Swansea City boss Francesco Guidolin has warned Jefferson Montero he needs to be a better defender if he is to get back in the team. Winger Montero, 26, was one of the stand-out Premier League performers in the opening weeks of the season when his pace and trickery unsettled full-backs and won him rave reviews.

Glamorgan captain Jacques Rudolph has backed new head coach Robert Croft to make an instant impact as the county gets ready for the new cricket season. Rudolph will lead Glamorgan into a three-day friendly against Somerset at the Swalec Stadium on Thursday, in readiness for the start of the LV County Championship campaign which begins on April 17.

Alex Cuthbert is out of Wales’ tour to New Zealand this summer after undergoing a knee operation. The Cardiff Blues player is expected to be sidelined for at least 12 weeks, putting him out of contention for the June trip which includes three Tests against the All Blacks.

Chaz Davies hopes history will repeat itself as he returns to the scene of his famous World Superbikes triumph in Spain this weekend. The Knighton-born rider bagged the long-awaited first victory for the Ducati 1199 Panigale R on the Motorland Aragon track last year.

Luke Rowe admitted he was gutted after a puncture dashed his victory hopes on the opening stage of the Three Days of De Panne in Belgium. The Cardiff-born cyclist was looking strong after attacking out of a small group around 15 miles from the end of the stage.

The Easter friendlies are over and Wales manager Chris Coleman is now left to mull over his final squad selection for the Euro 2016 tournament finals in France. Did Coleman learn anything he didn’t already know? Or was it a case of confirming evidence gathered during qualification? Dai Sport’s Ross Tyson (Twitter @rosstyson) sticks his head under Coleman’s thinking cap.

Natalie Powell has targeted European judo gold in her bid to win selection for the Rio Olympics. The Commonwealth Games champ bagged bronze at last weekend’s Tbilisi Grand Prix but slipped to ninth in the world rankings.

Chaz Davies is relishing World Superbikes return to Europe as he bids to step-up his title challenge in Spain. The Powys-born flier was given a confidence boost with third place in the second race at the last round in Thailand earlier this month.

Dan Lydiate has questioned the desire of his Ospreys teammates as they rake over the ashes of their Guinness Pro12 campaign. The Wales flanker has admitted the Scarlets showed more fight in the weekend derby at the Liberty Stadium – enabling them to make off with a 25-16 victory that all but snuffs out the dying flames of the Ospreys’ European Champions Cup hopes.

Wales manager Chris Coleman admitted his side would be targeted at set pieces during Euro 2016 after Ukraine again exposed his side’s weakness, with Andriy Yarmolenko finishing expertly from Ruslan Rotan’s 28th-minute free-kick. Monday night’s defeat followed the 1-1 draw against Northern Ireland in Cardiff on Thursday when Craig Cathcart had punished Wales from a corner.

Chris Coleman believes Wales will cope if the unthinkable happens this summer and Gareth Bale is not in France. The Wales manager focused on the positive aspects of a 1-1 draw with Northern Ireland that came without both Bale and Aaron Ramsey.

Swansea City are in talks to sign Ecuador striker Miler Bolanos from Brazilian club Gremio. If the deal goes through then Bolanos – valued at around £6m – would become the second Ecuadorian at the club, alongside his international teammate Jefferson Montero.

Jason Tovey has left the Newport Gwent Dragons to join Edinburgh until the end of the season. Even though the fly-half is making the move on a short-term deal, he will not be returning to Rodney Parade.

Former Newport County striker Conor Washington hopes to make his debut for Northern Ireland against Wales in Cardiff this week. Washington reckons a return to familiar surroundings will help his late bid for a place in Northern Ireland’s Euro 2016 squad.

The Ospreys believe Alun Wyn Jones could be out injured for just three weeks – and not the six suggested by Wales coach Warren Gatland. Jones missed the final match of the Six Nations because of a foot injury which Gatland revealed his second row had been carrying for some time.

Chris Coleman will make Wales’ Euro 2016 hotel a WAG-free zone this summer – at least until his team make the knockout stages. The manager – himself a HAB (husband and boyfriend) to Sky Sports presenter Charlotte Coleman – has decided the best way to deal with wives and girlfriends at the tournament in June is to ban them from his players’ camp.

Ashley Williams is determined there will no repeat of this season’s battle for survival for Swansea City. The Swans skipper is ready to sit down and talk with Huw Jenkins when the chairman holds his planned summer review.

Dan Biggar has insisted he and the rest of the Wales team can cope with the flak for finishing runners-up in the Six Nations. The Wales No.10 believes the criticism that came the team’s way during the tournament – for both style and substance – will simply serve to strengthen their resolve ahead of their summer trip to face the All Blacks.

Chris Coleman has hinted he could be swayed by other job offers after admitting renewing his Wales contract is far from a done deal. The Wales manager has admitted he and his employers are “apart” after their initial discussions over a new deal.

Federico Fernandez proved he is the Daddy after bagging a crucial winner with his first goal for Swansea City. The Argentine centre-back’s maiden goal since his move from Napoli in May 2013 saw the Swans see off Aston Villa.