Merthyr Town have suffered another blow with former Swansea City and Yeovil Town striker Owain Jones leaving the club. Jones is the fifth key member of the Martyrs first team squad to move on, following striker Ian Traylor, centre-forward Gethyn Hill, goalkeeper Alex Harris and midfield player Lee Lucas.

Martyn Phillips insists he will continue to negotiate with players over wage cuts even though he believes consultation leads to unrealistic expectations. The Welsh Rugby Union chief executive has admitted the current 25 per cent temporary reductions are likely to be only the start of a process of more financial pain for players employed by the Welsh regions. But he also seemed to suggest he thinks listening to others simply creates a false hope they might get what they want.

New Welsh champions Connah’s Quay could be given a fast route through the Champions League qualifiers with ties cut from two legs to just one. The same goes for Wales’ Europa League representatives this summer – The New Saints, Bala Town and Barry Town – with their ties also set to be reduced to one single game. According to a report in appearing in Irish newspaper The Independent, plans for the qualifying rounds of next season’s European competitions are expected to be ratified today by UEFA’s executive committee.

James Williams has been confirmed as the chief executive officer of Welsh Athletics. Williams was appointed interim CEO at the turn of the year after his predecessor, Matt Newman, left to concentrate on his role with Run 4 Wales. Now, Williams, the former Cardiff Athletics and Welsh international middle distance athlete, has been awarded the post on a permanent basis.

Airbus UK Broughton and Carmarthen Town have both been relegated from the Cymru Premier following a meeting today of the FAW Board of Directors. The surprise decision means the successful promotion of Flint Town United and Haverfordwest County from the Cymru North and South respectively and the maintaining of a 12-club top tier. Prior to today’s meeting, clubs had submitted their preference for holding onto the two relegated clubs in addition to promoting two clubs – to create a temporary 14-club Cymru Premier for two years.

Welsh sport is slowly inching out of its enforced hibernation with football and horse racing leading the way. But for ordinary people who use sport for physical and mental well-being, the message from Sport Wales is clear: the barriers have to stay down, as he tells Graham Thomas. Sport must continue to be given a central role in the health of the nation following lockdown, argues the leading figure in Sport Wales. Brian Davies, acting chief executive of the organisation, has given a clear message of the vital role sporting activity has to play as the country starts to slowly move out of the restrictions imposed by the coronavirus pandemic.

Neil Harris believes his Cardiff City side can derail Championship leaders Leeds United’s promotion hopes when the two sides clash in the Welsh capital on Sunday. After seeing his side draw two matches against arch-rivals Swansea City, 0-0 and 1-1, in a final, friendly warm-up for the Championship re-start, Harris is looking for a big opening to the nine match run-in to the play-offs. Leeds may be a point clear at the top of the table, but the Bluebirds are only two points off the play-off places and fancy their chances of reaching the top six.

Welsh stars Jamie Donaldson and Amy Boulden are back playing tournament golf and are already showing impressive form. Donaldson shot a three-under-par 67 to finish in a tie for third at the 2020protour event at Oulton Hall in Leeds on Monday. The 2020protour is in its first year and sells itself on the basis of being a gender-equal tour, where men and women compete together for the same prize money.

Welsh rugby fans have been warned not to cling to “false hope” that the sport is about to return any time soon. Football may be limbering up for its re-appearance on Wednesday night when the Premier League kicks-off again behind closed doors, but rugby is not on the same trajectory according to Pontypool after they took part in a video conference for clubs with the Welsh Rugby Union. Pooler – who were dominating the Championship once more before the shutdown arrived in March with their league eventually cancelled – have given a frank and transparent update to their supporters which will cool any expectations for a quick resumption, even as many other professional sports start to stir.

Former Cardiff City youth goalkeeper Kelly Absalom has joined Southern League Merthyr Town for the 2020-21 season. Manager Gavin Williams has signed the international age-group keeper for the Martyrs to replace Alex Harris, who has moved on. “I’m absolutely delighted to welcome Kelland to the club,” said Williams.

Mark O’Brien has become the second Newport County player in little more than a year to retire because of heart problems. The County captain – a goalscoring hero from the Great Escape season three years ago – has been forced to end his playing days on medical advice at the age of 27. O’Brien has been told he requires surgery and follows Fraser Franks into retirement after Franks was advised to quit in March 2017.

Welsh Olympians have been asked to speak out on issues of racism and inclusivity ahead of next year’s delayed Games in Tokyo. All of Britain’s top sports stars have been urged to make their feelings known amid the prospect of high profile protests in Japan. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has showed signs of stepping back from its usual blanket ban on what it calls “political, religious or racial propaganda” by vowing to open up a dialogue with athletes.

Billy McBryde has become the latest Welshman to be recruited by former Wales defence coach Clive Griffiths at Doncaster Knights. Last season’s top scorer in the Indigo Group Premiership is heading even further north from RGC 1404 into the semi-pro world of the English Championship to try to advance his career. The 22-year-old former Wales age-grade international ended last season with 163 points and played 50 games on the trot for the Gogs.

Cardiff City expect to launch both Lee Tomlin and Nathaniel Mendez-Laing at Championship leaders Leeds United on Sunday. Bluebirds boss Neil Harris has confirmed that long-term injury victims Tomlin and Mendez-Laing both came through the friendly with Swansea City at the weekend and will be fit for selection on Sunday. Defender Jazz Richards, however, is set to miss out when the season resumed for the first time since March, due to a calf injury picked up in training.

Gareth Anscombe has revealed he would love to emulate Dan Carter and be playing rugby past his 38th birthday. But for the time being the Wales fly-half is just enjoying rugby’s return in his New Zealand homeland this weekend as he continues his battle back from injury. Anscombe has not played since injuring his knee in a warm-up match against England before last year’s World Cup, but his spirits have been lifted by the resumption of the sport in the only rugby-playing nation now free of coronavirus.

Neil Harris has warned that it could take four or five matches for teams to get back to their normal match intensity when the season resumes next week. The Cardiff City manager has prepared his team for their first game after the shutdown with two training match sessions against Swansea City at the Cardiff City Stadium on Saturday. The Championship rivals played out two 80-minute games behind closed doors that ended 0-0 and 1-1, but Harris believes it will take a handful of games after their clash at home to leaders Leeds United next Sunday for his side to hit their normal levels.

Swansea City legend Leon Britton has stepped down from his role as the club’s sporting director. In a shock move, the former midfielder, who only took the job nine months ago amid much fanfare, has announced he is walking away just a week before the season’s re-start. The 37-year-old said he wanted to spend some time out of the game, having been involved with the Swans behind the scenes following his retirement from playing in May 2018, first as an advisor to the board and then as sporting director from September last year.

Ieuan Evans still remembers the rallying cry of Ray Gravell in the dressing room before Llanelli beat Australia. It was 1992 and the world champions were on tour in Wales.Evans had already seen Swansea beat the Wallabies, but the tourists had recovered to beat Wales B and Neath before they arrived at Stradey Park. The match – which is being re-shown by S4C on Saturday evening – proved to be another red letter day in the Scarlets’ rich history as Evans recalls: “There’s so much history against international opponents at Stradey. I remember the first match I played against Australia in 1984, when we beat them.

Mark Richardson has committed to Cardiff Devils for next season – joining captain Joey Martin, Joey Haddad and Stephen Dixon in reconfirming their commitment to the club. Richardson has agreed terms for the 2020-21 campaign, meaning the Devils will retain one of the most consistent, reliable and effective British defenceman over the last two decades. ‘Richy’ is the longest serving Devil on their roster and the 33-year-old is heading into his 18th year of pro hockey after making his professional debut at the age of 16 for Bracknell Bees in 2003.

It’s not just schools and businesses that have migrated online during the current pandemic. Sports clubs across Wales have been learning to adapt – including SportFit Wales and DanceFit Wales, who are keeping their classes going remotely. The lights are still on and the dancing continues for DanceFit Wales, thanks to emergency funding. The company provides bilingual dance and fitness sessions for young people in Wales as well as other sporting activities organised outside of school hours.