Dai Sport

Cardiff finished their United Rugby Championship of 2024 on a high while the Dragons finished theirs on a familiar case of white might have been if only chances had been taken. Cardiff collected five points from the fixture at a packed Rodney Parade to move into third place on the league table as the Dragons remain rooted firmly to the bottom.

Welsh trainer Sam Thomas is hopeful Jubilee Express can prove “a special horse” by winning the Coral Welsh Grand National for him - just as Iwilldoit did three years ago. Thomas sends both horses to the start line at Chepstow on Friday with Jubilee Express most fancied to provide a home winner in Wales’ leading race in the calendar, which carries £150,000 of prize money.

Swansea City boss Luke Williams hailed a near-perfect performance as his side coasted to a 3-0 victory over QPR. The Hoops’ seven-match unbeaten run, which had lifted them off the bottom of the Championship table and up to 14th, came to a crashing end as they were comprehensively outplayed.

Cardiff boss Omer Riza laid into his side for their lack of urgency in the 3-2 defeat to relegation rivals Oxford. He said: “You can’t afford to make the mistakes that we made or not show the urgency to shut down that we needed to.

Cardiff City have not managed to win away from home since April, but there could be no more vital time to end that sequence than on Boxing Day. The Bluebirds will be at Oxford United, the club they are now locked together with on 18 points, separated by a difference of just one goal, in Cardiff’s favour, both in the relegation zone.

When you have won 19 successive derby matches against your nearest neighbours, then you might be forgiven for a little complacency. But Cardiff coach Matt Sherratt is not one for resting on his laurels, even if his team will be overwhelming favourites to record a 20th successive win over the Dragons at Rodney Parade on Boxing Day.

Jac Morgan believes the turbulence caused by a change of coach has revealed a strength of character within the Ospreys squad. Morgan produced a real captain’s display as the Ospreys ended a difficult week with a dramatic late win over their arch rivals, the Scarlets.

Wales skipper Dewi Lake looks set to miss a third successive Six Nations campaign after it was confirmed he will undergo surgery for a bicep injury. The 25-year-old hooker missed the Ospreys’ 23-22 win over Scarlets at the weekend after taking a knock in training earlier in the week.

This time last year Lydia Hall was contemplating her future after 17 years as a professional player on the Ladies European Tour. A poor 2023 campaign left her pondering retirement, but a great Christmas and a much-needed holiday in Bali convinced her to carry on. It has proved to be a good decision.