The leaves still fell from the trees, the clock went back its prescribed hour, but for once Wales have not lost to Australia in the autumn. A first victory for 10 years and 13 matches may not have been by a decisive margin, and it may have been tryless, but that might make the 9-6 victory taste all the sweeter. So often in this fixture it has been Australia who have edged it, narrowed their eyes and narrowed the scoreline in their favour. It was a familiar script.

Sol Bamba often likes to call Neil Warnock a father figure but it would have been tough love rather than a paternal pat on the back for the defender had he not delivered the winner against Brighton. The Bluebirds were heading towards a draw in Saturday’s early kick-off until Bamba scored in the 90th minute to transform a meagre point into three priceless ones. It spared him the wrath of his manager, whose anger had been stoked by the casual ease with which Lewis Dunk had given Brighton the lead. It was a header from a free-kick with Bamba doing nothing more than escorting England’s latest centre-back down the runway.

Elfyn Evans is aiming to end the 2018 FIA World Rally Championship on a high at next weekend’s Rally Australia, as the Dolgellau driver prepares to play the team game once again and do what he can to help Sébastien Ogier and M-Sport Ford win the drivers’ and manufacturers’ titles. Ogier, the reigning and five-time World Rally Champion, heads to Oz leading the drivers’ standings, just three points ahead of Thierry Neuville (Hyundai), with Ott Tänak (Toyota) third and still in with an outside chance of stealing the title. Evans has already helped Ogier this season, and he has the speed and ability to put himself between the title challengers in his EcoBoost-powered Fiesta WRC. And if he does that, and it’s the difference between Ogier winning a sixth title or not, he’ll be the undisputed unsung hero of the M-Sport Ford squad.

Jake Emmitt has been recalled to the Wales squad for Sunday’s 2021 Rugby League World Cup qualifying showdown with Ireland in Wrexham. (3pm) The Toronto Wolfpack player is part of the 19-man squad named by Head Coach John Kear for the game at the Racecourse Ground.

Gavin Chesterfield takes his Barry Town side to joint-league leaders Connah’s Quay this afternoon in what will be his 399th game in charge. Remarkably, his team could be sitting top of the JD Welsh Premier League for his 400th game against The New Saints next weekend. Chesterfield’s side are separated only by goal difference with […]

The New Saints manager Scott Ruscoe says his team lack a cutting edge after a late penalty saw Caernarfon Town snatch all three points from Park Hall. Saints slipped to a successive defeat when Nathan Craig thumped an 86th-minute spot-kick past Paul Harrison to dent their title defence. “I just think we’re lucky in that […]

Alun Wyn Jones admits Adam Beard hardly looks old enough to grow facial hair worthy of his name, but has backed him to help Wales shave off their long, unwanted losing streak against Australia. Beard will partner the Wales captain in the second row, a selection that even the young Ospreys player this week admitted raised his own eyebrows as well those of plenty of others. But Jones spotted beard’s talent as a fresh-faced teenager and now his teammate is a fresh-faced 22-year-old he thinks he’s ready to beat the Wallabies for a first Welsh win in 14 attempts.

Josh Murphy admits he owes a debt of gratitude to Chris Hughton, but wants to pay none of it back when Cardiff City face Brighton today. It was Hughton who gave the Bluebirds winger – an £11million summer signing and arguably the club’s most important asset in the fight to avoid Premier League relegation – his senior debut back in 2013. Hughton handed Murphy his Norwich bow as an 18-year-old when the teenager rewarded his faith with a goal in a Capital One Cup tie win at Watford.

Merthyr Town are ready for their leap from Southern League football into the Dripping Pan. The Martyrs travel to face Sussex club Lewes, who play at the Dripping Pan Stadium, in the Buildbase FA Trophy on Saturday. Manager Gavin Williams and his players won 3-2 at Farnborough in the last round to earn their clash […]

Manager Michael Flynn’s Exiles take on the ‘Fraud Squad’ in Saturday’s Emirates FA Cup first round tie at Imber Court. Metropolitan Police FC are a team who are regular targets for banter mickey-taking and chairman Des Flanders says: “Rival teams have started calling us the Fraud Squad. “Good banter that, you have to laugh.” That […]

Evan Mosey has been given the all-clear to make his Cardiff Devils this weekend. The former Nottingham Panthers player only joined on Thursday after defenceman Ben Blood’s shock move to Finland.

Graham Potter admits Wilfried Bony is determined to make up for lost time after finally being given the all-clear to resume playing for Swansea City. The Ivory Coast striker has been sidelined since February after damaging knee ligaments in a Premier League defeat by Leicester.

While Wales take on Australia this weekend, the four Welsh regions take a breather for the next three weeks until the Guinness Pro 14 resumes. Geraint Powell takes the temperature of the four of them and says all need to warm up quickly when the action resumes. The first block of the Welsh regional rugby season is over. The first eight rounds of the Guinness Pro14 and two rounds in Europe have been completed and the best Welsh rugby players are now in Test camp with Warren Gatland.

Ffos Las racecourse in West Wales have their annual Countryside jump racing day this Sunday (November 11). The going for Sunday is soft (heavy in places) following 30mm rain on Wednesday, 6mm Thursday.  Friday is cloudy with 10-15mm rain forecast. Heavy showers on Saturday, while Sunday is brighter. There are seven races, the first at […]

Swindon Wildcats are the next National League visitors to the Viola Arena in Cardiff Bay, but player-coach Chris Douglas and his Cardiff Fire players are focused on away days first. Fire, beaten 5-3 at Bracknell in their last match when Newport-born Steve Fisher scored three, travel to play Solent Devils on Saturday, followed by a […]

Llandudno have turned to veteran striker Gary Taylor-Fletcher to help them snap their winless streak. The 37 year-old former Premier League striker returns to football following his previous spell as player/assistant manager at Bangor City and is expected to go straight into their team to face Bala Town tonight (7.45). Llandudno have taken just one […]

Newly-signed Devils player Evan Mosey enjoyed his Ice Hogs experience in the American League and returned to Britain, in his view, a better player. Speedy American Mosey, originally from Downers Grove, has been added to the Devils team following the departure of defenceman Ben Blood to Finland’s Tappara. “Mosey is one of the fastest skaters […]

Welsh Athletics have selected strong and exciting senior and junior t teams to take part in a prestigious cross country event in Spain this weekend.

Former Nottingham Panther Evan Mosey has joined Cardiff Devils following the departure of Ben Blood. The Devils have moved quick to sign the Illinois-Born defenceman just 24 hours after Blood’s shock move to Finland.

Gareth Anscombe’s keeping of the Wales No.10 shirt was as much about protecting the player’s confidence as it was about beating Australia on Saturday, Warren Gatland has revealed. The Wales coach has stuck with Anscombe at outside-half to take on the Wallabies, even though Biggar was available again after sitting out the game against Scotland because it fell outside the official Test window. Northampton-based Biggar has very much been Gatland’s go-to man in recent seasons and 39 of his last 40 caps have been earned from a starting spot.