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Steve Morison has claimed Cardiff City delivered a “positive performance” despite another home defeat that has put them back in relegation trouble. The Bluebirds manager insisted there was not much wrong with his team’s display in their 3-2 reverse against Sheffield United, aside from Sean Morrison’s sending off which his namesake said had “killed off” his team’s hopes of a victory. It was Cardiff’s second defeat in three matches and leaves them just one place above the Championship relegation zone, although they have a five-point lead over Peterborough United, who also lost.

Georgia Evans is hoping to gain bragging rights over three of her Welsh international back row rivals when Saracens welcome table-topping Bristol Bears to the StoneX Stadium for the game of the season in the Allianz Premier 15s on Saturday. They won’t come any bigger than the top two unbeaten teams going head-to-head in a match that will hold much appeal for Wales coach Ioan Cunningham. Both teams have won their six league games and only one try bonus-point separates them.

Welsh National hopeful Truckers Lodge will appear at Chepstow this weekend in preparation for the big race in the calendar at the same venue at the end of the month. The Paul Nicholls-trained horse heads to Chepstow on Saturday for the Welsh Grand National Trial, live on Sky Sports Racing at 1.22pm. Truckers Lodge was second in the Welsh National in 2019 before going on to win the Midlands National last year,

Cardiff City manager Steve Morison has claimed no-one cares whether his team win at home or away, so long as the points are gathered. The Bluebirds return to the Cardiff City Stadium on Saturday, looking to build on their away victory at Luton Town last week, which gave Morison his third victory since he took over from Mick McCarthy. Two of those three wins have come away from home, with Morison’s home record so far showing one win against Huddersfield, but two defeats – to QPR and Hull City.

Last weekend, Holly Jones retained her British title in Guildford. But the Swansea gymnast intends her success in the vault to be a springboard for more achievements and medals in a busy 2022, as she tells Lucy Rees. Holly Jones aims to have two teams behind her when she competes for her country at next year’s Commonwealth Games – Team Wales and Team Jones. Jones – who regained the British senior vault title at the recent British Gymnastics Championships – has a big year ahead that she hopes will include winning a medal in Birmingham.

By Tom Prosser Russell Martin says the Swansea City fans have played a key part in Jamie Paterson’s success so far this season and he hopes his fine form continues as the Swans look to get back on track away to Middlesbrough on Saturday. The manager cites the “instant connection” between Paterson and the Swansea faithful as a big factor in him hitting the ground running for his new team. Paterson, 29, was a free agent up until a few days before the 2021-22 campaign after leaving Bristol City and having a trial with Middlesbrough.

The Scarlets have urged European rugby bosses to re-think their strategy of punishing teams with automatic defeats when they struggle to fulfil fixtures. Officials at European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR) are coming under pressure to reassess their policy on forfeiting games with Covid-19 set to cause chaos to the first round of Champions Cup fixtures. Currently, any side which pulls out of a game due to the virus automatically loses the fixture 28-0 with the justification being there is no room in the calendar for rearranged matches.

The Dragons’ campaign in Europe this season will be shown live on S4C. The Welsh broadcaster has struck a deal to show live European rugby matches from both the Heineken Champions Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup this season, including matches involving both Cardiff and the Scarlets. In all, they will screen two matches from the Champions Cup group stages, in addition to all four of the Dragons’ matches from the Challenge Cup.