With two games to spare, Swansea City have confirmed a place in the Championship play-offs. They have a manager who has been linked with a number of other jobs, including taking charge of England U21s, and yet some fans of the club are less than convinced by Steve Cooper. Fraser Watson reckons they should be careful what they wish for. In July 2018, the University of Sussex conducted research into whether the concept of football actually made supporters happy. More than 32,000 responses were analysed, culminating in a conclusion that implied the standard outlook for a fan amounted to less than sunshine and rainbows.

Geraint Thomas took time out of most of his General Classifications rivals on the opening stage of the Tour de Romandie. The 2018 Tour de France champ was second fastest on the short, 4km long prologue in Switzerland as part of an Ineos Grenadiers clean sweep.

Alys Thomas will realise her dream of a first Olympic Games this summer after being named as one of a record six Welsh swimmers who are heading to Tokyo with the Great Britain squad. At 30, Thomas will be the oldest swimmer in the 24-strong group, but as she proved in becoming Commonwealth champion 18 months ago, hers is a career that is defying convention in the sport and she will head to Japan as a genuine medal prospect in the women’s 200m butterfly. Joining Thomas will be Harriet Jones – after her stunning showing at the recent British selection trials – along with Dan Jervis, Matt Richards, Calum Jarvis and Kieran Bird, who also upset the form book at the trials with a huge personal best in the 400m freestyle.

History shows The New Saints don’t take kindly to losing and Caernarfon Town had better brace themselves for a backlash when they visit Park Hall tonight in the JD Cymru Premier. Last weekend’s 4-1 home reverse to title rivals Connah’s Quay Nomads allowed the reigning champions to return to the top of the table. The two teams will meet again in Deeside on Saturday night. In the meantime, TNS boss Anthony Limbrick will be looking for a reaction from his players similar to the one that came after their other defeat this year, at Haverfordwest County.

Dai Young hopes Cardiff Blues pair Ellis Jenkins and Jarrod Evans will get the chance to make an impression with Wales this summer. Wayne Pivac’s Test side were due to tour Argentina and Uruguay in the months to come, but whether or not the trip can take place remains undecided at this stage. Wales have confirmed autumn fixtures in Cardiff against New Zealand, South Africa, Fiji and Australia but the tour that was meant to precede those games is still in the balance due to the pandemic.

The pressure is on, but there is no panic in the ranks at Newport County according to Mickey Demetriou as the battle for the play-offs comes down to three games. Scunthorpe United arrive at Rodney Parade tonight with the home side – currently in the final play-off spot of seventh – seeking the first of three wins to end their regular campaign to ensure they can extend their season into the play-offs once again. Last weekend’s goal less draw at Exeter maintained the three point gap between them and County, but the win by Salford City moved them to within a point of seventh place and turned them into the biggest threat.

Table tennis prodigy Anna Hursey has made history again after becoming the first Welsh player to be ranked No 1 in Europe at U15 level. The 14-year-old – who became the youngest person to ever compete for Wales when aged 11 at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Australia – is top in the latest rankings.

Georgia Evans insists Wales Women have given themselves something to build on as they prepare for next year’s World Cup. Wales’ vice-captain believes last weekend’s 27-20 defeat to Scotland in their final Six Nations match has provided a platform for the global tournament in New Zealand next year. It may have been another defeat suffered at the weekend, but the fact that Wales ran the Scots so close should be viewed in the context of two previous morale-sapping defeats to France and Ireland in which Wales conceded 15 truis and failed to register a point.

Rosie Eccles fought her way to a superb gold medal at the Belgrade Winner tournament in Serbia. Wales’ 2018 Commonwealth Games silver medalist triumphed over Navbakhor Khamidova of Uzbekistan.

Steve Cooper didn’t want to use Andre Ayew at Reading on Sunday – but it proved imperative that he did. The Ghanaian returned to the squad for the first time since limping off with a hamstring injury against Wycombe Wanderers eight days earlier, a problem which saw him miss last Tuesday’s defeat at QPR. When he entered the fray along with Connor Roberts and Morgan Whittaker 64 minutes in, Swansea’s play-off spot was anything but secure with the hosts leading 1-0 thanks to Yakou Meite’s first half header.

Rising Welsh discus star James Tomlinson is delighted to be back in action after going the whole of last season without competing. The Pembrokeshire Harrier continued his build-up for this summer’s European Under-23 Championships in Norway with a win in Aberdare on Sunday.

Cardiff student Jake Smith produced a performance straight out of comic book fiction at the Cheshire Elite Marathon on Sunday afternoon. Smith, who was supposed to pace as far as the 25k mark, decided to keep on running to the finishing line to win on what turned out to be his full marathon debut.

Dean Ryan was delighted with the attacking threat posed by his Dragons side after they put 50 points on the Scarlets to start their Rainbow Cup campaign with a bang. The men from Rodney Parade ran in seven tries against their Llanelli-based opponents with Wales squad members Jonah Holmes and Aaron Wainwright both scoring twice. Jordan Williams, Rio Dyer and Aneurin Owen were all on the scoreboard too as the Dragons racked up a 52-32 success. “I thought our attack was outstanding and we looked threatening,” said Ryan.

Rosie Eccles will go for gold on Monday after reaching the final of the Belgrade Winner tournament in Serbia. Wales’ 2018 Commonwealth Games silver stopped local boxer Aleksandra Rapaic in her welterweight bout on Sunday night.

Kieffer Moore intends to carry the inspiration of two Cardiff City legends with him when he plays for Wales at the Euros this summer. The Wales striker moved to 20 goals for the season with a brace against all-but-relegated Wycombe at the weekend, but his duties for club and country this season are far from over. Moore wants to keep his scoring form going in Cardiff’s two remaining Championship fixtures – away to Birmingham City and at home to Rotherham – to ensure a top 10 finish before heading off to try and plunder more goals for Wales at the delayed European Championship finals.

Matthew Maynard made no apologies for Glamorgan chasing victory over Northampton – even though his side have now lost their opening two County Championship matches. Glamorgan – who will be boosted this week by the arrival of Australian star Marnus Labuschagne – lost to Northants by seven wickets after losing control of the match on the final day. Head coach Maynard watched his team set the home side a target of 355 runs in 79 overs and then fail to stem the flow of runs that followed.

Swansea manager Steve Cooper admitted he would be giving his players an extra day off after they secured a Championship play-off spot at Reading – but insisted they’d achieved nothing yet. His side came from a goal down at the Madejski Stadium to eventually draw 2-2, with the returning Andre Ayew the catalyst for a second half fightback. It was enough to take Swansea back up to fifth spot, but more importantly, maintained their eight-point advantage over their hosts with just two games each left to play.

Elfyn Evans agonisingly saw victory prized away from him by just 0.6 seconds on the final stage of Rally Croatia.The Dolgellau-born ace had to settle for second as Toyota Gazoo Racing team-mate Sebastien Ogier snatched the win in thrilling fashion.

Rosie Eccles is guaranteed her second medal of 2021 after reaching the semi-finals of the Belgrade Winner tournament in Serbia. Wales’ 2018 Commonwealth Games bronze medalist guaranteed herself a medal after beating Balzhan Askar.

Kieffer Moore could leave Cardiff City if he makes an impact with Wales at the Euros this summer, manager Mick McCarthy has admitted. The Bluebirds striker made it 20 goals for the season with a strike in either half in the 2-1 win at home to Wycombe before Will Vaulks was dismissed late on. That tally made Moore the first Cardiff player to reach the 20-goal figure since the late Peter Whittingham managed it from midfield in the 2009-10 season.