Home is still very much where the heart is when it comes to the regional derbies in the BKT United Rugby Championship. After nine of the 12 games played already this season, only three have ended up in away victories. At the start of last month the Scarlets won 29-23 at the Arms Park, while last weekend saw the Dragons pip Scarlets by a point at Rodney Parade and the Ospreys came from behind to beat Cardiff Rugby.

Wayne Rooney’s sacking as manager of Birmingham City after just 83 days marks a briefer stint in charge than even former Swansea City boss Bob Bradley. Former England captain Rooney oversaw just two wins in 15 games as Blues went from sixth to 20th in the Championship.

Wales and England Six Nations option Immanuel Feyi-Waboso will be free to choose the three feathers or the red rose, his club Exeter have insisted. Exeter rugby director Rob Baxter says there will be no pressure from the Chiefs about where Cardiff-born Feyi-Waboso’s potential international career should lie.

Gwalia Lightning secured an impressive 20-5 victory over rivals Brython Thunder in the historic first Welsh derby in the new expanded Celtic Challenge tournament at a rain sodden Rodney Parade in Newport on New Year’s Day. The first game of a unique Welsh derby double-header at the home of Dragons Rugby saw both sides go toe-to-toe in a physical and uncompromising contest in torrential rain to mark an exciting new chapter in women’s rugby in Wales.

Dai Flanagan has told his Dragons players their victory over the Scarlets must become the baseline standard and not a high-point one-off. The Rodney Parade coach – under pressure after his team’s embarrassing capitulation to Cardiff on Boxing Day – praised his team for their 13-12 home win over Dwayne Peel’s men.

Alan Sheehan says he expects the process of appointing a full-time manager at Swansea City to be completed this week. The caretaker boss insists the vacancy needs to be filled within days despite earning a 1-0 home win over West Bromwich Albion on New Year’s Day.

Toby Booth praised his “old school” Ospreys players after they beat Cardiff in a match that looked as if it was straight out of the 1980s. The Ospreys coach was full of praise for the character shown by his players as they marked New Year’s Day 2024 with a game-plan that could have come from 40 years ago.

Erol Bulut believes Cardiff City’s fighting spirit can underpin a promotion challenge in 2024 – provided it is made stronger with some January signings. Perry Ng scored the winner as Cardiff beat QPR 2-1 at Loftus Road to increase the west London club’s relegation worries.

New Year but same old pecking order for the Welsh regions? Coach and rugby analyst Tomas Marks examines the evidence from the Boxing Day derbies and looks for clues as to what might happen on New Year’s Day when the Ospreys host Cardiff and the Dragons welcome the Scarlets. Cardiff and the Ospreys were the resounding winners of the Boxing Day derbies with Cardiff blowing the Dragons away with ease within 40 minutes. The Ospreys survived a tough first half against the Scarlets but managed to score 25 points in the second half to win at Parc y Scarlets for the first time since 2015.

Alan Sheehan praised the character of his Swansea City side after they came from behind to secure a point in a 2-2 draw at Coventry City. The Swans had trailed 2-1 in stoppage time at the CBS Arena, but a strong finish to the contest was rewarded when Liam Cullen curled home a free-kick in the 93rd minute.

Erol Bulut has insisted Cardiff City’s season is going to plan – despite a 2-0 home defeat to Leicester City that leaves the Bluebirds with a record of six defeats and only three wins in their last 10 matches. Goals from Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and James Justin eased Championship leaders Leicester to a 20th league victory in 25 matches in a dominant display.

With only two wins in the BKT United Rugby Championship in the first half of the 2023-24 season, Scarlets head coach Dwayne Peel is hoping for a better start to 2024 when he takes his side to Rodney Parade for a New Year’s Day derby clash with fellow strugglers, the Dragons. The Dragons are currently propping up the table with only one win, at home against the Ospreys, to their credit.

Erol Bulut insists Cardiff City can do what no Championship club has done since the start of November – beat leaders Leicester City. The Bluebirds host the high-flying Foxes on Friday night, desperate for three points to re-energise their push to be among the play-off places.

Fifth seed and former champion Gerwyn Price was dumped out of the PDC World Darts Championship after a 4-2 defeat to Enniskillen’s Brendan Dolan. Dolan held his nerve to close out the match with his first shot at tops after Price had clawed his way back from two legs down to level in the sixth set.

Former Pontypridd wing Owen Robins is bowing out. Having been one of the most strident and passionate voices within Welsh rugby on social media for years – as well as one of the most regularly abused – this article, he claims, is his final contribution to the ongoing debate about how the sport should be organised in Wales.. After this, no more.

Ian Evans has stepped up to become the new joint head coach at Merthyr RFC until the end of the season. The former Wales and Lions second row – who was a regular alongside Alun Wyn Jones during the early part of Jones’ international career – has replaced Rowland Phillips, together with Gareth Davies..

Amidst all the euphoria of Manchester United’s stunning 3-2 comeback victory over Aston Villa on Tuesday, one Welshman sat calmly in the Old Trafford stands processing what had just occurred. A sizeable majority of supporters in the stadium might not even have recognised Dave Brailsford.

Jim Williams can grab some more limelight by taking on teenage star Luke Littler with one more big win at the PDC World Championship. Welsh star Williams has already enjoyed making the early headlines at the tournament when he shocked former world champion Peter Wright with a stunning round two triumph.

Jockey Caoilin Quinn reckoned it was the best day of his life after he turned the Coral Welsh Grand National into a mud-splattered procession on Nassalam. The big race winner capped an afternoon to remember for trainer Gary Moore when showing stamina in abundance to trumph at Chepstow.

Toby Booth declared it a case of “job done” after his Ospreys team earned a routine 25-11 derby victory over the Scarlets. The Boxing Day clash was the first time the Ospreys had won at Llanelli since 2015, but the over-riding feeling was, why had it taken them so long?