Dai Sport

A record turnout in the disability event and two Anglesey golfers winning the chance to play at St Andrew’s in the week of the 150th Open Championship were the highlights of the Wales Golf Festival. Dion Lewis and Wyn Thomas of Baron Hill Golf Club won through in the R&A 9-Hole Challenge, with the remarkable prize taking them the to Home of Golf next month to represent Wales in the finals against players from England, Scotland, Ireland Australia and New Zealand.

There have been some seriously dark times in the rich, turbulent history that is Welsh rugby. You only have to recall the countless thrashings by New Zealand - some of which are too painful to remember without feeling embarrassed - but South Africa dished out the worst beating on June 27, 1998. In the last passage of play, replacement Springbok hooker Naka Drotske dropped a pass near the try line, which saved Wales from the humiliation of having 100 points scored against them.

Ospreys head coach Toby Booth insists he is looking forward to his team testing themselves against the best after their daunting draw for next season’s Heineken Champions Cup. The region’s reward for winning the Welsh Shield in the URC is a Heineken Champions Cup draw against French champions Montpellier and English champions Leicester Tigers. The draws for both the Champions Cup and the European Challenge Cup were made in Dublin, venue for both finals on 19 and 20 May next year, and included for the first time five teams from South Africa.

Gemma Grainger insisted Wales had taken some plus points from their draw with New Zealand in Spain, even if they came away with no goals. The Wales manager watched her team draw 0-0 in a friendly in Pinatar in their last game before their crucial World Cup qualifiers in September. Grainger’s squad are continuing preparations ahead of the final two qualifiers against Greece and Slovenia, where victories can guarantee a play-off place for the tournament.

Four Welsh athletes have been named as part of an initial Great Britain team of 64 heading for next month’s World Athletics Championships in Oregon. Melissa Courtney-Bryant, Jeremiah Azu and Joe Brier have joined marathon runner Josh Griffiths, whose selection had already been announced. A further group of athletes have been nominated for selection via a top 32 Road to Oregon qualification position and have been informed.

David Eaton set himself the goal of competing for Wales at the Commonwealth Games when he was 13 years old. It was the summer of 1994 and he was sat in front of the television at his grandparents’ house in North Wales. It was a goal the gymnast would go on to achieve – and a lot more besides.

Dragons chairman David Buttress – the man who launched Just Eat in the UK – reckons he has just listened. Buttress insists he took soundings from Dragons supporters as part of an exhaustive 10-month process surrounding the identity of the Gwent regional side. A new club crest, name and slogan was officially unveiled for the first time at Rodney Parade with the club now being known as Dragons RFC.