Dai Sport

Despite an awful 2024 and a daunting opener against France in Paris, Gatland is embracing Wales’ underdog status, insisting that his side can defy expectations.

Former Swansea City star Jonjo Shelvey has returned to the UK to sign for Championship promotion-chasers Burnley. The former Newcastle United and England midfielder has agreed a short-term deal running until the end of the season.

Sean Lynn has insisted he will focus on “setting the right environment” after being named the new head coach of the Wales women’s rugby team. The Welshman, who guided Gloucester-Hartpury to consecutive Premiership Women’s Rugby championships in 2023 and 2024, takes over from Ioan Cunningham.

Richard Dawson will use his experience with Welsh Fire to try and ignite Glamorgan this summer. The Welsh county have appointed former England spinner Dawson as their head coach for the 2025 season.

Dwayne Peel is looking forward to his Scarlets team going to the home of their biggest rivals, the Ospreys in an all-Welsh showdown in the last 16 of the European Challenge Cup. The match, scheduled for the weekend of 5 April, will see the two Welsh regions face off in a contest that promises to add another chapter to their history of fierce contests.

Ben Davies has returned to fitness in a boost for Wales, but failed to inspire Tottenham Hotspur as they crashed to defeat at Everton. The Wales captain recovered from a hamstring injury to play his first match for two months, handing Wales manager Craig Bellamy with welcome news ahead of the World Cup qualifiers in March.

Callum Robinson proved once again he is the main matchwinner for Cardiff City as he returned to net two goals for the Bluebirds in their 3-0 triumph over Swansea City in the South Wales derby. Robinson missed his club’s last three games through suspension following a red card against Coventry City, but he announced his return to the team with two brilliant left-footed strikes. Added to Dimitrios Goutas' header, it was enough to give Cardiff an emphatic victory and  riposte to those who felt this fixture has meant more to their rivals in recent years.

The Ospreys have already planted a Welsh flag in the knockout stages of European rugby, but what matters now are the chances of it still fluttering by the quarter-finals of the EPCR Challenge Cup. The Swansea-based region reached the last eight a year ago and have secured a place in this season’s final 16. But to earn a home draw in that first knockout stage, they could do with picking up a third win when they visit Pau in their final pool stage match on Saturday.

Calum Chambers is loving turning back the clock and reinventing himself as a midfield player. The former Arsenal and England centre back star has rekindled his dream to make the grade as a midfielder at Cardiff City this season and is still frustrated he didn’t get a crack at his favoured role at The Emirates after returning from a successful loan season at Fulham. He has been moved up the pitch by Bluebirds boss Omer Riza since Christmas and since then his relegation-threatened side haven’t lost.

"Ability without opportunity, is nothing," Napoleon Bonaparte once said. That has been adopted as the motto of the Aberavon Fighting Irish amateur rugby league club. And there are few places where the statement is more poignant.