By Paul Evans Elfyn Evans says that he is more hungry than ever to clinch his first World Rally Championship title after finishing runner-up in the drivers’ standings two years in a row. He had an outside chance of lifting the title on last weekend’s Rally Monza, but for a second time in as many years the Italian event saw his Toyota team-mates Sébastien Ogier and Julien Ingrassia lift the title – for an eighth time.

Wales ended their autumn campaign with a respectable 50 per cent success rate, but you’d be foolish to think Wayne Pivac’s side are in a good place going into the Six Nations as defending champions. To be blunt, Wales are miles off the standard required to win the Championship for the second time in succession. To sit and watch three Test matches in succession at the weekend, was a revealing experience.

By Gareth James Russell Martin has admitted he was sure Matt Grimes was leaving Swansea City before he signed a new contract last week. Swansea captain Grimes was recently linked with moves to Watford and Fulham but has signed a new three-and-a-half-year contract to stay in Wales. And Swansea manager Martin insists Grimes, who was […]

Wales women’s coach Ioan Cunningham has praised his team for their autumn efforts – even though they were reminded how far they still have to go by a formidable Canada side. Cunningham saw Wales lose 24-7 at Cardiff Arms Park on Sunday night, even though the Canadians played for the last 50 minutes with just 14 players after captain Olivia DeMarchant was sent off for a dangerous tackle. The North Americans showed why they are ranked the third best team in the world as they shrugged off the loss of their skipper and prop to outscore Wales by four tries to one.

Russell Martin has admitted his frustration with penalty decisions should not deflect responsibility for dropped points at home by Swansea City. The Swans head coach saw his team held to a 1-1 draw against Blackpool when they conceded late on, having had two strong appeals for spot kicks turned down by referee Keith Stroud. The draw was the first time Martin’s side have dropped points at home since mid-September and leaves the club back in 12th place in the Championship, five points adrift of the play-off places.

Steve Morison has revealed he had foretold that James Collins could be Cardiff City’s secret weapon. The new Bluebirds manager made it back-to-back Championship victories after Collins came off the bench to clinch a much-needed 2-1 victory over Preston. The victory – just Cardiff’s fourth in the league all season – lifts them up to 19th in the Championship, two places and three points above the relegation zone.

Wales coach Wayne Pivac said it was a “funny game” but Dave Rennie wasn’t laughing. Pivac saw his team almost let a commanding lead slip against 14-man Australia but rallied to win 29-28 with a penalty after the hooter at the Principality Stadium on Saturday. But fuming Wallabies coach Rennie has called for big match rugby officials to be held more accountable after being left convinced his men were robbed of a tour-ending Test triumph by “horrendous” decisions.

Whilst the odds might not favour Elfyn Evans becoming world rally champion in Italy this weekend, over in Northern Ireland a Welshman is guaranteed to lift the British Rally Championship title on Saturday night as Osian Pryce and Matt Edwards go head-to-head in the season’s title decider. Pryce arrives the Modern Tyres Ulster Rally final showdown with an eight-point lead and can only miss out on his first British title if Edwards doesn’t score maximum points. Pryce (co-driven by Irishman Noel O’Sullivan) is the only driver to have finished on the podium in all six rallies this year, including winning last time out on the Visit Conwy Cambrian Rally and a maximum bonus BRC Joker points score on Mull.

James O’Connor rates Cardiff as one his favourite rugby venues, but that won’t stop him wanting to silence the Principality Stadium on Saturday. The Australia star has graced every leading rugby stadium across the world – plus one or two late night bars along the way – but a more mature version of the one-time wild child of the Wallabies will be out to deny Wales a major scalp of their autumn series. O’Connor, now 31, first played in the Welsh capital over a decade ago but with periods overlooked or unavailable through selection policies, will earn only his 62nd cap in a match that will feature in extended highlights on S4C.

By Tom Prosser Newly appointed Cardiff City manager Steve Morison has issued an honest message to the Bluebirds faithful ahead of his first permanent game in charge at Preston on Saturday. “Trust us, stay with us and believe in what we are trying to do,” urged Morison. “Everything we are doing is to be progressive and challenging.

One time wannabe Prime Minister Ian Duncan Smith once famously told a Tory conference: Do not underestimate the determination of the quiet man.   Well, as it turned out, underestimates of his chances of making No.10 proved to be spot on.   But there is another quietly determined bald man who’s making a much better fist of stepping into a leadership vacuum.   Step forward, and take a bow, Wales football manager Robert Page. 

By Lucy Rees Wales Women’s Keira Bevan is hoping to put her skills to the test against Canada when the two sides meet at Cardiff Arms Park on Sunday. After being out for a year coming back from injury, the scrum-half is looking forward to being back in the squad. “All being well, this will […]

Jarrod Skalde says the Cardiff Devils need to ‘re-focus’ ahead of this weekend’s double-header in Scotland. The Devils are attempting to win three games on the bounce for the first time this season against the Dundee Stars on Friday night before facing the Fife Flyers on Sunday. Skalde’s team make the trip in good spirits […]

Wayne Pivac insists he has not left Wales and Lions star Jonathan Davies stranded on 99 caps. Scarlets centre Davies was left out of the Wales squad to face Australia on Saturday, but Pivac moved quickly to dispel suggestions that the 33-year-old’s Test career is already over. Cardiff centre Uilisi Halaholo, who tested positive for coronavirus last month and spent 10 days isolating, will partner Nick Tompkins in midfield against the Wallabies.

It ain’t over till the fat lady delivers her final aria in northern Italy, according to Elfyn Evans and his pursuit of a first World Rally Championshp. The odds may be stacked against him becoming the first Welsh world champion, but it won’t be for lack of ambition this weekend, as he tells Paul Evans. By his own admission, becoming world rally champion this year is a bit of a long shot – but that’s not going to stop Elfyn Evans trying as he heads to the final round of the series in Italy this week. Evans had a better chance of securing his first title last year, when he arrived at Rally Monza with a 14-point advantage at the top of the leaderboard.

By Lucy Rees Jess Fishlock will be included in Wales Women’s squad to face Greece & France following on from being named the National Women’s Soccer League’s (NWSL) most valuable player. Fishlock who plays for OL Reign and Wales as a midfielder was announced NWSL most valuable player earlier this week and has been called […]

Australia will concentrate on setting solid foundations when they face Wales in Saturday’s final autumn Test series weekend, according to Wallabies star James O’Connor. The Aussie No.10 says his side must aim to provide a firm set-piece platform if they are avoid a third successive defeat to Wales for the first time since 1975. Both nations will go into the Principality Stadium clash desperate for a victory that would turn around perceptions of fraught November campaign.

By Rob Carbon  Perry Ng has lifted the lid on the last, dark days of Cardiff City and has admitted he doubted the tactics of former manager Mick McCarthy. “I used to try to do things they wanted me to do which in my head I didn’t think was the right thing to do,” said Ng. The young wing back said he lost all his confidence as the Bluebirds went on a record run of eight straight defeats and slumped to the verge of the relegation zone. 

By Tom Prosser Welsh Taekwondo star Beth Munro will return to action next month for the first time since winning silver at the recent Tokyo Paralympics. The 28-year-old will be in action at the World Para Taekwondo Championships and will be targeting yet another medal to add to her collection. For Munro, the Turkish event from December 11-12 will be her first worlds after a whirlwind introduction to the sport over the past 12 months.

By Paul Jones Jonathan Humphreys believes Ryan Elias has been a huge positive for Wales this autumn and insists the experience of playing the best sides in the world will stand them in good stead moving forward. Scarlets hooker Elias produced two outstanding performances against South Africa and Fiji respectively.   And Wales forwards coach Humphreys, who was a top international hooker in his playing days, is confident Elias will go from strength to strength after his experiences this autumn.