Dai Sport

Michael Duff has thanked Swansea City fans for not giving him the bird. The Swans head coach earned a desperately needed first Championship win in charge of the club when he guided them to a convincing 3-0 win over Sheffield Wednesday. The victory lifted the Swans out of the relegation zone and ended their longest winless League start since 1991.

Warren Gatland reckons he’s a happy man and to be fair, it doesn’t take much. Shoes that don’t pinch, a tie he’s able to loosen away from the cameras, maybe a beer or two. But what really makes him smile is winning and although there is still plenty of risk in Wales’ next Pool C match against Australia at the Rugby World Cup on Sunday, Gatland is sitting pretty on a pile of 10 points.

Former Swansea City chairman Huw Jenkins has been named as the preferred bidder to take a majority shareholding in League Two club Newport County. The man who steered the Swans from near Football League oblivion to a seven-year stint in the Premier League and a trip into Europe is set to meet the Newport County Supporters’ Trust on Thursday to make his proposal.

Wales goalkeeper Ella Jackson believes Swansea Hockey Club can start the climb back towards the top level when their season begins on Saturday. Swansea open their National Hockey League Division One North campaign at home to Durham University, three years to the week since they became the first Welsh club – men’s or women’s – to play in England’s Premier Division.

Erol Bulut insists his Cardiff City “machine” can keep pumping out the results whether or not Aaron Ramsey is fit to play at Sunderland on Sunday. The Bluebirds have won back-to-back victories for the first time since February and aim to make it three wins on the bounce when they head to the North-East.

George North believes Wales are in a very good place going into round three of the World Cup in France. The Ospreys centre scored his 46th try for Wales, and his 48th in Test rugby, in the win over Fiji and is ready to try to add to the two tries he has scored for Wales against the Wallabies in Lyon on Sunday.

Wales manager Gemma Grainger believes the journey to qualification for a major tournament starts on Friday night in Iceland. The fixture may be their opener in the UEFA Women’s Nations League – rather than World Cup or European Championship – but Grainger insists the route this tournament offers as a back-up for Euros qualification is invaluable.

Gareth Thomas says it would be “amazing” if Wales beat Australia and book a Rugby World Cup quarter-final place one game inside the distance. Wales tackle the Wallabies in Lyon on Sunday knowing that victory would confirm one of the two qualifying spots from Pool C.

Joe Rodon was harshly sent off according to his manager Daniel Farke as Leeds United earned a goalless draw at Hull City. Wales defender Rodon was dismissed for a second bookable offence on the hour and will now be suspended for Leeds’ next game against Watford.

Josh Tarling and Zoe Backstedt underlined their status as the burgeoning stars of Welsh cycling with gold medals at the European Road Cycling Championships in the Netherlands. In a remarkable performance for Great Britain, Tarling secured the gold in the individual time trial in Drenthe.