There were European celebrations in Cardiff as well as Madrid on Saturday night. As Liverpool were sealing their sixth European Cup success in Spain, two Welsh boxers were securing their own continental glory at the Vale Sports Arena in Penarth. Swansea’s Jay Harris claimed the vacant EBU European flyweight title against Spain’s Angel Moreno, while Blackwood’s Craig Evans successfully defended his WBO European lightweight title on the same bill.

Wales clinched a series win over France despite losing the final game 3-0 in Cardiff on Sunday. Head Coach Kevin Johnson’s side had won the opening two games 2-1 and 3-1 at the National Hockey Centre at Sophia Gardens.

There will be five Welsh players wearing the famous colours of the Barbarians at Twickenham today (Sunday) when they take on an England Men’s and Women’s XV. The double-header on Sunday comes the day after three more Welshmen did battle in the Gallagher Premiership final at the same venue. Liam Williams managed to add to the Heineken Champions Cup medal he won with Saracens three weeks ago, subduing the challenge of Alex Cuthbert and Tomas Francis in the Exeter Chiefs side.

Gutted Vicky Thornley is confident she can use her European Championship disappointment to her benefit for the rest of the season. Wales’ silver medallist just missed out on the A final of the single sculls in Lucerne on her return to competitive rowing after taking a break last season.

Jo Westwood celebrated winning her 100th cap by sealing a 3-1 victory for Wales against France in Cardiff. The Holcombe HC player netted after Eloise Laity and Caro Hulme put Wales in control in the second game of the three match series.

It looks like the driver who has the least problems will win Rally Portugal today, but despite a magnificent comeback, that won’t be Elfyn Evans. He dropped to 20th after stopping for four minutes on Friday when a throttle pedal connection came loose on his M-Sport Ford Fiesta WRC. The consequence of this meant that the Dolgellau ace was forced to run first on the road on Saturday, which was another disadvantage on the long gravel stages. Yet Evans and co-driver Scott Martin will start today’s final leg in seventh place, after a remarkable fight back up the leaderboard. And with bonus points available on the final Power Stage, they hope to finish a frustrating event with a flurry.

Izzy Webb’s late strike gave Wales a 2-1 victory in the opening match of their three-game series against France in Cardiff. The Swansea City player netted with 10 minutes left at the National Hockey Centre at Sophia Gardens.

Two Welshmen will try and prevent another from making history at Twickenham today (Saturday) when the destiny of the English rugby title is decided. Exeter Chiefs pair Tomas Francis and Alex Cuthbert will try and deny Liam Williams his place in the record books when they face Saracens in the Gallagher Premiership final. If Sarries win and retain their crown, then Williams will be the first Welshman to complete a perfect season of Grand Slam Six Nations winner, Heineken Champions Cup winner and domestic title triumph.

Elfyn Evans will start today’s second leg of Rally Portugal from 16th place, after a loose throttle pedal connection brought his M-Sport Ford Fiesta WRC to a halt for four minutes on SS5. It was only Evans’ exceptional mechanical skills that allowed him to find and fix the fault, but the delay has ruined all chances of victory. He and co-driver Scott Martin had started well, and started stage five in fifth position overall, but dropped to 20th after stopping in the stage. They jumped back to 16th after a good run through SS6, but ended the day just over four and a half minutes off the leaders, Ott Tänak/Martin Järveoja (Toyota Yaris WRC).

Michael Flynn has moved quickly to secure the services of first-team regulars Mark O’Brien and Josh Sheehan’s for Newport County’s push for promotion next season. The Exiles may have lost Dan Butler to Peterborough United after notching 150 games for the club in the past three seasons, but club captain O’Brien has given the club a major boost by signing a new two-year deal. The 26-year-old Irishman, who was sent-off in the Play-Off final at Wembley last weekend after picking up two yellow cards, wrote his name into County folklore when he scored the goal that kept the Exiles up two seasons ago.

Neil Warnock insists Cardiff City are making the right pre-season plans this summer after announcing a tour of North America. The Bluebirds – who are preparing for life back in the Championship after relegation from the Premier League – will play two games in the United States and one in Canada. Last season, in readiness to take on the likes of Manchester City, Liverpool, Chelsea and others, Cardiff went on a rather more humble trip to Devon and Cornwall.

By Twm Owen What could have been one of the most intriguing fixtures of the British American Football Division Two West season will take place this weekend.  The undefeated South Wales Warriors take on the Somerset Wyverns for the first time since escaping from Taunton with a narrow two-point victory in the reformed club’s debut fixture […]

Swansea’s undefeated Commonwealth flyweight champion Jay Harris tops a mouth-watering bill of championship boxing in Cardiff on Saturday night. The 28-year-old takes on Spain’s Angel Moreno for the vacant EBU European title at the #MTKFightNight show at the Vale Sports Arena, in Penarth, which also features Craig Evans’ WBO European lightweight title clash. And there will be plenty of Welsh domestic action on the undercard as Kieran Gething defends his Welsh Area super-lightweight title against Craig Woodruff, along with support bouts featuring some of the country’s most exciting emerging talent.

Ben Davies is hoping to become only the fifth Welshman to stride off a pitch as a European champion on Saturday night when the eyes of a continent focus on Madrid. The Wales defender may have to settle for a place on the substitutes’ bench when Tottenham face Liverpool in the Champions League final, but the chances are he will replace Danny Rose at some stage – as has happened 10 times this season. On he came against Ajax in the semi-final with eight minutes remaining and Spurs on the brink of going out of the tie – 3-2 on aggregate, despite coming back from 2-0 down to be level at 2-2 on the night.

New Dragons chief Dean Ryan insists Sam Davies will bring the X-Factor to the region next season. The Wales international fly-half has signed a two-year contract to join the Dragons from the Ospreys in a statement signing for the Gwent region. Davies – who has won eight caps for his country and is a former world junior player of the year – had been mulling over a switch to Rodney Parade for some time.

The Cricket World Cup takes its bow in Wales tomorrow (Saturday), when New Zealand and Sri Lanka meet at Cardiff’s Sophia Gardens. Graham Thomas reports on how Cricket Wales have tried to ride the wave and get more youngsters involved in a sport that is heading towards changing times. The Cricket World Cup is heading to Wales and the first delivery has fans in the middle of the action. The global tournament began on Thursday and runs until July 14, with four matches taking place in Cardiff at Glamorgan’s face-lifted and spring-cleaned Sophia Gardens.

Leah Wilkinson has told Wales to use their experience when they face a young French side in a three-test series in Cardiff this weekend. The defender is set to become the most capped hockey player in Welsh history on Saturday when she will surpass Paul Edwards’ record of 157 appearances.

Melissa Courtney has destroyed her own Welsh 5000m record in her first track race of the season in Stockholm. The Commonwealth Games 1500m bronze medallist scythed almost 11 seconds off the mark with a time of 14 minutes 53.82 seconds at the Diamond League meeting.

Welsh tennis number one Evan Hoyt’s brilliant form over the past year has been rewarded with a wildcard place at next week’s prestigious Surbiton Trophy in London. The ATP Challenger event, which begins on Monday, is the traditional curtain raiser to the British grass court season leading up to Wimbledon.

Joey Haddad, Cardiff Devils power forward from Nova Scotia, has committed to the Welsh club for a sixth successive Elite League season. Right-winger Haddad is the fifth player signed by Devils for the 2019-20 ice hockey season which starts in mid-August. Joey Martin, Josh Batch, Evan Mosey, Mark Louis and Haddad have now been announced […]