Sam Warburton picks his way through the scattered chairs inside the empty Cardiff Blues players’ lounge and finds a seat near the dartboard. “You wouldn’t sit here normally,” he says. “You’d probably get a dart in your head.”

Gylfi Sigurdsson has been compared to Arsenal’s £35 million Arsenal striker Alexis Sanchez. The compliment was paid by Sigurdsson’s Swansea City head coach Francesco Guidolin, who knows more than most the value of his Icelandic star.

Welsh swimmer Liz Johnson has announced her retirement after an illustrious career in the pool. The Paralympian won a medal at three consecutive Paralympic Games, having made her debut in Athens in 2004, where she won silver in the 100m breaststroke.

Lyn Jones has left the Newport Gwent Dragons by mutual consent, according to the region. Jones has left his role as director of rugby with immediate effect, with head coach Kingsley Jones taking charge for the rest of the season.

Jacques Rudolph is determined Glamorgan bounce back from their comprehensive 10-wicket defeat to Leicestershire. The Welsh county’s skipper admitted his side had been outplayed in their Specsavers County Championship opener, but the South African also insisted the team are now focussed on turning things around for their next game.

Cardiff City manager Russell Slade still believes he can plot a route into the Championship play-offs despite his team’s shattering defeat to Brentford. The Bluebirds crashed 2-1 at Griffin Park on Tuesday night, leaving them six points behind their rivals for sixth-place, Sheffield Wednesday, but with only three matches left.

Liam Williams wishes this season was not coming to a close, even though he admits it has been one of the worst he can remember. The Wales and Scarlets full-back could have just two more matches if his region fail to get back into the top four of the Guinness Pro12, having been there almost the entire season.

Aneurin Donald believes Glamorgan could yet mount an escape against Leicestershire even though an opening Specsavers County Championship Division Two defeat appears likely. Glamorgan lead by only 93 runs with just two wickets remaining after day three belonged to the visitors at the Swalec Stadium.

Jim Botham – grandson of cricket legend Sir Ian – has signed to play for the Cardiff Blues next season. The 18-year-old has agreed a one-year academy contract with the region and will move to the capital in June.

Timm van der Gugten has admitted Tuesday’s morning session could be all-important, as Glamorgan go in search of victory against Leicestershire. The Dutch international paceman took his first wicket in Glamorgan colours on an attritional day’s cricket at The SSE Swalec Stadium, trapping Mark Pettini lbw for 27.

Wales manager Chris Coleman believes simply reaching Euro 2016 will not be enough for Welsh football. Coleman will lead Wales at their first major tournament for 58 years in just over 50 days’ time when the country’s European Championship campaign kicks off against Slovakia in Bordeaux.

Chaz Davies was left to rue a pit-stop strategy error as he missed the chance to challenge for victory in the World Superbikes race at Assen. The Knighton-born rider’s Ducati outfit opted to keep him on the Dutch track three laps longer than his Kawasaki rivals in Sunday’s second race.

Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink believes his former club Cardiff City can still make the play-offs – but confesses he would have file to the possibility in the “crazy” category. Hasselbaink was full of compliments for the Bluebirds after seeing his QPR team gain a 0-0 draw in the capital on Saturday.

Swansea City’s Federico Fernandez has admitted his team must improve their cut price defending before they face champions-elect Leicester City. “We need to improve defending from set pieces because they are cheap goals,” said the Argentinean centre-back.

Graham Wagg was happy with Glamorgan’s progress on day one of the Specsavers County Championship match against Leicestershire. Wagg hit 64 off 110 balls to propel Glamorgan to a competitive total of 348 after they won the toss and elected to bat.

Jazz Carlin has ended four years of hurt by booking her ticket to this summer’s Rio Olympics. The Swansea swimmer saw her Games dream wrecked four years ago by a bout of glandular fever which left her considering giving up the sport.

Scarlets coach Wayne Pivac refused to blame illness for his team’s sickly display in defeat to Glasgow – a result which threatens to leave Wales without a representative in the Pro12 play-offs. The Scarlets dropped out of the top four for the first time this season after crumbling to a record 46-10 thrashing against Glasgow at Parc Y Scarlets on Saturday.

Francesco Guidolin has warned his Swansea City team they could still be relegated. The Italian was unimpressed by the side’s 3-0 defeat at Newcastle United on Saturday which has left them still mathematically vulnerable to the drop.

Cardiff City boss Russell Slade was left frustrated by a 0-0 draw with QPR and unhappy his side did not get a penalty. The draw left the Bluebirds still in seventh place five points behind play-off rivals Sheffield Wednesday.

Chaz Davies saw his hopes of a third World Superbikes win in a row dashed after a terrific three-man scrap in Assen on Saturday. The Knighton-born rider had to settle for second place as Northern Ireland’s reigning champ Jonathan Rea triumphed to claim his first win in four races.