Emma Finucane admitted she was in disbelief after capping a breakout year by becoming Britain’s first women’s sprint world champion in a decade at the UCI Cycling World Championships. The 20-year-old Welsh rider got the better of Germany’s Lea Friedrich to win the final 2-0, the first time Britain had picked up a medal of any colour in this event since fellow Welsh star Becky James took the world title in 2013.

Dewi Lake will captain a Wales team that includes Scarlets centre Joe Roberts on debut – one of 15 changes – in Saturday’s World Cup warm-up clash against England at Twickenham. Roberts, 23, is partnered in midfield by Nick Tompkins, while there are also starts for the likes of wing Tom Rogers, fly-half Owen Williams, lock Rhys Davies and flanker Tommy Reffell.

Michael Duff has revealed Swansea City are in talks with star striker Joel Piroe over extending his stay with the club. The Dutchman is out of contract next summer and gave head coach Duff a first-hand look at what he can do by scoring two of his side’s goals in a 3-0 demolition of League One side Northampton in the first round of the Carabao Cup.

Even if Rob Edwards’ Luton Town start the season as relegation favourites, their rise from non-league to Premier League in nine years serves as an example to other small clubs with big ambitions. Wrexham co-owner Ryan Reynolds has certainly taken note, the Hollywood A-lister quick to congratulate The Hatters and their former Wales defender-turned-manager on social media for their May 27 promotion and adding a watching eyes emoji.

Wales coach Warren Gatland looks set to hand Scarlets centre Joe Roberts a Test debut among wholesale changes for Saturday’s second Rugby World Cup warm-up game against England. Wales head to Twickenham on the back of an impressive 20-9 victory in Cardiff that saw then score 14 unanswered second-half points through converted tries from Gareth Davies and George North.

Elynor Backstedt admitted she felt “gutted” after she missed out on a medal by seconds at the UCI Cycling World Championships. The Welsh star finished fourth in Glasgow in the team time trial mixed relay as Great Britain were just edged out of a place on the podium.

Alex King has warned Wales that England will be “hurting” ahead of their Twickenham rematch. England were underwhelming in Saturday’s 20-9 defeat to Wales in Cardiff and received strong media criticism for that poor display ahead of head coach Steve Borthwick naming his 33-man World Cup squad on Monday.

Jac Morgan and Sisilia Tuipulotu have been crowned winners again after picking up the Welsh Rugby Writers’ Association awards for 2023. Morgan – who led the Wales men’s team to an eye-catching victory over England last weekend – and Tuipulotu, a player-of-the-match winner in the Women’s Six Nations victory over Ireland and shortlisted for Player Of The Tournament, were presented with their awards on Monday night.

Phil Parkinson insists he will make changes but still respect the tournament when Wrexham return to the League Cup on Tuesday night after an absence of 15 years. The Wrexham manager leads his team back into the competition for Football League clubs on the back of a chastening opening day 5-3 defeat at home to MK Dons in their first League Two match of the campaign last weekend.

The four Welsh clubs in Football League action last weekend are going to have to get used to a heavier match-day schedule this season. Cardiff City, Swansea City, Newport County and Wrexham all found their games went well over the 90-minute mark as new guidelines on added time and player behaviour were enforced by officials.

Elinor Barker believes she is back on track for Olympic glory next year after becoming a double world champion in Glasgow. The Welsh cycling star and Great Britain teammate Neah Evans were crowned world madison champions at the UCI Cycling World Championships on Monday night.

Old met young on Sunday at Cardiff City House of Sport on the first day of Wales Rugby League’s new Invitational Wheelchair Rugby League.

Wales international Isabella Hopkins won the Women’s Welsh Amateur for the second time,

Cian Ashford score four times for Cardiff City U21s as Haverfordwest County were brought down to earth with a bump after their European adventure. The Bluebirds youngsters won 4-0 at County’s Bridge Meadow ground, where the home club played a young inexperienced line-up after manager Tony Pennock had criticised the FAW for scheduling the third round round tie of the Nathaniel MG Cup only three days after their European Conference League match against B36 Torshavn.

Leigh Halfpenny enjoyed beating England – again – and having done it in a warm-up, he wants to repeat the trick at the World Cup. Halfpenny put the boot into the auld enemy to pick up his fifth win in 12 games against England at the weekend and now wants the chance to do it again.

Colin Ingram will need to tread carefully for Glamorgan as he nurses a caf injury, but he still remains the county’s best hope of batting success in the One-Day Cup. A century from the South African – despite the injury – guided Glamorgan to a seven-wicket win over Derbyshire in the Metro Bank One-Day Cup match at Derby.

Elfyn Evans has reduced the deficit at the top of the FIA World Rally Championship drivers’ standings from 55 to 25 points after winning Rally Finland. The Dolgellau ace seized his chance when arch rival and Toyota team-mate Kalle Rovanperä crash out – winning the event outright and also taking maximum bonus points for setting the fastest time on the closing Power Stage.

Erol Bulut admitted he was left feeling frustrated but not unjustly denied after Cardiff City surrendered a two-goal lead at Leeds United. The Bluebirds manager saw his team open up a shock 2-0 advantage at Elland Road, but the club relegated from the Premier League last season struck back and eventually equalised late into stoppage time to draw 2-2.

Elinor Barker admitted to pain before the gain after she and Anna Morris struck gold for Great Britain at the Cycling World Championships. The Welsh pair – along with semi-final teammate and Barker’s sister Megan – were part of the GB women’s team pursuit who took a magnificent gold medal in a blistering time of 4:08.771, beating New Zealand by over four seconds for the world championship title. There was little to separate the two teams in the early stages, but the Great Britain team steadily built up a gap, and with a raucous home crowd behind them, they soon had the Kiwis in their sights.

Wales will return from the Netball World Cup as the ninth best team at the tournament after a gutsy and deserved victory over Scotland. The Welsh Feathers overcame Scotland in the clash to decide ninth and 10th placings in South Africa, leaving captain Nia Jones proud of their achievements. Shooters Georgia Rowe and Phillipa Yarranton put in impressive displays as the Scots were beaten, 57-42.