Dai Sport

Wales start their Autumn Nations Series campaign this weekend, but Sunday’s match against Fiji is unlikely to be the critical one. Granted, Warren Gatland’s team have not won for over a year and have slipped beneath the Fijians in the world rankings – to 11th, one place lower than the South Seas Islanders. But things change quickly in rugby and the Fiji that were hammered 57-17 last week by Scotland did not bear much resemblance to the hard-edged team that reached the quarter-finals of last year’s World Cup before they were narrowly beaten by England.

Cardiff City’s bubble has burst and interim manager Omer Riza has admitted it did not deserve to float beyond Luton. The Bluebirds lost 1-0 at Kenilworth Road, popping a seven-game unbeaten run and inflicting a second defeat on Riza in his eight-game spell in charge. Whether the result affects his chances of being given the permanent manager’s job remains to be seen, but a slip back down to 21st place in the table - above the bottom three on goal difference - cannot have helped his cause. 

For a cyclist who enjoys spending his down time away from the bike watching movies, the past year has read like a film script for Stevie Williams.

Luke Williams believes Swansea City have turned a corner and “become a team with an identity” as they moved to within two points of the Championship play-off places. The Swans head coach was in upbeat mood after watching his team secure back-to-back victories following a gritty, but deserved, 1-0 win at home to fifth-placed Watford.

Chepstow Racecourse hosts its annual Military Raceday at the track on Wednesday as part of an action-packed eight-race Jumps card. Racing gets underway at 12.20pm with a conditional jockeys’ handicap chase before the card comes to a close at 4.05pm as ten runners take on the class five bumper contest.

Wales manager Craig Bellamy has likened “streetwise” Harry Wilson to South American trio Carlos Tevez, Javier Mascherano and Luis Suarez. Former striker Bellamy played alongside all three players – with Tevez at Manchester City and Mascherano and Suarez in two different spells at Liverpool – during his colourful career at the top level.

Welsh jump jockey Alan Johns has won a top award after becoming the new face and voice of horse racing. Johns, who rides for the Tim Vaughan stable in the Vale of Glamorgan, has won the Jockeys Education and Training Scheme (JETS) Progress Award in recognition of his burgeoning media career.

Wales have welcomed back Daniel James and Rubin Colwill for their final Nations League games against Turkiye and Iceland. James has yet to play for new boss Craig Bellamy after suffering a hamstring injury in August.

Will Rowlands insists the bell has rung and “school time is over” for Warren Gatland’s Wales squad. The 33-year-old Racing 92 giant is back in the Welsh fold after taking a summer off and missing the three Test defeats against the Springboks and Wallabies (twice) that took the current international losing streak up to nine.

Harry Wilson has earned huge praise from Fulham manager Marco Silva after the Wales star proved his club’s inspirational matchwinner against Brentford. Wilson – who will be named in the Wales squad on Tuesday morning for the upcoming Nations League matches – claimed a superb second-half added time brace to earn a 2-1 victory over Brentford.