm and creative nous required to overcome a physical Georgia side in their Six Nations Under-20 Summer Series opener. 

Italy’s start to the game was a particular source of frustration for Carlo Mey, as Nika Sutidze muscled his way over inside 90 seconds for the Lelos. 

“The game ended well but we started a bit slowly,” said Carlo Mey. 

“We lost the first impact in the match but then we slowly started to realise how we needed to approach the game.  

“From there it was a physical match and we started to outplay them on the outside but they were very tough physically.” 

The response was not immediate either, as Paata Galdava added a second for the visitors. It was only then that Italy started to execute their game plan, according to Carlo Mey. 

“We were a bit discouraged when they scored, but then we started to work harder and for their forwards it was very tiring,” he explained.  

“We then understood where we needed to play, on the outside and not just going face to face with them because they were very physical.  

“One-on-one they are one of the best teams because they have a very good physique.  

“But we understood what we needed to do and we executed it, not every time, but when we didn’t make any unforced errors, we went well. 

Clermont-bound Carlo Mey believes the Italian support was a factor in the turnaround in their performance, and hopes it is something they can feed off in their upcoming fixtures against Scotland and Wales. 

“It’s very nice to have my family and friends here, it’s not far for them to come,” said Carlo Mey.  

“The national anthem always give you chills and pumps us up every time. 

“I think with even more support maybe the other teams will be discouraged and we can start better.” 

Carlo Mey has particularly happy memories of Italy’s remaining opponents in Pool B, having scored against both Scotland and Wales in the Under-20s Six Nations earlier this year. 

The 18-year-old played down the significance of those earlier wins however, and believes that his side will have to raise their game if they are to secure top spot in their group.  

He said: “We know it’s going to be a tough game because they always play at the maximum and we need to play game-by-game and give our everything every time.”  

The Six Nations Under-20 Summer Series takes place from 24 June – 12 July. Fans can watch every match live. For more information visit: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJHm6BFw-9JRA1CMekNLwMg

Iashvili was impressed by the way his team competed and believes the level of physicality and intensity on show bodes well for the rest of the Summer Series in Treviso.

“It was tough, Italy has a great team,” he said.

“We could win, I think, in the last minutes but we made some easy mistakes, and they are a great international team so they used our mistakes and made some great counter attacks.

“So it was hard, but I do think it was possible to win. We are so frustrated, we could (win) but we didn’t.

“We lost this game I think, and they didn’t win it.”

The Junior Lelos had earlier made a stunning start, with hooker Nika Sutidze powering over inside 90 seconds at the Stadio Di Monigo.

Second-row Paata Galdava then finished off a fantastic team move for Georgia’s second, but roared on by a feverish home crowd, Italy fought back and showed why they are so revered at U20 level, with five well-worked scores of their own.

“We started well but they came back very strongly and it was very hard,” said Iashvili.

“In the attacks and the contact areas I don’t think we lost.

“I think we will win the next match against Wales. But they are a great team too so we hope we will that match.”

Fitness could be a decisive factor against Byron Hayward’s side. Wales were able to rotate their starting fifteen heavily having wrapped up victory over Scotland long before the final whistle.

Georgia meanwhile, fought until the last whistle against the tournament hosts, and it remains to be seen what impact that has on a squad with minimal match practice.

“We played in South Africa against older teams and we lost by some very big scores,” said Iashvili, discussing his team’s preparation for the Summer Series.

“So it was really the first international game in a long time,” said Iashvili.

The No.9 believes the squad coped well with an intimidating atmosphere and showed great maturity to start so well.

Having been refamiliarized with the cut and thrust of international rugby, he is backing them to raise their game for their remaining Pool B fixtures, against Wales on Thursday and Scotland on July 6th.  

“It was a great experience,” said Iashvili. 

“For some of our players their first international tournament, some have just been in U18s.

“It was a very good experience and we will progress very well.”

The Six Nations Under-20 Summer Series takes place from 24 June – 12 July. Fans can watch every match live. For more information visit: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJHm6BFw-9JRA1CMekNLwMg

The free family festival arranged by Newport Live and The Riverfront will take over the city centre for two days, starting on Saturday, July 23, with street theatre, busking, arts and crafts, performances, and more.

Among the groups and performers appearing this year are:

• Showgirl Able Mabel;
• Gary and Pel with their Honeymoon Balloon;
• Roo’d – giant kangaroos on bouncing stilts;
• Theatr Iolo, with Hoof – a show following three little deer who make an unexpected discovery when they stumble across an old, abandoned theatre in the woods;
• Falconry Dismay – an anarchic show featuring the performances of three performers dressed as birds of prey;
• Great Insect Games – two gym junkie grasshoppers invite audiences to take part in some hare-brained events;
• Hippochondriac – featuring part-animal and part-mechanical Hieronymus the hippo, who’s feeling a bit under the weather;
• Hijinx Theatre with Grumpy Unicorns;
• Flossy and Boo with How to Defeat Monsters (and Get Away With it);
• Taking Flight Theatre Co, with The Curious Case of Aberlliw.

There will be many more performances and fun surprises across the city in a range of zones over the weekend including at The Riverfront itself, along the river walkway to the University of South Wales building, in John Frost Square, in Usk Plaza and along Commercial Street.

The Big Splash 2022 is sponsored and funded by a range of organisations including the Arts Council Wales, Newport City Council, Newport Now BID, Friars Walk, Le Pub, University of South Wales, Articulture, Loyal Free, Newport Bus and Alacrity Foundation.

There’s no shortage of intensity in State of Origin but Murray Taulagi appeared to go overboard with a huge hit that forced Cameron Murray off for an HIA in Perth.

New South Wales made a ferocious start to Game II at Optus Stadium, in desperate need of victory to keep their Origin hopes alive after losing the series opener in Sydney.

And with Queensland attempting to keep their fierce rivals at bay, Taulagi tried to go toe-to-toe with Murray but left his rival in need of medical assistance after clipping him in the head.

The Souths lock was bloodied as a result of the hit and needed to go off the pitch for an HIA, but fans were stunned when referee Ashley Klein did not place Taulagi on report.

Nine later reported that Murray passed his head injury assessment and he sported a headband to patch up his bleeding ear. 

Murray eventually returned to the field and was able to continue, while Taulagi could still be charged by the match review committee.

He claimed voters are tired of hearing about what he is “alleged to have done wrong”, and called instead for a focus on “what we’re doing for them”.

It comes as the loss of two crunch by-elections in Yorkshire and Devon and Oliver Dowden’s sudden resignation as Tory chairman have threatened to pitch the PM’s leadership into a fresh crisis.

Speaking to BBC Radio 4’s Today on Saturday, Mr Johnson said his role is to look at exactly what happened and “think which criticisms really matter”.

Put to him that Mr Dowden had said as he resigned that business could not continue as usual, the PM said: “If you’re saying you want me to undergo some sort of psychological transformation, I think that our listeners would know that is not going to happen.

“What you can do, and what the Government should do, and what I want to do, is to get on with changing and reforming and improving our systems and our economy.”

Despite some early speculation in the wake of the by-election results in Wakefield and Tiverton and Honiton, Mr Dowden was the sole Cabinet minister to tender his resignation.

That has not stopped Tory rebels reportedly using the defeats as the springboard for the latest attempted heave against the Prime Minister, with the Times suggesting opponents of Mr Johnson are planning a takeover of the 1922 Committee of Conservative backbenchers in a bid to change the rules to allow another confidence vote on his leadership.

Mr Johnson told Today the only argument of “substance” for a change of direction he has heard from his critics is for the UK to return to the EU single market.

“I would say to them, you know, with great respect – and I love all these people – but don’t forget that the only actual argument that I’ve heard some of my critics make of substance about the change of direction they’d like to see is for us to go back into the EU single market,” he said.

“That’s literally the only manifesto point that I’ve seen.”

On what lessons he will take from the by-election results, he said: “I draw the conclusion the voters are heartily sick of hearing about me and the things I’m alleged to have done wrong.

“What they want to hear is what we’re doing for them. And what I’m setting out for you, or trying to set out, is the ambitions we have (for) the country.”

Mr Johnson suggested he would stand down as Prime Minister if it was put to him he had to “abandon the Ukrainian cause”.

But he later denied saying this was the only principle that would trigger his resignation.

“I didn’t say that – you asked me for an example of a matter of principle, I came up with one,” he said.

The departure of Mr Dowden may also prompt a reshuffle in the Prime Minister’s top team, with reports that Priti Patel could be asked to leave her Home Secretary role to become party chair.

The Liberal Democrats said Mr Johnson’s comments show “this leopard has no intention of changing his spots”.

The Prime Minister also told Sky News by-elections can allow people the “safety valve” of letting off at governments.

Asked on Saturday about his prior comments that he expects voters to beat him up, he said: “Well, I was speaking metaphorically and what I mean is that when you’re the leader of a country, in good times and in bad, you have to think about the criticisms that you get.”

He added: “What I’m saying is politics is about allowing people to have the democratic safety valve of letting off at governments, such as in by-elections. But then the job of a leader is to say, well, what is the criticism that really matters here?

“And I think back to what I was saying, I think it’s, for a long time people were hearing not enough about the things that really matter.”

In the by-election in Tiverton and Honiton, Devon, a dramatic swing of almost 30% from the Conservatives to the Liberal Democrats saw Richard Foord secure a majority of 6,144.

In Wakefield, West Yorkshire, Simon Lightwood was elected with a majority of 4,925 on a swing of 12.7% from the Tories to Labour.