By David Williams Wales coach John Kear remains confident his side can end their World Cup drought after making Tonga work hard for their 32-6 victory in St Helens on Monday night. Kear’s part-timers performed valiantly, taking the lead with Kyle Evans’ 18th-minute try to the delight of the 7,752 crowd, but the pace, power […]

Jonathan Davies qualifies for his bus pass today, but you’re more likely to find the still sprightly 60-year-old sporting icon on a bike than on public transport. The man who enthralled a generation of rugby union lovers in Wales, before heading ‘North’ to rugby league and capturing even more hearts and minds with his mesmerizing speed and side-stepping ability, splits his time between family life, fulfilling his role as President of Velindre Fundraising and extending his 25-year-long commentary career at the BBC. In his charity role he has been a major catalyst in helping to raise £40m for Velindre. This year alone he has led three charity bike rides, the last of which in America raised £1m.

Wales will be involved in rugby league history on Monday night – whatever the outcome of their World Cup clash against Tonga. Australian referee Kasey Badger will become the first female official to take charge of a men’s World Cup match when she has control of the tie at St. Helens. Badger, who took charge of the grand final in the Australian women’s club game earlier this year, will also be a touch judge for the Kangaroos’ group B meeting with Scotland in Coventry on Friday.

A son, brother, father, husband, friend. A hero – or nemesis – on the rugby pitch. A passionate commentator and familiar face on television. A proud charity ambassador. MBE. Son of Trimsaran. Welshman. Jonathan Davies means a lot of different things to a lot of people, in Wales and far beyond.

Welsh Rugby Union chairman Rob Butcher is banking on his “honest broker” reputation with the member clubs to help push through what he sees as a vital step forward for the governing body. Butcher, just coming to end of his second year as chair, has been touring the nine districts to explain the significance of the clubs backing the call from the board of directors to allow them to introduce an independent chair – “as, when and if they deem it necessary.” The resolution will be one of a package being put to the membership at Sunday’s AGM at Cardiff’s Parkgate Hotel. It will require a 75% majority on the day to pass them.

Russell Martin has revealed he warned his players not to lose their heads before the South Wales derby because he believed a bare-knuckle scrap would suit Cardiff City more than Swansea. The Swans head coach insisted on cool heads prior to the club’s 2-0 victory on Sunday, which was another one-sided encounter from the moment Bluebirds striker Callum Robinson was sent off in the seventh minute. Martin – like his opposite number Mark Hudson – was at a loss to explain Robinson’s decision to throw the ball into the face of Ben Cabango from point blank range, but said he had  issued his own messages before kick-off.

By Matthew Burgess The Cardiff Devils bounced back from Friday night’s home loss to Belfast Giants as Brodie Reid’s overtime winner at Fife Flyers secured back-to-back wins from their Scottish double-header. The Devils travelled north immediately after their 4-2 defeat to Belfast and return home with an improved 7-2-0 record in the Elite League – […]

Russell Martin was a Braveheart Scotland international and it’s bravery that his Swansea City defender Harry Darling reckons will prove decisive in the Welsh derby against Cardiff City this Sunday. Current Swans head coach Martin hails from Brighton and hardly fits the mould as a rugged, thistle-clad no-nonsense Scottish defender, but it’s not physical bravery that Darling is talking about. As a player, Martin was a more of a thinker than a thumper and his coaching buzzwords of “courage” and “bravery” are not about sticking your head in where it hurts.

Max Llewellyn insists he will take the various pats on the back and predictions of Wales caps – but won’t lose focus on his day job at Cardiff. The strapping centre had been making a powerful case for his inclusion in Wayne Pivac’s squad for the autumn internationals on the back of his power-packed impact at the Arms Park. In the end, Pivac took a different route to the one suggested by former Wales centre Tom Shanklin and others and did not include Llewellyn in his autumn squad.

Ioan Cunningham admits he was left frustrated after Wales let slip an opportunity to make the World Cup quarter-finals under their own steam. A 13-7 loss to Australia in the early hours in New Zealand means hopes of claiming an automatic quarter-final place have gone. Instead, the Aussies have taken the second pool place behind New Zealand and head coach Cunningham and his team must now hope that other results go to form, in order for them to make the last eight.

When Jasmine Joyce faces up to Australia at the World Cup this weekend, she will be powered by the strong vibes of love from three pairs of eyes back home. At 2am on Saturday morning, Joyce’s fiancé Alisha Butchers will switch on the TV and smooth down the bed for her two dogs, hoping to settle down to a famous Welsh victory. Had a knee injury not ended her own World Cup prematurely, then Butchers – a club and country teammate of her partner Joyce – would have been out on the field in Whangerei, New Zealand.

Bethan Lewis will throw everything into beating Australia this weekend – including all the skills she learned at sports clubs across Carmarthenshire. The Wales rugby player is currently in New Zealand, part of the squad that will take on the Aussies on Saturday in a bid to make the World Cup quarter-finals. The 23-year-old has become an integral part of the Wales set-up, winning over 30 caps for country, but she firmly believes it was the variety of sports she experienced as a girl that gave her so many valuable life lessons.

Beth Munro has spoken of her joy after becoming a para-taekwondo World Grand Prix gold medal winner in Manchester. The Disability Sport Wales athlete secured a full house of Paralympic World Grand Prix medals with victory on day one of the event. The Liverpool star was among three home fighters who achieved podium finishes at the Regional Arena.

By Matthew Burgess Head coach Brodie Dupont has called on Cole Sanford to fire the Cardiff Devils past Elite League champions Belfast Giants tonight at Ice Arena Wales (7.30). Sanford netted four goals against Guildford Flames last Sunday to help the Devils return to winning ways as they head into a demanding schedule of three […]

By Gareth James Ioan Cunningham has warned his team that they need to dominate from the off, otherwise their World Cup dream will be taken out of their hands. There are four changes and two positional swaps in the Wales Women side named to face Australia on Saturday (14:15 NZ/2.15am UK) following defeat against New […]

Mark Hudson believes TV replays prove referee James Linington made a huge mistake that laid the ground for Cardiff City’s 3-0 defeat at Queens Park Rangers. Caretaker Bluebirds manager Hudson was unimpressed by the decision of Linington to award QPR an early penalty and send off defender Jack Simpson. The controversial moment came just 18 minutes into the game when Simpson tangled with Sinclair Armstrong as the QPR forward surged into the penalty area.

By David Williams John Kear insists Wales have delivered their best Rugby League World Cup performance for years – even though their campaign began with a 18-12 defeat to the Cook Islands on Wednesday night. “I think we have earned the respect of a lot of people,” said Wales head coach Kear.  “I think that […]

Elliot Kear has challenged his Wales team-mates to make the most of an unprecedented opportunity to put their sport on the map as they prepare to kick off their Rugby League World Cup campaign against the Cook Islands. The Bradford Bulls back is one of 13 Welsh-born players in a squad managed by the hugely-experienced […]

By Gareth James Five Welsh athletes including Paralympic champion Rob Davies, Commonwealth champion Joshua Stacey, Tokyo medallists Paul Karabardak, Tom Matthews and Grace Williams will compete in the 2022 World Para Table Tennis Championships taking place in Granada, Spain from November 6-12. The World Para Table Tennis Championships take place every four years and will […]

By Gareth James Wayne Pivac is happy with the balance of his squad for the Autumn Nations Series having selected a blend of experience and youth. The Wales head coach welcomes back experienced campaigners Leigh Halfpenny and Ken Owens from long-term injuries but has also selected five uncapped players with one eye on next year’s […]