Dai Sport

One of the jewels in Cardiff’s sporting crown will attract athletes from across the globe to the capital on Saturday. Some of the world’s finest runners, including the man dubbed “Europe’s fastest teenager” will compete in the annual Cardiff Cross Challenge at Llandaff Fields on the outskirts of the city centre.

Ioan Cunningham has left his position as Wales Women’s head coach by mutual agreement. Cunningham’s departure after three years at the helm follows a recent turbulent spell in the Welsh women’s game that saw the Welsh Rugby Union’s handling of now completed contract negotiations fiercely criticised.

Wales coach Warren Gatland has named uncapped Scarlets wing Blair Murray in his team for Sunday’s Autumn Nations Series opener against Fiji. New Zealand-born Murray steps into the Test match arena after just six games for the Scarlets.

Craig Harrison has urged his New Saints side not to get too down-hearted after they suffered a 2-1 defeat at Shamrock Rovers in their latest Europa Conference League tie. TNS had led 1-0 but the Irish side came from behind to beat the Cymru Premier champions at Tallaght Stadium.

Majority owners Jason Levien and Steve Kaplan are moving to sell their controlling stake in Swansea City. Fellow shareholders Andy Coleman, Brett Cravatt, Nigel Morris, and businessman Jason Cohen are set to take over ownership.

Former Welsh rugby writer Steve Bale, one of the most respected and well-travelled sports reporters of the past four decades, has died at the age of 72 after losing a battle with illness. A classically trained journalist, he progressed from the newsroom at the Neath Guardian in his home town to work for the Swansea Evening Post, South Wales Argus, Western Mail, The Independent, The Sunday Express, Daily Express and finally the Sunday Times.

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.