Dai Sport

Ollie Cooper went to the last World Cup, but his role was not one that grabbed too many headlines. The Swansea City midfielder was part of the Wales group that journeyed to Qatar almost two years ago, but his duties were as a back-up training partner, rather than an official member of the 26-man squad.

Newport Rugby Club have seen plenty of changes in Welsh rugby through their long and distinguished history, so it might be fitting that their 150th anniversary season brings a new direction. On Saturday, Newport host Bridgend on the first weekend of the inaugural Super Rygbi Cymru tournament.

Former Swansea City head coach Russell Martin has claimed he is not feeling any pressure following criticism of Southampton’s performances so far this season. Saints have started with three Premier League losses, having endured something similar when Martin took over at the club last year.

Cardiff City have suffered a significant setback ahead of their trip to Derby County on Saturday, with Aaron Ramsey ruled out due to injury. The midfielder sustained a hamstring injury while on international duty with Wales and will miss the match at Pride Park this weekend.

You don’t need to be a Hollywood scriptwriter to recognise that Wrexham have made a box office start to the season. Five matches played in League One and they sit at the top of the table, unbeaten, and with 13 points taken from a possible 15.

Sam Northeast has admitted Glamorgan were flattened by a “freight train” after promotion-chasing Sussex closed in on a return to Division One of the Vitality County Championship. Skipper Northeast conceded Glamorgan had been totally outplayed Sussex after the home side wrapped up their seventh win of the season with a day to spare.

Taulupe Faletau is not ready to give up on his dream of once again playing for Wales and is targeting a return to action in the United Rugby Championship with Cardiff at the end of October. That would give him an outside shot of convincing Warren Gatland he is ready to return to the Test arena and add to his 104 Welsh caps in the Autumn Nations Series.

Glamorgan spinner Ben Kellaway admits his team are already hanging on by their fingernails after two days of their County Championship Division Two match against Sussex at Hove. Kellaway took three wickets but Glamorgan need something dramatic to avoid defeat and slip further behind the promotion-chasers.

A dominant display at Donington Park secured the Protyre Ginetta GT Championship crown for Fox Motorsport’s Welsh Wizard Mckenzie Douglass on Sunday. And with Irish teenager Colin Cronin claiming his first-ever car-racing victory in the Ginetta Junior Championship on Saturday, it was one of the best weekends for many years for the team from Maldon, Essex.

Leeds United goalkeeper Karl Darlow has revealed how a Zoom call with Craig Bellamy finally kick-started his Wales career. Darlow became Wales’ oldest debutant since World War II by lining up against Montenegro just a month shy of his 34th birthday.