Merthyr Town are focused on FA Trophy progress after their scheduled Southern League fixture on Cornwall this afternoon was called off. The Martyrs were due to play Truro City away, but heavy rain left their pitch unplayable and the clash will be rearranged. Now player-manager Gavin Williams and his players turn to their Buildbase FA […]

Cardiff Devils are looking to start building momentum in Scotland this weekend. They take on Fife Flyers and Dundee Stars away after a wobbly start to the new ice hockey season and coach Andrew Lord says: “We have two extremely tough games in Scotland.  “Our win against Coventry will give us a shot of confidence, […]

The World Cup is over for Wales and the tournament is down to the final two. Geraint Powell’s money is on England to overcome South Africa, but he still questions whether a different tactical approach from Wales might have got them to Saturday’s showpiece. We always know what is coming with an England versus South Africa Test match, and the only questions for tomorrow’s World Cup Final – a repeat of the 2007 final – and clash of the forward power games is which side (if either) achieves physical dominance and how they utilise that dominance. Will favourites England be able to achieve good front foot ball and get around the Springboks’ blitz defence and expose defensive weaknesses out wide in the way that Wales were not?

Warren Gatland has claimed he will be heartbroken if Wales squander his legacy. The Wales coach was unable to summon a fairytale finish to his 12 years in charge as New Zealand emphatically won the World Cup bronze medal at Tokyo Stadium. The All Blacks’ 40-17 triumph consigned Wales to a fourth place finish for the second time in three World Cup campaigns under Gatland.

Ian Holloway has come to the defence of Neil Warnock and claimed Cardiff City’s problems stem from their ongoing dispute over payments for Emiliano Sala. Former QPR, Crystal Palace and Blackpool manager Holloway believes Warnock’s efforts to build a promotion challenge in the Championship have been undermined by the fall-out from the Sala affair. With Cardiff still at odds over having to pay the first £16m of the Sala transfer fee to Nantes – and expected to be told by FIFA they must also pay the remainder of the £15m fee – the issue has still not been resolved.

Wales take on New Zealand on Friday, aiming for their first victory over the All Blacks since 1953. But 10 years after that famous day, Newport managed the same feat – exactly 56 years ago this week. Josh Thomas spoke to the hero of that famous 3-0 win, Dick Uzzell, whose drop goal as a 21-year-old earned him a place in history. This Saturday’s World Cup final will see England take on South Africa in the repeat of the 2007 final, when the Springboks beat England 15-6 at the Stade de France. Eddie Jones’s men will head into the final having just beaten New Zealand, bringing to an end their 12-year unbeaten run in the competition.

Ben Wilmot insists Swansea City can build a promotion surge on the back of his goal that gave the club their derby day victory over Cardiff City. The Swans go to Wigan on Saturday, having climbed back up to fourth in the Championship table – just two points behind leaders West Brom – following their 1-0 won over the Bluebirds at the Liberty Stadium last Sunday. Wilmot’s goal ended a sequence of just one win in eight matches for Steve Cooper’s side and the defender – who was making his first League start since his loan move from Watford – insists the club have a springboard from which to launch a bid for promotion.

The final game for Wales at the World Cup on Friday means the last goodbye for Warren Gatland. Robin Davey says the New Zealander has brought success and depth, where there was little beforehand, but suggests the departing Steve Hansen will ruin Gatland’s day, again. The highly successful World Cup staged by Japan comes to a climax on Saturday when in a mouth-watering clash between southern and northern hemisphere rivals, England take on South Africa – but Friday marks a real milestone as well. For after the bronze medal clash between Wales and New Zealand, iconic coaches Warren Gatland and Steve Hansen both step down after stellar times at the helm.

James Davies insists the future starts on Friday for Wales as he looks ahead to a new coaching era under Wayne Pivac and Stephen Jones. Davies has been picked to start against New Zealand in the World Cup third-place play-off match as one of the last selection acts of Warren Gatland before his final match as head coach. The flanker is one of nine changes to the side that lost the semi-final to South Africa on Sunday.

Tesni Evans will return from Egypt and the world championships with renewed belief she can continue her progress up the global rankings of women’s squash. Wales’ world number nine went out in the last 16 of the PSA Women’s World Championships in Cairo at the weekend, when she was beaten by England’s world number seven, Sarah-Jane Perry. It was a successful revenge mission for Perry who had lost to Evans in three of their last four meetings, but Wales’ Commonwealth Games medallist is confident that a new fitness regime – for mind and body – can enable her to further adjust to the demands of being in the world’s top 10.

Warren Gatland has made nine changes to the Wales team to play New Zealand in the World Cup third-place play-off match on Friday – aiming for “something special” with his first-ever win over the All Blacks. “We’re disappointed not to be involved in the big game,” admitted Gatland, who goes out this weekend having led Wales to titles in the Six Nations on four occasions, securing the Grand Slam in 2008, 2012 and 2019. “It’s the last game you want to be involved in. But a victory for us would be incredibly important.

Swansea City defender Ben Cabango believes walking off the pitch would be the right response if he was subjected to racist abuse during a match. Having broken through to the Swans’ first team this season, the 19 year-old has featured three times in the Carabao Cup, including his debut against Northampton Town in August. The Wales Under 21 international was born and bred in Cardiff to a Welsh mother and Angolan father, but insists he has never personally encountered racism in his fledgling career to date.

Cardiff’s Tooby twins, who dominated Welsh women’s distance running in the 1980s, are gradually being written out of the nation’s record books by Wales’ current crop of outstanding endurance athletes. Last weekend saw Natasha Cockram surpass Susan Tooby’s 31-year-old Welsh marathon best in Dublin, while Charlotte Arter bettered Angela Tooby’s 35-year-old 10K record on the roads of Leeds. Breaking Susan Tooby’s marathon record of 2:31.33, set while finishing 12th at the Seoul Olympics of 1988, has given Cockram extra belief she can emulate her countrywoman’s achievement of competing on the biggest stage of all.

Dominic Dale once again led the Welsh charge in a ranking event – but his defeat to Fergal O’Brien ultimately ends home interest in the Zhiyuan World Open after just two days. Dale caused a major shock on the opening day in China’s Yushan province, defeating Ronnie O’Sullivan in one of eight qualifying matches held over from earlier this month. The 5-3 victory was the first time the Welshman had tasted success against ‘The Rocket’ in nine attempts, setting up a clash with world number 67 O’Brien in the first round proper.

Two young Wales players have shown the benefit of a multi-sport approach at this World Cup. Aaron Wainwright’s football background has been widely celebrated, but the basketball skills of Tomos Williams have been just as significant, says Kasey Rees. As Wales prepare to face New Zealand on Friday in the World Cup third-place play-off, those looking for uplifting signs for the future could do worse than consider the impact of Tomos Williams. For his last World Cup campaign Warren Gatland has certainly seen the benefit in selecting multi-skilled players – those such as ex-footballer Aaron Wainwright and Tomos Williams, whose background is in basketball.

Darren Jones is trying to shake-up junior football in Wales, with a new development programme branded under the name of Scottish giants, Celtic. But his new venture – and old school approach – appears to be on a collision course with the existing powers, as Robert Wheeler reports. Former Newport County captain Darren Jones believes Welsh football is missing out by not having a stepping stone between grassroots and academy level. In response, Jones has created his own Newport-based development centre – Celtic South Wales (CSW) Elite FC, which boasts links to Scottish giants Celtic.

Chris Hand used a most unlikely road rally car, a large 29-year old five-door Ford Sierra LX, to win one of Wales’ biggest and most famous night events at the weekend, the Cilwendeg Rally. Co-driven by Dai Roberts (who is enjoying a fantastic season as both a driver and navigator), the Cardigan driver mastered the 100 mile route in the lanes around Newcastle Emlyn, many sections of which were treacherously wet and slippery after recent torrential rain. While Hand in car number five made a good start, the top three seeds had a shocker. Top seeds Kevin Davies/Dale Bowen (Ford Escort) picked up an early five minute penalty for missing a code board and, after losing more time with a puncture, last year’s winners eventually finished in 17th place.

Cardiff City 3, Crystal Palace 0 Sol Bamba and Jazz Richards have taken a huge stride towards full fitness after playing for Cardiff City’s development team against Crystal Palace. Both players completed the 90 minutes during a convincing Bluebirds victory at Cardiff City Stadium and will be available for Saturday’s home match against Birmingham City. […]

Shane Williams believes Wales can build on solid foundations as they prepare for life after Warren Gatland. As the beaten World Cup semi-finalists prepare to take on New Zealand in the third-place play-off on Friday – Gatland’s final match in charge – record tryscorer Williams is optimistic about the future under Gatland’s successor Wayne Pivac, despite the obvious ending of a four-year cycle for players and management. Captain Alun Wyn Jones, Jonathan Davies, Liam Williams, George North, Dan Biggar, Leigh Halfpenny, Ken Owens and Justin Tipuric could all be gone by the time of the next tournament in 2023, but Williams sees enough young talent to build upon.

Cardiff Devils 3, Guildford Flames 4 After sudden death overtime and penalty shootout Captain Joey Martin’s Cardiff Devils play a crucial Challenge Cup group home match against Coventry Blaze on Wednesday. Devils suffered back-to-back defeats against group winners Guildford Flames over the weekend and now, if they are to progress, they must beat Blaze at […]