Dai Sport

For Rio Dyer, his moment of rugby renewal this summer came from watching a Frenchman connect with his nation. Dyer – who had an extremely busy 2023-24 season for Wales and his Dragons region – could have been forgiven for switching off completely from the sport after a 12-month stretch that went from last year’s World Cup build-up to this summer’s tour to Australia.

Tom Shanklin is backing the Scarlets to edge out Cardiff in Saturday’s big Welsh derby clash. Both teams made positive starts to the BKT URC season, with Cardiff recording a bonus point win over Zebre Parma and the Scarlets coming tantalisingly close to a landmark victory away to Benetton Rugby before ultimately drawing 20-20.

Steve Cooper is “even more committed” to succeed at Leicester City following negative fan chants during the penalty shoot-out victory at League Two Walsall in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday night. The Foxes made 10 changes and had to rely on Wales goalkeeper Danny Ward saving spot-kicks from Taylor Allen, David Okagbue and Liam Gordon in the shoot-out to advance to the fourth round.

The North Wales pairing of Debbie Roberts and Heather Wathan produced a remarkable performance to win the 2024 Coronation Foursomes Grand Final in St Andrews. On a cold but still day at the home of golf, the pair from Barons Hill Golf Club triumphed in the popular championship for women and girls’ golfers across Great Britain and Ireland – by scoring 50 stableford points.

After some 12 years as a professional rugby player, Dan Thomas is finally about to experience his first Welsh regional derby. It will be all the more special for the new Cardiff flanker as it will take him down west towards his family roots and back to the club where it all began for him.

According to some business theories, there are three types of management crisis: responsive, proactive and recovery. There’s a fourth, though – Cardiff City. This is a state of permacrisis where the management is changed, the faces alter, the name plates in the car parking spaces are updated, but the crisis goes on

Ollie Griffiths, the 29-year-old Wales and Dragons flanker, is set for another period on the sidelines after his region revealed he is undergoing medical treatment for a tumour on his spine. The Dragons have said his condition “requires intervention” and he will be “unavailable for selection for the foreseeable future as he undergoes medical treatment”.

Wales rugby league coach John Kear believes his youthful squad can spark excitement for their forthcoming autumn internationals. Kear has named a 26-man squad that includes 12 uncapped players for the matches against Jamaica and Serbia.

Wales goalkeeper Danny Ward saved three penalties in a shoot-out to help Leicester City avoid a Carabao Cup upset against Walsall at the Poundland Bescot Stadium. The Saddlers had won all six of their home matches this season and Premier League opposition did not scare them in the first period as they had the best chance through Charlie Lakin.

The New Saints chairman Mike Harris is confident fans will back the club’s decision to play their home European matches this season at Shrewsbury Town’s Croud Meadow Stadium. The Saints are set to embark on their historic European football campaign with the League One club as their base.