Dai Sport

Rob Page’s Wales squad announcement for the upcoming European Championship qualifiers against Croatia and Latvia last week was a landmark moment for Welsh football. The dark hour which had been a subject of dread for an entire sporting generation had actually arrived: Gareth Bale was no longer be available for Wales selection. His contributions in a red shirt – as well as those of fellow national team heroes, Joe Allen and Chris Gunter – have now officially entered the realm of memory.

Joe Jones - an 18-year-old Welsh international and member of Langland Bay Golf Club - clinched victory at the 54-hole Abu Dhabi Golf Club Men’s Open over the National Course. Jones began the final day of the tournament with a two-shot lead and fired a final round of 68, finishing at six under par with a total score of 210. He recorded an eagle three on the second hole and a birdie on the eighth hole, ending the front nine on 33 to maintain his lead.

New captain Aaron Ramsey wants Wales’ young generation to create their own history after the departures of Gareth Bale and other talismanic figures. Nice star Ramsey has taken over the captaincy for the Euro 2024 qualifying campaign after Bale ended his illustrious career in January. Chris Gunter, Joe Allen and Jonny Williams, also part of the Wales squad who reached the semi-finals of Euro 2016, have retired from the international scene as manager Rob Page ushers in a new era for Welsh football.

Cardiff City are seeking answers after their match at Rotherham was abandoned in what the Millers’ manager Matt Taylor called “farcical circumstances”. The Championship match was called off on Saturday in the 47th minute due to an unplayable pitch caused by heavy rainfall at the New York Stadium. Cardiff had taken the lead through Jaden Philogene after only five minutes of play, but now face a tricky re-playing of the game within a crowded fixture last.

Russell Martin insists Swansea City have got their mojo back just in time to face bitter rivals Cardiff City. The two clubs clash in the Welsh derby on April 1 in the capital, with Martin convinced his team’s 2-0 victory over Bristol City on Sunday has altered the outlook. After ending a run of six matches without a win, Martin is now looking forward to renewing the most heated rivalry in Welsh football after the upcoming international game.

Wales star George North has spoken of his pride after moving into the all-time top 10 of international rugby union try scorers. North’s early touchdown against Guinness Six Nations opponents France was his 46th for Wales and the British and Irish Lions. It put him level with New Zealand trio Christian Cullen, Joe Rokocoko and Julian Savea, and just one behind Irish great Brian O’Driscoll.

Warren Gatland insists the straws he was left clutching after defeat in Paris can be used to build a World Cup revival. Most Welsh fans were fearing the worst at the Stade de France, but the glint in the eye of Gatland post-match proved he finally felt he had got something positive out of his team at the fifth time of asking in this tournament, despite a 41-28 defeat.  “I’m really proud of the effort the players put in. We’ve still got a lot of work to do, but I thought we showed some real character out there today,” said Wales coach Galtand, who made 27 changes over the course of the Six Nations and used 35 players. 

In Warren Gatland’s first tenure with Wales, he was innovative and progressive. He utilised the rule of 60 caps, employed Shaun Edwards as defence coach, located training camps in Poland and Switzerland, oversaw 45-minute training sessions, built a cryotherapy programme, captured Paul Stridgeon as head of physical performance, and made Sam Warburton a young captain - all in a quest to be world class.

Cardiff City are far from sorry they ended up signing Sory Kaba. They may, however, be sorry they didn’t get Sory sooner. A third goal in eight games from Guinean striker Kaba in the 1-1 midweek win over play-off chasing West Brom, salvaged another vital point and left the Bluebirds four points clear of the Championship relegation zone.