Ryan Giggs has paid tribute to the youngsters who have ignited his new era in change of Wales – and admitted he never had it this good as a player. Giggs saw his youthful team thrash the Republic of Ireland 4-1 at the Cardiff City Stadium on Thursday night in his first competitive match in charge. Tom Lawrence, Gareth Bale, Aaron Ramsey and Connor Roberts scored the goals that put Wales 4-0 ahead in their first UEFA Nations League tie.

Ryan Giggs has admitted he is in the dark over just what or who will be facing Wales when they head to Denmark next week. The Wales manager is preparing for Wales to enter the unknown against a Denmark side consisting of lower-league and futsal players. Denmark’s preparations for their UEFA Nations League opener against Wales in Aarhus on Sunday are in chaos following a dispute between the Danish Football Association and their Players’ Association.

Gareth Bale’s Real Madrid renaissance proves he has the character to be a future captain of Wales, according to his former international colleague Simon Davies. Bale was seemingly inching towards the exit door at the Bernabeu before scoring twice in Real’s Champions League final victory against Liverpool in May. Instead, manager Zinedine Zidane and team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo left Madrid after that triumph and Bale has since played a pivotal part under new boss Julen Lopetegui, scoring in Real’s opening two LaLiga wins.

They have cleared a yellow jersey-sized space on the wall at Geraint Thomas’s old school – right next to Gareth Bale’s framed Real Madrid shirt and the rugby jersey worn by Lions captain Sam Warburton. Teachers and pupils hope it won’t stay empty for long. Nothing underlines the incredible roll of sporting honour at Whitchurch High School in Cardiff, more than those three trophies.

“The Welsh Sports Hall of Fame would like to join with everyone else in Wales and beyond in congratulating Geraint Thomas in becoming only the first Welsh cyclist to win the Tour de France. It is a hugely significant victory for one of the greatest sportsmen ever produced in Wales.

The Tour de France will be tracked over the next three weeks by millions of cycling fans around the globe, but nobody will be taking a keener interest on the epic race than the pupils of Whitchurch High School in Cardiff. They will be pinning their hopes on Geraint Thomas, one of their many top-flight sporting alumni, adding to his collection of Yellow Jerseys and maybe, just maybe, challenging his Team Sky teammate Chris Froome for the overall prize. The tension and excitement has been rising at the school, although for one member of staff it will be a question of just sitting back and taking it all in his stride.

Ten days on from Gareth Bale’s wonder goal for Real Madrid in the Champions League final and people around the world are still talking about Wales’ best known export. Rob Cole has been in America, where Mexicans, Armenians, Afghans and Bulgarians nod their heads appreciatively at the mention of Wales, smile, and say simply, . . . ‘Gareth Bale.’ The global impact of Wales’ greatest sporting superstar, Gareth Bale, has never been as evident as in the days since his match-winning performance in the Champions League final. ‘That goal’ went viral on every social media channel and helped to swell his Twitter following to 16.8 million and his Instagram flock to 3.3 million. But outside that often tenuous ‘virtual’ world, he has also been the talk of the real sporting public.

Ashley Williams is feared to have suffered a cracked rib after being taken to hospital during Wales’ 0-0 draw with Mexico in California. The Everton centre-back suffered the injury 17 minutes into the game at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena.

Gareth Bale’s situation at Real Madrid is “complicated” according to manager Zinedine Zidane. The inspiration and saviour for Wales on so many occasions, Bale proved match-winner for his club with a gravity-defying, momentous, awe-inspiring overhead kick that swing the Champions League final away from Liverpool and in the Spanish club’s favour on Saturday night. Immediately after scoring a second stunning goal, man-of-the-match Bale suggested the 3-1 victory in Kiev could be his final game for Madrid where he has recently struggled to be a starting presence under Zidane.

So, it is not just the legendary Welsh Sporting Trinity of Gareth Bale, Geraint Thomas and Sam Warburton who keep the flag of Whitchurch High School flying high on the world stage. Less than 24 hours after another old boy, Dan Salmon, struck gold in the Men’s Pairs in the lawn bowls with Marc Wyatt, the 17-year-old Natalia Bevan pulled off the routine of her life on Floor to strike silver in the artistic gymnastics. Bevan had score 13.00 and 13.30 in her two previous floor routines to come into the final as the fourth highest finisher, but with the pressure mounting she was almost faultless when it counted most as she thrilled the packed house with an expressive and complicated performance.

Ryan Giggs defended Gareth Bale’s contribution after he suffered his first defeat as Wales manager to Uruguay in the China Cup final. Real Madrid star Bale has been the big attraction at this four-team tournament in Nanning with his every move monitored by the media and his Chinese fan base. But Bale was overshadowed by Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani as they inspired Uruguay to a 1-0 win.

Gareth Bale will go head-to-head with his rival in Spain Luis Suarez on Monday as Wales take on Uruguay in the China Cup final. Real Madrid star Bale and Barcelona striker Suarez will provide a La Liga flavour to the tournament final, which will be shown live on S4C from 12.15pm, with English commentary available. After a dream start in Ryan Giggs’ first match in charge, former Wales international and S4C studio analyst, Owain Tudur Jones has warned the new manager he faces a far sterner test in his second at the helm.