Steve Cooper paid tribute to his Swansea City side’s staying power – and the desire and athleticism of Connor Roberts – after they snatched a dramatic victory over Nottingham Forest. The Swans coach admitted his promotion chasers had stolen the points after a match that looked destined to end as a fortunate draw for the hosts. But Roberts struck with a magnificent header in the 87th minute to snatch a 1-0 victory that lifted the hosts to third in the table. They are a point behind Brentford and five behind Norwich City, but they have two games in hand.

Forest Green Rovers like to promote themselves as the world’s greenest sports club, but one day Pentyrch rugby club could give them a run for their money. Certainly, the club just north of Cardiff are heading in the right direction. Not only have they decided to install solar panels on the clubhouse roof, but they are also planning to use savings on their bills to invest in walking rugby groups for both male and female players. None of this would be possible from their own funds, so the club made a successful bid for a grant from the Be Active Wales Fund, which has now moved into the stage of trying to help sports clubs become more sustainable after the current pandemic.

It is four months since Swansea City last lost at home in the Championship, but Steve Cooper has told his players to take nothing for granted against Nottingham Forest on Wednesday night. The third-placed Swans may have already beaten Chris Hughton’s side twice this season – including a 5-1 FA Cup hammering at the Liberty Stadium – but head coach Cooper is expecting a much stiffer challenge from Chris Hughton’s men this time round. “They were in the two games we have played against them so far this season and this will be a completely different contest,” said Cooper.

Eddie Jones has claimed Cardiff-bound England have lost their edge because they are playing without crowds. The England coach will bring his team to a fanless Principality Stadium next week with a mission to try and deny Wales an unexpected Triple Crown. But the Australian has admitted his team are not what they were because of the impact of playing in empty stadia. England lost at home to Scotland in a deserted Twickenham in the opening round of the Six Nations before recovering to beat Italy, but without ever hitting top gear.

Assistant manager Wayne Hatswell blamed the pitch as Newport County were held to a 1-1 draw at Rodney Parade by nine-man Exeter City.

Mick McCarthy has promised to kick butts if his Cardiff City players get carried away after continuing their revival under him with a 2-0 victory at Luton Town. Harry Wilson and Will Vaulks netted with stunning strikes in a four minute spell in the second-half to move City within three points of the Sky Bet Championship play-off spots.

Glenn Delaney believes Scarlets and Wales prop Wyn Jones is the best in the business at the moment. The Kiwi coach has been involved with Jones at regional level since the start of the 2019/20 season, when Delaney joined as defence coach. Since then Jones has become a Wales regular at loose-head and has been gaining rave reviews for his performances in the opening two rounds of the Six Nations.

Newport County were able to take some cold comfort from the few games that were played in League Two last weekend as they bid to get their own promotion campaign re-heated on Tuesday night at home to Exeter City. County’s midweek conquerors, Southend United, picked up a point at table-topping Cambridge United. The weather forced Michael Flynn’s side to sit out their trip to Port Vale, but at least gave them a chance to regroup after the 1-0 home defeat to bottom of the table Southend and prepare for a massive week.

When Deeside Gymnastics Academy were told their base would need to become a Nightingale hospital, they feared for the club’s health. But far from waning, they have come back stronger and the sport in that area now appears to be in good health, as Carl Field reports. The Covid 19 enforced lockdown has been tough for everyone, but there have been a few glimmers of light that have shone through the collective gloom. One of those has been in North Wales, where the Deeside Gymnastics Academy has met adversity head on and looks set to come out of the pandemic on top.

The coach who helped launch Louis Rees-Zammit’s club career is not in the least bit surprised by his blockbusting impact on Test match rugby. As Gloucester Rugby’s junior academy manager, Alex Guest worked closely with the Wales wing sensation after he arrived in the west country as a 16-year-old Hartpury College student. And in the space of four remarkable years, Rees-Zammit has gone from starting his rugby apprenticeship to graduating on the Guinness Six Nations stage by scoring a stunning match-winning try for Wales against Scotland at Murrayfield.

Josh Murphy says Mick McCarthy has put a smile back on the winger’s face and also revitalised Cardiff City.  Murphy had become a bit-part figure under former boss Neil Harris and was linked with a loan move away from the Welsh capital in the January transfer window. But since the experienced McCarthy succeeded Harris, both Cardiff and Murphy look completely different with the former Norwich City – who cost the Bluebirds a hefty £11m in 2018 – appearing in four of McCarthy’s unbeaten matches.

Swansea Harrier Joe Brier led a flurry of indoor personal bests as more Welsh athletes finally returned to action at the weekend. With events held in Manchester, Loughborough and Newport, the weekend felt like a significant step forward for domestic athletics.

The beaming smile on the 20-year-old’s face said it all. Louis Rees-Zammit is a young man living out his dream. With him in their side Wales are two from two in the Six Nations and on course, somehow, for a Grand Slam. There is no doubt Wayne Pivac’s team has had the rub of the green so far in their back-to-back wins over Ireland and Scotland. Both Wales’ opposition have, crucially, lost men to red cards.

Darren Campbell has fears young talent may already have been lost from athletics because of the effects of Covid-19 restrictions. The Wales-based former Olympian tells Owen Morgan the sport must quickly find a way of opening up venues to more than just elite performers. Olympic gold medallist Darren Campbell has backed calls for more athletes to be allowed to train on athletics tracks during the current lockdown. A number of female Welsh athletes have spoken out about being harassed while training away from their normal environment.

Snooker greats across the ages having been paying tribute to Wales’ two-time former UK champion Doug Mountjoy, who has died at the age of 78. The former coal miner was a regular on the circuit for well over a decade after turning professional on the back of picking up the world amateur title in 1976, reaching the world championship final in 1981. World Snooker Tour confirmed the news on its Twitter account on Sunday evening, linking to an article quoting Mountjoy’s close friend and 1980 world champion Cliff Thorburn, who said: “So sad to hear of Doug Mountjoy’s passing today.

Kieffer Moore has been labelled as “horrible” for opponents to deal with by his Cardiff City clubmate Perry Ng, who is grateful the striker is on his side. Moore is the man spearheading the Bluebirds’ climb back up the Championship table with five goals in as many games, to give him 13 in 25 league matches this season. But it is the Wales forward’s overall contribution as much as his goals that have impressed Ng since the full-back joined from Crewe in the last transfer window.

The Dragons needs to be taken back into private ownership if Welsh rugby is to prosper and the nation’s four regions are able to survive and then thrive. That’s the call from a figure who used to sit at the centre of Welsh sport, who says it’s time for the regions to realise they are being taken for a ride. Newport-based Dragons are currently owned by governing body, the Welsh Rugby Union although the region’s chairman David Buttress is keen for that to change.

Michael Flynn can’t wait to welcome back Joss Labadie into his midfield line-up next week as Newport County prepare for two massive matches against promotion rivals Exeter City and Forest Green. Labadie was one of the four players sent-off in five games that forced County manager Flynn to send a makeshift midfield into action against bottom of the table Southend United last week. It ended in a 1-0 humiliation at Rodney Parade.

Wayne Pivac has hailed the stunning performance by Louis Rees-Zammit after the young Wales wing’s try double secured a thrilling 25-24 Guinness Six Nations victory over Scotland. Rees-Zammit, making only a second Six Nations appearance, followed up his touchdown against Ireland last weekend with two more, including a brilliant individual effort from just inside Scotland’s half. It was the kind of impact that has got pundits such as Jonathan Davies already tipping Rees-Zammit for a Lions tour place this summer.

Mick McCarthy is refusing to get carried away after seeing Cardiff City move up to seventh in the Championship after an impressive 3-1 at home against Coventry City. The Bluebirds made it three wins on the trot thanks to goals from the impressive Josh Murphy and a brace from in-form striker Kieffer Moore.