The main spotlight may fall on Anthony Joshua on Saturday night as he defends his world heavyweight titles against Carlos Takam, but a Welshman intends to play a major supporting role. Lightweight Joe Cordina’s opponent has yet to be named, but he told Rob Cole he was keen to improve on his last contest in Cardiff. Joe Cordina intends to return to the Principality Stadium on Saturday night and prove he is a winner. The last time the 25-year Cardiff boxer appeared at the home of Welsh rugby he was playing for Cardiff & District Schools Under 11s in the D.C Thomas Cup Final.

Thousands of enthusiastic fans packed Tir Prince Raceway in County Conwy as the FIA World Rally Championship stars and cars lit up the night skies with a spectacular start to the Dayinsure Wales Rally GB.

Gouging remains the ultimate sin on a rugby field as former Newport prop Sven Cronk can testify. But Peter Jackson finds himself shocked by the lenient nature of some recent decisions and argues it’s one in the eye for victims. Sven Cronk knows how it feels to be poked in the eye as the innocent victim of a gouging offence like no other during 20 years of European rugby. “Horrendous,’’ he said, breaking almost two decades of silence over what happened in the last scrum of Pontypridd’s Heineken Cup win over Colomiers on the last Friday of November 1999. “A hand came across my face and into my right eye. It was pretty gruesome.’’

Paul Clement has insisted he should be judged on a complete season in the Premier League, rather than the nine matches that have left Swansea City among the early strugglers. The Swans manager has also said he has no interest in linking up again with Carlo Ancelotti – a reported candidate for the Everton job – and that he retains the confidence of Swansea’s American owners. Clement takes his team to Arsenal this weekend, where a defeat could drop them into the relegation zone. The Swans currently sit 15th, but are only above the bottom three on goal difference.

Elfyn Evans is playing down his favourites’ tag for the Wales Rally GB this weekend. The Dolgellau-born driver could become the first home winner for 17 years.

Suzy Drane will captain Celtic Dragons for their 2018 Vitality Netball Superleague season. The first round of fixtures are in February and Dragons open their campaign with back-to-back home fixtures. benecosMavericks are visitors to Cardiff on Monday, February 12 followed by Team Bath on the following Saturday (both 7pm). “I’m excited to be part of […]

After four decades in rugby league there is little left for John Kear to experience, but the Wales manager will tick another box on Saturday. A former national coach of France and England, Kear will get his first taste of the passion that envelops the locals of Papua New Guinea when he takes his team to Port Moresby for their opening World Cup game. PNG is the only country in the world where rugby league is the national sport and the national stadium is expected to be packed to the rafters when the Kumuls host the first of three group games in the capital.

Dan Biggar learned a lot from playing with Gavin Henson when he launched his career at the Ospreys and now the Wales and Lions star can’t wait to play against him. Henson is set to return to the Liberty Stadium with the Dragons for Friday night’s Guinness PRO14 derby and Biggar knows exactly what sort of threat the double Grand Slammer can pose. “Gavin was here for my first year at the Ospreys and the thing I took most from him was the confidence he had. He would always back himself and believe he was right,” said Biggar.

Dayinsure Wales Rally GB is prepped and primed for a high-speed blast through the legendary Welsh forests  as some of the fastest and bravest drivers on the planet rev up to duel it out for glory, now armed with a new generation of even more powerful and dramatic WRC cars.

Wales’ teenage sensation Ben Woodburn has signed a long-term deal with Liverpool.

So now we know – 60% of the people in Wales dream about being more active, fitter and getting involved in sport. The question is, how does the meagerly funded Sport Wales create the opportunities to satisfy the new demand? The first ‘Sport and Active Lifestyles’ data published by Sport Wales provides more questions than answers at the moment, but at least gives that body the chance to formulate a new way forward. And that’s exactly what CEO Sarah Powell says she intends to go. The huge boom in participation in cycling, running, gymnastics and women’s team sports of late has greatly increased participation, but now the onus appears to be on tending to the overall health of the nation, both physical and mental.

Bluebirds fans can watch the final 12 Championship matches at Cardiff City Stadium for £139. Manager Neil Warnock’s team are second in the table and battling hard for promotion. Warnock has seven promotions on his managerial CV – and nobody has ever achieved eight. Their next game is at home against Millwall this Saturday (3pm), […]

Merthyr Town are feeling a lot better about their season after winning 3-1 in their Southern League Premier Division match against Stratford Town. They eased to a home victory at their Loadlok Community Stadium thanks to goals from Ian Traylor, Kerry Morgan and Elliot Richards. Now they can travel to Somerset for their FA Trophy […]

Dean Keates admitted Wrexham performance in the 2-0 National League defeat at Fylde was their worst of the season. The Dragons saw their 11-match unbeaten league run ended at the ground where they crashed out of the FA Cup 10 days ago.

As M-Sport embark on the twelfth and penultimate round of the FIA World Rally Championship, the stage is set for a historic Dayinsure Wales Rally GB – the Cumbrian squad in with a strong chance of securing the 2017 FIA World Rally Championship for Manufacturers.

Newly crowned British Skeet champion Ben Llewellin will lead the Welsh challenge at the Commonwealth Shooting Championships in Brisbane between October 30 and November 7. Wales have sent a 13-strong team to get an early sighter of the venue that will be used to host the Commonwealth Games event next year. Llewellin will be hoping to top the podium once again after his win at the Fauxdegla Premier Shooting Ground, near Wrexham earlier this month.

Wales Women had a late penalty claim waved away to deny them the chance of picking up an historic win over Russia in St Petersburg, where they drew 0-0 on Tuesday. A magnificent defensive display, superbly marshalled by Wales skipper Sophie Ingle, kept the visitors in the contest in difficult conditions and when Kayleigh Green went down under a challenge from the Russian goalkeeper Tatyana Scherbak in stoppage time it was Welsh fans who thought they would get a shot at winning the game. But the referee, Vesna Budimir, waved away the appeals for a penalty and the game ended in a goalless draw.

Paul Clement was able to offer little more than blind hope and optimism as Swansea City slipped quietly out of the Carabao Cup. Some clubs are inspired by hosting Manchester United and their endeavour to make a mockery of odds stacked against them whips their own support into a frenzy. Huddersfield come to mind. But the Swans bowed out after a listless 2-0 defeat on Tuesday night at a subdued Liberty Stadium, with a sense of at best resignation and at worst relief that the ordeal was not as painful as it might have been.

Warren Gatland is not a man previously known for Cross-dressing, but if he adorns his Wales team with one of his five new caps it could just be the rugby fashion statement of the autumn. This is the season for new trends and no-one could accuse the Wales coach of playing it safe on the November catwalk by selecting Sam Cross. The Ospreys flanker had not even played a full senior game of professional 15-a-side rugby until his regional debut against Saracens last week.

It has been quite a week for rising second row star Seb Davies with a new contract at Cardiff Blues being followed by a call-up for the Welsh squad for next month’s Under Armour Series. Despite being courted by a number of clubs, the Cardiff-born and bred lock has committed his long-term future to the Blues by signing his first senior contract. His signature follows those of two other Wales Under 20 caps, Rhun Williams and Corey Domachowski. “I’m really happy to have signed a senior contract with Cardiff Blues. They are my home team and I have come through the system here,” said the 21-year-old former Ysgol Glantaf and Coleg Y Cymoedd product.