Dai Sport

The United Rugby Championship is back this weekend and for the Welsh regions it means a chance to move the gaze away from Wales’ woes. Not that the foursome have all been awesome themselves, but at least they are gaining the occasional win here and there, unlike the national team.

Phil Parkinson reckons Wrexham were rewarded for going the extra yard to beat stubborn Lincoln 1-0 and maintain their promotion push. Tendayi Darikwa’s 67th-minute own goal settled an evenly-fought contest and gave Parkinson’s side an eighth home league win in nine attempts.

Liam Williams has joined Saracens for a second time, the London club have confirmed – meaning the Wales full-back should be free to return to the national squad for the Six Nations. Williams, 33, has agreed terms until the end of this season, returning to English domestic rugby following a stint with Japanese club Kubota Spears.

Swansea’s St Helen’s is a stadium filled to its vast capacity with the ghosts of sporting occasions past. Wales playing their first ever home international rugby union match way back in 1882.

While the Welsh Rugby Union consider whether to stick with their two highest paid rugby staff – head coach Warren Gatland and director of rugby Nigel Walker – England fans have been left choking over their breakkfasts over the news that RFU chief executive Bill Sweeney is to be paid £1.1m for the last financial year. That comes despite the governing body reporting record losses and making 42 staff redundant.

Steve Cooper’s surprise sacking by Leicester City at the weekend means there are currently no Welsh managers left working in the Premier League. Cooper had been flying the flag for Wales in the top flight after the dismissal last year of Nathan Jones by Southampton and the relegation suffered last season by Luton Town with Rob Edwards at the helm.

Omer Riza wants his Cardiff City players to improve their concentration in matches after they let slip a lead to draw 1-1 at Sheffield Wednesday. The Bluebirds interim manager saw his team pick up a point that lifted them out of the Championship relegation zone, but they were only ahead for two minutes.

Luke Williams insists Swansea City can draw some optimism for the rest of their season, despite losing a 4-3 thriller at home to Leeds United. The Swans head coach watched his side twice go ahead, before eventually conceding the winner in stoppage time to Leeds, who moved to the top of the Championship.

Warren Gatland has overseen a “disappointing” year according to the Welsh Rugby Union officials who will now decide whether the Wales coach remains in place. The Union is now set to undertake a comprehensive review of Gatland’s position - and that of the national team set-up more broadly - after an unprecedented period of poor results.

Craig Harrison asked for a reaction from his players following their shock 3-1 defeat to Briton Ferry Llansawel earlier in the week and he got it in spades as The New Saints moved to within a point of the top of the JD Cymru Premier table. They were forced to do it the hard way after falling behind to two goals in as many minutes from former Cardiff City academy star James Crole that gave league leaders Penybont a handy half-time lead at Park Hall.