Joe Allen will not be risked by Swansea City simply to strengthen their chances of extending their hot winning streak to four matches. Swans head coach Russell Martin has insisted Wales midfielder Allen will not be rushed back after his recent absence through injury, which is good news for Wales ahead of next month’s World Cup. After picking up the maximum nine points with consecutive triumphs over Hull, West Brom and Watford, Martin is likely to give Allen another week to recover from his latest hamstring niggle rather than play him against Sunderland at home on Saturday.

Kayleigh Powell plans to get a big kick out of her Rugby World Cup debut – and one of those she will thank is Ospreys star Stephen Myler. Powell is set to be named at full-back in the Wales team that start their Pool A campaign against Scotland in Whangarei, New Zealand on Sunday. It will be the 23-year-old’s first experience of the tournament and an early opportunity to prove her new full-time professional status has yielded reward.

A year ago James Rowberry’s life took a dramatic turn when he was offered the chance to manage his home town team, Newport County. As a first step into management following a successful stint as a first team coach at Cardiff City it seemed the perfect move. When his side delivered him a 3-1 win at Bristol Rovers on 23 October, 2021, in his first game in the dug-out, everything looked rosy.

Jess Fishlock has told her Wales teammates to be fearless and carefree when they go to Switzerland next week for another step on the road towards their World Cup dream. Fishlock has realised one ambition – scoring a spectacular World Cup play-off winner for Wales against Bosnia and Herzegovina in front of a record Cardiff crowd for a Wales women’s international of 15,200. The 35-year-old midfielder’s extra-time volley gave Wales a 1-0 victory at the Cardiff City Stadium as the Dragons advanced to a European play-off final in Switzerland on Tuesday.

By Rob Carbon About 18 months ago Elinor Snowsill was told by one of her then Welsh coaches he didn’t think she would make the World Cup in New Zealand this month. The 33-year-old contemplated retirement, but battled on regardless. This weekend she is set to add to her 67 caps at her fourth global tournament and remains […]

By Paul Jones Head coach Gemma Grainger has welcomed the use of VAR for Wales Women’s World Cup play-off action. Wales host Bosnia and Herzegovina in Cardiff on Thursday, the first of three potential games needed to reach next summer’s World Cup finals in Australia and New Zealand. Switzerland await the winners next Tuesday and, […]

By David Williams Ben Cabango has been described as “a warrior” and one of the best defenders in the Championship by his grateful Swansea City head coach Russell Martin. Cabango underlined his growing stature for the Swans with a commanding performance and winning goal as Martin’s side made it three victories on the spin with […]

By Graham Thomas Jason Strange has no doubts the clubs in the Indigo Premiership are punching above their weight and insists: “The league is a minor miracle.” Strange – who recently signed off his summer stint on the coaching staff of St. Helens by helping them rule rugby league’s Super League for the fourth successive […]

By Paul Jones Rugby authorities have been told they should look to eliminate contact training and reduce rather than expand the global calendar after a study revealed concerning evidence of considerably increased risk of motor neurone disease among former players. A study led by the University of Glasgow looking at former Scotland internationals – from […]

By David Williams Natalie Powell may not be able to get another chance for a Welsh medal, but that won’t stop the Welsh shooters who will make a welcome return, after missing out at Birmingham 2022. Golf, BMX and coastal rowing will make their Commonwealth Games debuts when Australia’s southern state of Victoria hosts the […]

By Gareth James Mark Hudson has revealed he told match-winning Cardiff City striker Mark Harris to make sure he was ready to answer his club’s call. Caretaker boss Hudson left Harris on the bench for Tuesday’s clash at home to Blackburn Rovers – but with instructions to make a big impact when he came on. […]

Cardiff Met have been forced to put up the ‘Sold Out’ signs a day ahead of their BUCS Super Rugby ‘Cardiff Clash’ with their noisy-neighbours Cardiff University on Wednesday, 5 October. More than 4,000 tickets were sold in the space of 10 days for the derby game at the Arms Park, putting the fixture on a par with attendances at the Dragons and Ospreys so far this season. Last season, the two Welsh capital universities clashed three times, with a mere five points splitting the two teams across the three fixtures.

Rubin Colwill is facing a fight to prove his readiness to go to the World Cup with Wales next month. The Cardiff City striker is set to miss two more Bluebirds games this week after a freak training accident ruled him out of last weekend’s 1-1 draw with Burnley. Interim boss Mark Hudson confirmed the Qatar hopeful won’t feature in Tuesday night’s home game against Blackburn Rovers and unless he gets back on the grass this week won’t feature at Wigan this weekend.

Alys Thomas has been forced to retire from competitive swimming. The 2018 Commonwealth Games gold medallist has called time on a glittering career on the advice of medical professionals due to an ongoing wrist injury. She first sustained the injury before the 2010 Games in Delhi, but her ambition to make a second Olympic Games in Paris in 2024 has gone.

Rachel Rowe insists Wales have not finished making history ahead of their first-ever Women’s World Cup play-off tie. Wales host Bosnia and Herzegovina in Cardiff on Thursday, the first of three potential games needed to reach next summer’s World Cup finals in Australia and New Zealand. “We’ve made history but we’re not finished,” said Reading midfielder Rowe, who will win her 50th cap against Bosnia.

Ryan Day has labelled his British Open snooker title triumph as the best performance of his career. The Welshman took the final four frames to defeat Mark Allen 10-7 after what was an incredibly tense affair to win the 2022 British Open. Coming into this showpiece encounter, Allen was the pre-match favourite, having easily turned over Noppon Saengkham in the semi-finals.

Elliot Kear will emulate Whitchurch High School classmate Sam Warburton by leading Wales at the Rugby League World Cup. Kear heads a 24-strong squad named by men’s head coach, John Kear, for the tournament in England – nothing up another success for the Cardiff school.

It was a double win for Kenya at the Wizz Air Cardiff Half Marathon as Geoffrey Koech and Beatrice Cheserek stormed to victories in the men’s and women’s races in the Welsh capital. The African duo headed a field that included more than 20,000 entrants on the same day as the London Marathon took place. Hopes were high that the 29-year-old Koech might threaten the course record of 59 mis, 30 sec set by fellow Kenyan Leonard Langat in 2019, but in the end he had to content himself with his fourth fastest half-marathon time of 60:01as he just failed to break the magical hour mark.

Bradley Roberts has targeted a place in Wales’ autumn squad and is adamant the Dragons can go from strength to strength this season. The 26-year-old hooker – who came off the bench as the Dragons lost 20-19 at home to the Sharks on Saturday – has enjoyed a rise that has been nothing short of remarkable. Just two years ago, Roberts was playing semi-professional rugby for a club called Rainey Old Boys, who are based in the Londonderry town of Magherfafelt in Northern Ireland, before earning a professional contract with Ulster.

Mark Hudson believes he has put some fight back into Cardiff City. The caretaker Bluebirds manager was pleased with his team’s response as they gained a point after Callum Robinson headed a last-minute equaliser to secure a 1-1 draw against Burnley. It was Hudson’s first game as temporary boss since replacing sacked Steve Morison, following defeat to Huddersfield just before the international break and Hudson said:  “I really enjoyed that – you saw fight and togetherness against what I think is the best team in the league.