Wayne Pivac insists Wales will be Six Nations contenders in 2021 despite an underwhelming start to his reign. Pivac managed only three Test wins in 2020, with his first year in charge culminating in Saturday’s 38-18 Autumn Nations Cup win over Italy in Llanelli. Italy twice and Georgia were the only sides Wales have beaten this year, but New Zealander Pivac believes he can win over the doubters in his adopted homeland by launching a Six Nations title challenge in 2021.

Neil Harris hailed Cardiff City’s 1-0 victory at Watford as one the best display of his reign as his side quietened the returning fans. The Bluebirds chief has complained beforehand that his side would be at a disadvantage as Welsh government COVID-19 measures would not allow fans into home games.

Luton manager Nathan Jones accused Swansea City players of helping Matty Pearson get sent off at the Liberty Stadium. The Welsh manager did not argue that Pearson should have been dismissed in what proved a critical moment during the Swans’ 2-0 win at the Liberty Stadium. With 20 minutes left, and Luton pressing for an equaliser, Pearson tried an unlikely overhead kick with his back to goal in the Swansea penalty area.

Elfyn Evans is set to suffer World Rally Championship heartache as his bid for the record books hit a snow bank. The Dolgellau-born racer crashed out on the Gerosa SS11 on Rally Monza while lying third and looking on course to become the first Welsh driver to win the title.

Wales’ para Taekwondo trailblazer Matt Bush is helping the search for GB Taekwondo’s next stars. The 31-year-old became the first Brit to strike gold at the World Para Taekwondo Championships in 2019.

Alun Wyn Jones has jumped to the defence of Wayne Pivac – claiming the under fire Wales coach has steered Wales towards a “watershed moment” despite poor results. The Wales captain – who leads his team against Italy today – has claimed Pivac has done more in nine months than would have been achieved in two years under Warren Gatland when it comes to blooding new talent. Jones said: “Eight or nine new caps, previously you would not see that in two years. It could be a watershed moment in the way the new regime does kick on.”

Stephen Varney, 19-years-old and a fluent Welsh speaker born in Pembrokeshire, will return to west Wales today for a first experience of Test rugby in his homeland. But when he lines up at Parc y Scarlets in Llanelli for his first international start, Varney will be wearing the blue shirt of Italy rather than Welsh red. Il Canto degli Italiani – not Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau – will be his national anthem.

Steve Cooper admits he’s a big admirer of fellow Welsh manager Nathan Jones, but it will be a revenge mission on his mind when Swansea City host Luton Town on Saturday. With Tony Pulis now at Sheffield Wednesday, there are a trio of Welshmen currently plying their trade in the Championship. Swans head coach Cooper had to settle for a draw when he locked horns with Pulis last week, but the content with Jones in an opportunity to right a wrong from last season.  

Hello……and welcome to Dai Sport’s live blog as Dolgellau’s Elfyn Evans resumes his bid to become the first Welsh driver to be crowned FIA World Rally Champion.

The debates have raged on during the Autumn Nations Cup. For some, the game has become a snore-fest of kicking, pile-ups, penalties and shapeless set-pieces. For others, these moaners just don’t get the modern game. For Harri Morgan, it all depends on where you sit – and how long you’ve been watching. There is a critical point in the life of a hobby golfer where a decision must be made – continue as a happy hacker or invest the hours into improving. More time spent honing the swing might yield a tad more consistency out on the course, but it will also drive up performance expectation.

Caretaker manager Rob Page will conduct Wales’ World Cup draw media duties with uncertainty remaining over the long term future of Ryan Giggs. Page was in interim charge last month as Wales beat the Republic of Ireland and Finland to secure promotion to the top tier of the Nations League and confirm their place in Pot 2 of Monday’s World Cup qualifying draw in Switzerland. Giggs was absent for Wales’ November games after being arrested on suspicion of assaulting his girlfriend at his Manchester home on November 1.

The countdown to the Lions tour of 2021 has begun with contenders only likely to have six more Test opportunities in which to press their claims. For the wing spots, Josh Adams has a lead on his rivals built up over the past two seasons according to former Wales wing Nigel Walker, who spoke to Graham Thomas. Josh Adams can underline his status as a Lion-in-waiting when he plays his final international of the year this weekend, according to former Wales wing Nigel Walker. Adams will pair up with Louis Rees-Zammit against Italy on Saturday as Wales bid to end their underwhelming Autumn Nations Cup showing with an emphatic win against Italy.

The Jersey boys will be uniting again tomorrow as three former players of the Channel Islands club – Kieran Hardy, Callum Sheedy and Will Rowlands – prepare to face Italy. Hardy has had a brief taste of Test rugby and now wants to challenge the more established names as James Dodd reports. Kieran Hardy is determined to end Wales’ 2020 campaign by proving he can be first choice scrum-half in 2021. The 25-year-old from Carmarthen made his debut a fortnight ago in Wales’ 18-0 victory over Georgia at Llanelli.

Good morning…..and welcome to Dai Sport’s live blog as Elfyn Evans bids to become the first Welsh driver to be crowned World Rally Champion. The 31-year-old is lying fourth after Thursday’s opening special stage of Rally Monza on Thursday.

Neil Harris insists he is “not fussed” by the presence of Watford fans for Cardiff City’s visit to Vicarage Road on Saturday. The Bluebirds manager is more concerned by the continued absence of his own club’s fans from home games which he says is leading to unfairness within the Championship. Fans returned to Football League matches for the first time in 266 days on Wednesday as clubs in tiers one and two welcomed back supporters.

Zoe Backstedt’s chances of claiming another UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup victory this month have been dashed by COVID-19 regulations. Cycling’s governing body has cancelled the junior women’s races that were scheduled to take place victory in Belgium, in Namur on 20 December and Dendermonde on 27 December.

Elfyn Evans admitted he took it steady as he got his bid to be crowned World Rally Champion underway in Monza. Having had a spin in the pre-event shakedown earlier in the morning, the title pacesetter took a cautious approach on SS1 in Monza’s F1 circuit.

Former Wales striker Nathan Blake has told sports in Wales to stop talking and start doing something about their lack of diversity. His call comes after an ITV Wales investigation revealed levels of diversity that were described as “shocking” and “shameful” by Race Council Cymru. A survey conducted showed there are only 19 people from a Black, Asian or Minority Ethnic background out of 765 employees across some of Wales’ biggest sports governing bodies.

Laura McAllister has been backed by the Football Association of Wales to bring expertise and insight to world football’s governing body. Professor McAllister – a former Wales captain, former chair of Sport Wales and now professor of public policy and governance at Cardiff University – has is standing for election to FIFA’s council. Nominated by the FAW and backed by the other home associations, McAllister is bidding to become UEFA’s designated female representative on FIFA council.

Gerwyn Price could face an all Wales clash when he begins his bid for the William Hill World Darts Championship later this month. The No 3 seed has been drawn against either countryman Jamie Lewis or Luke Woodhouse in the second round.