Former Wales under-21 midfield player Lee Lucas has been involved in a car accident and will be out of action for at least six weeks. Aberdare-born Lucas, aged 27, spent 15 years with Swansea City, and played for Scottish Premier League Motherwell before signing for Merthyr Town just over a year ago. A statement by […]

Osian Pryce’s excellent start to the East African Classic Safari continued today, as he beat all the more powerful Porsches to set fastest time on the final stage of the day in his Ford Escort RS1600. This means that after a typically rough and tough Safari Rally day, Pryce and co-driver Dale Furniss are in fifth position overnight in the Minti Motorsport-run Mark 1. “It was a privilege to lead the crews away from the start ramp in Mombasa this morning,” said Pryce. “Three stages faced us today, and it was a tough start as we bent the steering on the first stage and dropped some time. I didn’t enjoy the second stage as it was really difficult to find the path being first on the road, but we coped okay.

Jason Pritchard vows to return next year for another attempt at winning the Roger Albert Clark Rally, after a puncture deflated his challenge for victory this time – although the talented 31-year old Builth Wells driver did still finish a fighting second after 300 miles of competition. Pritchard was in an intense battle for the lead with Marty McCormack/Barney Mitchell until a puncture in Scotland cost him valuable time. Yet he and co-driver Phil Clarke maintained the pressure and continued to drive flat-out in their North Road Garage-backed Ford Escort RS1800, as the marathon five-day event – which ran through Wales, Scotland and Kielder forest – unfolded.

Former Swansea City manager Garry Monk has said he has no respect for his one-time Liberty Stadium assistant Pep Clotet. The pair’s feud continued after Monk’s Sheffield Wednesday were held to a 1-1 Championship draw against Clotet’s Birmingham City at Hillsborough. Monk had revealed in his pre-match press conference that he is no longer on speaking terms with former assistant Clotet, who took over from Monk as interim head coach at St Andrews when the latter was sacked in June.

Battle lines are being drawn again at Newport, where the issue of rent is raising tensions between the regional organisation, the Dragons, and the club side, Newport. The old owners are now the tenants, which is a tricky problem to solve, says Robin Davey. The very existence of the world famous Newport rugby club is in jeopardy as the result of a hike in the rent they pay to use what used to be their own Rodney Parade ground. It’s a hike which they are highly unlikely to be able to afford as a mere Premiership club.

Osian Pryce has made a dream start to the East African Classic Safari, leading the rally after the first day of competition in his Ford Escort RS1600. Navigated by Dale Furniss, the Machynlleth driver focused on a clean run to avoid damaging his Minti Motorsport-run Mark 1, and to his surprise he beat all the more powerful Porsches that are in the event. Pryce’s unbeaten time of 15mins 53.6secs was two seconds faster than that of Italian duo Eugenio Amos/Roberto Mometti, who were second quickest in a 911.

Elfyn Evans has joined the TOYOTA GAZOO Racing World Rally Team for the 2020 and 2021 FIA World Rally Championships – joining six time world champion Sébastien Ogier and rising star Kalle Rovanperä in an all-new star-studded driver line-up. Until now, the 30-year old speedster has been synonymous with Ford – his family business is a Ford dealership in Dolgellau and he has driven for M-Sport for the last 10 years. As a big part of the M-Sport family, packing his bags and moving to a rival squad would not have been an easy decision to make – but it’s one that probably gives Evans and co-driver Scott Martin the best chance of challenging for the World Rally title over the next two seasons.Evans might only have won one World Championship rally so far in his career, Wales Rally GB in 2017, but he came very close to adding to that tally this year and most certainly has the speed and experience to win any event on the 2020 calendar – regardless of the surface and the location.

Swansea City will assess the injury to Mike van der Hoorn as they prepare for tough-looking fixtures at home to Fulham on Friday and then away to West Brom. The Swansea centre-back – arguably the team’s most important player – went off with a shin injury after what manager Steve Cooper described as a “contentious” tackle by Fraizer Campbell during Tuesday night’s 1-1 draw at Huddersfield. Van der Hoorn needed treatment after the challenge and did not re-appear for the second-half. He was replaced by Ben Cabango, who came on for his league debut and gave an assured performance as the Swans held on for a point.

Neil Harris vowed there is more to come from Cardiff City after Leandro Bacuna’s strike earned a 1-0 victory over Stoke in his first home game in charge. It means that two matches in after taking over from Neil Warnock, Harris is still unbeaten as manager, following last Saturday’s 2-2 draw at Charlton. The Bluebirds are now up to 10th in the Championship table but Harris admitted: “It wasn’t a classic, it was a typical scrappy Tuesday night football match.

By Owen Morgan Six Welsh athletes have been named in the 40-strong Great Britain team heading to next month’s SPAR European Cross Country Championships in Portugal. Cardiff Athletics club mates Charlotte Arter and Jenny Nesbitt are named in the senior women’s team for the December 8 event. Arter finished second at the British team trials […]

The Ospreys had still to confirm the sacking of head coach Allen Clarke on Tuesday evening, with their only reference to him on their website being his recent rallying call to pull through troubled times. But there is no mention of the fact they have dismissed him in the wake of their record 44-3 Heineken Champions Cup defeat at Saracens last weekend. The Welsh region travelled to Allianz Park with 15 players on the injury list and conceded six tries as they slumped to a seventh defeat in eight outings this season.

Wales have a long history of capping New Zealanders and Johnny McNicholl looks likely to become the latest. Willis Halaholo, when he’s fit again, could soon follow. Harri Morgan suggests this is just the way of a changing world, but wonders whether unease may provoke a re-think. Willis Halaholo has been ruled out of making his debut for Wales this weekend, because of a knee injury that requires surgery, but that will not prevent the divisive issue of international eligibility going away for long. When the New Zealand-born centre regains his fitness, it may not be long before will all be going beserk if he gives it the old ‘watcha talkin bout?’ to a would-be defender, before releasing a back of the hand off-load to Hadleigh Parkes.

Jonny Bairstow will help Welsh Fire ignite The Hundred in the tournament’s opening fixture with opponents Oval Invincibles warning of the Welsh side’s “world class” talent. Bairstow and Jason Roy, England’s World Cup-winning opening partners, are set to go head-to-head when the controversial new tournament gets under way at The Oval on July 17. The England and Wales Cricket Board’s domestic fixtures for 2020 have been released, with the inaugural edition of its 100-ball tournament appearing alongside the existing three formats for the first time.

Snooker’s second biggest tournament, the Betway UK Championship, starts today (Tuesday) in York, where the Welsh challenge is likely to be carried by very familiar faces. Simon Kendal-Williams examines why the new Welsh baize brigade have failed to march up the rankings. It was 20 years ago this week that two Welshmen faced each other in the final of the UK Championship, when the world was a very different place. Cardiff City and Swansea City languished in the Football League’s third and fourth tiers, respectively; Robbie Williams had just usurped Geri Halliwell at the top of the UK singles charts; The Sixth Sense and Fight Club ruled at the box office and Wales crashed out of their own Rugby World Cup against Australia with barely a whimper.

Joel Makin and Elliott Morris Devred are causing a stir in highest echelons of World class squash. Makin, who was born in Haverfordwest and grew up in Aberdare, dumped World number three Tarek Momen out of the CIB Egyptian Squash Open. While Makin was making his mark in Egypt, fellow Welshman Devred, a 21-year-old who […]

Wrexham have their next Vanarama National League match, at the Racecourse on Tuesday, Fylde under ‘massive’. The Dragons have earned four points from their last two fixtures – against top four clubs, Bromley and Yeovil – and manager Dean Keates says: “If we can pick up maximum points against AFC Fylde on Tuesday and it’s […]

Welsh Wizards, the Cardiff-based team who are among the best in World squash, have called up a player from Bryn Mawr for a home match on Tuesday. But Todd Harrity, who will play for Wizards in their Karakal Premier Squash League clash with Coolshurst, is not from the Welsh Brynmawr, in Gwent. He hails from […]

Andy Legg has left Cardiff City after the under-23 coach was dismissed and replaced by Cardiff-born Tom Ramasut. Neath-born Legg, aged 53, was on his way before Cardiff’s Professional Development League goalless draw at home to  Charlton Athletic. He shared under-23 coaching duties with Jarrad Harvey last season before taking sole charge before Cardiff’s academy’s […]

Cardiff Devils’ Viola Arena was buzzing last night. Adults and children were dancing and singing to the beat of Welsh rock band Jo90 and the atmosphere was upbeat in the main bar. That was surprising after Cardiff suffered a 4-1 home defeat against rivals Belfast Giants, but Jo90 lifted the mood instantly when they started […]

Sam Warburton is the right man to help tap into the full potential of the current Wales squad, according to new defence coach Byron Hayward. The former Wales captain has been added to the Wales coaching team as an advisor because he can bridge the generational divide. The playing days of new head coach Wayne […]