Dai Sport

Tributes have been paid throughout Welsh rugby after the death of Peter Thomas, the former Cardiff chairman. A hugely influential figure within the sport, the 79-year-old passed away on Wednesday, three years after he was diagnosed with lung cancer.

Gareth Bale was given a rousing send-off by Wales supporters before their Euro 2024 qualifier against Latvia in Cardiff. Five-times Champions League winner Bale retired from football in January after making a record 111 appearances for the Wales men’s national team.

Merthyr Tydfil’s sporting heritage is rich and well-documented, but a new chapter is being written thanks to an innovative tie-up between the town’s college and Table Tennis Wales. The famous sporting sons and daughters of the old industrial town – such as boxers Howards Winstone and Johnny Owen, judoka Natalie Powell, footballer Mark Pembridge and netballer Chelsea Lewis – could soon be joined by the next generation of table tennis internationals.

Wales manager Robert Page declared it a case of “job done” after his team continued a promising start to their Euro 2024 qualifying campaign by beating Latvia 1-0 in Cardiff. Kieffer Moore’s first-half header made the difference, with the victory following a 1-1 draw away to Croatia three days ago.

Lee Kendall has told his Barry Town United champions to forget about next season for now – and savour the sweet taste of success. Barry are sipping champagne and going back up to the JD Cymru Premier as champions, their Cymru South title confirmed by a thumping 5-0 triumph at home to Pontardawe Town at the weekend.

New Sport Wales chief executive Brian Davies insists the organisation is equipped to face the changing landscape for sport, health and fitness throughout Wales. Having been acting CEO for the past 18 months, Davies has been confirmed as the long-term successor to Sarah Powell.

Natasha Cockram’s selection for Great Britain’s team at this summer World Athletics Championships was just what the doctor ordered for the marathon runner and her family. When the Micky Morris Racing team athlete was announced as the first name on the GB team last Tuesday, Cockram’s father was undergoing heart surgery.

Ben Foster has told Wrexham fans worried he may need Premier League pampering: “Don’t worry – I’m low maintenance.” The former England goalkeeper kept a clean sheet on his debut for the club as they beat York City 3-0 at the weekend to move another step nearer towards a return to the Football League. Foster, 39, had signed for the club earlier in the week on a short-term deal until the end of the season as cover for the injured Rob Lainton.

Matthew Hirst celebrated a hat-trick of Get Jerky Rally North Wales wins on Saturday to launch the defence of his Motorsport UK Pirelli Welsh Rally Championship title in ominous fashion – while the Welshpool-based event was also a special one for St Clears co-driver Ryland James, who notched up his 600th rally start. In a rallying career spanning seven decades and 54 years, James guided Carmarthen’s Gareth Lewis home to a second in class (and 50th overall) result in their Ford Escort RS2000 Mk1 – proving that he’s finally got the hang of route notes and time cards!

It will be interesting to see who is the proudest person leading out Wales in front of a packed house at Cardiff City Stadium against Latvia on Tuesday night – Wales skipper Aaron Ramsey or his seven-year-old son, Sonny. Both got a taste of captaincy last weekend - Aaron with Wales in Croatia and Sonny with the pre-academy side at Cardiff Cosmos.