The Scarlets host Cardiff Blues on Friday night in a repeat of their showdown of a fortnight ago. That game ended with victory for the Blues and proved a spicy one with Liam Williams receiving a red card. The Blues’ former Scarlet Josh Turnbull reckons part two could be just as eventful, as he told Graham Thomas. Josh Turnbull admits there will be hunger on both sides when the Scarlets host Cardiff Blues on Friday night – but insists no-one will be looking to take a bite out of sidelined Liam Williams. The two regions sit down for second helpings just two weeks after tucking into each in a bruising, pulsating battle at the Cardiff City Stadium where Wales full-back Williams was sent off, before the Blues claimed a 29-20 victory.

Laura Daniels was crowned World Indoor Bowls Champion for the second time after a thrilling victory in Norfolk. The 35-year-old accountant from Neath beat local bowler Katherine Rednall to win the women’s singles title.

Neil Harris was sacked as Cardiff City manager this afternoon after owner Vincent Tan claimed the horror run of six straight defeats had left him with “no choice”. The Malaysian tycoon ended Harris’s 14-month spell in charge with the final straw being Wednesday night’s 1-0 home defeat by QPR. Harris guided Cardiff to last season’s Championship play-offs but his team have woefully underachieved so far this term and are 15th in the second tier.

Elfyn Evans made a promising start as he launched his World Rally Championship campaign on the Monte Carlo rally. Just six weeks after suffering title heartache on Rally Monza, the Dolgellau ace was lying third after the opening day in the French Alps.

The delayed European Championship finals start in 141 days and in 142 Wales play Switzerland. Not long, then, for Gareth Bale to get into some kind of form at Tottenham. Except, argues Fraser Watson, maybe it’s not long enough. Maybe, the whole nation needs to be realistic about the likely impact of the frustrated captain. It was the morning after the night before, and Gareth Bale was getting positive headlines. The minnows of Marine had succumbed to the might of Spurs – despite the inevitable lopsided scoreline being somewhat tempered by a resilient second-half display from the Northern Premier League side.

Glenn Delaney believes his 14-man Scarlets side have learnt well from their defeat to the Cardiff Blues earlier in the month – and can now extract their revenge. The regions met at the start of January at the Cardiff City Stadium, with the capital region running out 29-20 winners. The big talking point was Liam Williams’ red card in the first half after a head-on-head clash with his Wales teammate, the Blues’ Shane Lewis-Hughes.

Gutted Neil Harris admitted “the pressure is on” as he battles to save his job as Cardiff City manager. The Bluebirds boss saw his side crash to a sixth straight defeat – and seventh in the last eight games – as they lost 1-0 at home to QPR.

Wayne Pivac is trying to convince English clubs to allow their Welsh international players to stay in his Six Nations camp for the whole tournament. There are six players – Tomas Francis, Will Rowlands, Taulupe Faletau, Dan Biggar, Callum Sheedy and Louis Ress-Zammit – in Wales’ 36-man squad who are based over the border. Rather than allow them to return to their English clubs during the break weekends in the tournament, Pivac wants the half dozen released for the entirety of the Six Nations, to protect the Wales squad amid continued coronavirus concerns.

Conor Hourihane has agreed to join Swansea City from Aston Villa on loan for the rest of the season. A loan fee and other terms were agreed between the two clubs on Tuesday and Hourihane is due to undergo a medical at the Swans’ training ground. A number of Championship clubs were interested in the 29-year-old midfielder, including Bournemouth who are four points behind second-placed Swansea in the table.

Commonwealth Games silver medallist Latalia Bevan has confirmed her retirement from elite competition. The 19-year-old women’s artistic gymnast from Merthyr Tydfil has called it a day on the back of a stellar competitive career, capped by a stunning silver she brought home for Team Wales from Australia’s Gold Coast in 2018. But there have been plenty of other highlights for St Tydfils Gymnastics Club’s Wales and Great Britain star, who started out in the sport aged six.

Rhys Webb has been left out of the Wales squad for the Six Nations, but coach Wayne Pivac has given a recall to veteran Dan Lydiate. Pivac has resisted calls to bring back another veteran – Bath’s Cardiff Blues-bound outside-half Rhys Priestland – but there are also returns for fly-half Jarrod Evans, wing Hallam Amos and prop Rhodri Jones. Scrum-half Webb, who returned from France to join the Ospreys and revive his Wales career, has lost out to Scarlets youngster Kieran Hardy, as well as established No.9 rivals Gareth Davies and Tomos Williams.

Newport County goalkeeper Tom King could be about to enter football’s record books after his incredible goal at Cheltenham. King scored directly from a goal-kick in the 1-1 draw at the Jonny-Rocks Stadium on Tuesday night – an estimated 95-metre yard effort that could smash the current record held by Asmir Begovic. Newport’s 25-year-old Wales squad keeper stunned the home side with his mighty effort that bounced once and then – wind-assisted – flew over the head of opposite number Josh Griffiths.

Neil Harris is happy with the transfer business Cardiff City have done so far this week – but knows he has to start repaying the backing with wins. Right-back Perry Ng from Crewe and Crawley striker Max Watters have added to his options as the Bluebirds face QPR at home on Wednesday.

Dai Young has admitted he was left burnt by 16 years of non-stop coaching, but still believes there is enough fuel left in his tank to ignite Cardiff Blues. The new director of rugby at the Arms Park has only been appointed on an interim basis until the end of the season. But after just a week back in his former seat of power, Young has revealed he plans being around for another long haul if things go according to plan.

Swansea City travel to Blackburn Rovers tonight where a sixth victory in their last seven games would further strengthen their position in the Championship’s automatic promotion places. Head coach Steve Cooper is exceeding most expectations, a familiar achievement says Jack Hammett, but one which normally signals the attention of bigger clubs elsewhere.  Like hipsters talking about successful bands, Swansea City fans can also be smug about the managers who started their rise to success in the Liberty Stadium dug-out. “I knew them before they were big”, kind of thing.

Cardiff City have reached an agreement with Crewe over their club captain Perry Ng, according to the League One club. Ng, 24, will become Cardiff’s second signing of the January window for a fee of around £500,000. Ng was withdrawn from the Crewe side that drew 1-1 at Plymouth on Saturday amid speculation over his future, and the defender will now complete a move to join Neil Harris’s squad.

Jayne Ludlow is heading towards a new role with FIFA after ending her spell as manager of Wales. The Football Association of Wales has announced Ludlow has stepped down by “mutual consent” after six years in charge of the national women’s team. Ludlow had been at the helm since October 2014 and became the first manager to lead the side for more than 50 games.

Elfyn Evans is hoping to give it the full Monte when he launches his FIA World Rally Championship campaign in Monaco on Thursday. The Dolgellau ace saw his dream of becoming the first Welsh driver to win the title dashed in the final round last season when he slid off the road in Italy just six weeks ago.

Mark Jones has moved a lot closer to home and insists one day he wants to return to Welsh rugby. The new assistant coach at Worcester Warriors had been working in New Zealand with the all-conquering Crusaders, but even the best non-Test team in the world had to give way to coronavirus. Having made it back from Canterbury in December for a Christmas break, the pandemic and its effect on flights and transglobal workers meant the Jones family were unable to resume their new life in the southern hemisphere.

Wales fans are hoping for success at the re-scheduled European Championships later this year, but before then there is another head-to-head. FIFA has an empty seat at the table and there’s a Welsh woman with a formidable background who wants to claim it as a step towards change as Graham Thomas reports. Welsh football may be weighed down with uncertainty at present, but one opportunity close to hand is a chance to get a place around the most powerful table in the sport. Laura McAllister – a former Wales international as well as ex-chair of Sport Wales – is standing for election to the FIFA council and intends to use that platform to further transform the women’s game in both Wales and around the world.