Dai Sport

Warren Gatland has revealed he used to try to rattle new Australian coach Joe Schmidt when he was in charge of Ireland. The two Kiwis will resume their coaching rivalry in Sydney on Saturday with Gatland trying to end a run of seven straight defeats with Wales and Schmidt hoping to open his Wallaby account with a much-needed win.

Former Swansea City head coach Russell Martin has backed Nathan Wood to thrive in the Premier League after signing him for Southampton for a cut-price £3m. The England Under-21 international has signed a four-year deal at St Mary’s and is reunited with Martin, who he played under at the Swans.

Wales kick off their Australia tour on Saturday when they tackle the Wallabies in Sydney. Warren Gatland’s team face two Tests followed by an appointment with Queensland Reds as they look to rediscover a winning formula that has deserted them since the 2023 World Cup.

Elinor Barker has been backed to bring the benefit of huge experience to the Great Britain cycling squad when she competes at her third Olympic Games. Welsh star Barker, who won Olympic gold in 2016 and silver in 2020 in the team pursuit on the track, has been named in a strong group for Paris that includes Wales’ track sprint world champion Emma Finucane.

Not many senior players wearing the red shirt of Wales have won in Australia. No-one, in fact, in the past 55 years. Which – should he need any – will provide Wales captain Dewi Lake with extra motivation when he leads out his team for the first Test against Australia in Sydney on Saturday.

Jonny Clayton returned to winning ways with an outstanding 8-5 success against Wesley Plaisier in Wednesday's Players Championship 14 final in Milton Keynes, as Luke Littler made another early exit. Clayton stormed to victory on a thrilling day of action at the Marshall Arena, denying an in-form Plaisier to clinch his first PDC ranking title since May 2023.

It’s said time moves faster as you get older and that certainly feels true if you’re a Welsh rugby fan. One minute you’re celebrating a record win over Australia at the World Cup, the next you’re wondering if a victory is possible against the same opponents after seven straight defeats.

Wales prop Cerys Hale has announced her retirement from all rugby following Wales’ recent Test match against Spain. Hale, 31, will bring the curtain down on her international and club career after more than a decade playing first-class rugby in Wales and England.

Cardiff centre Ben Thomas has been named as Wales' fly-half, and wing Josh Hathaway will earn his first cap in the first Test against Australia in Sydney on Saturday. Thomas, 25, replaces Sam Costelow, marking his first international start in his third Test appearance after two substitute roles in 2021.

Glamorgan captain Sam Northeast admitted he and his team were “emotionally exhausted” after their epic brush with history in their incredible match against Gloucestershire. The Welsh county narrowly missed out on re-writing all the record books on the final day of a thrilling Vitality County Championship Second Division match against Gloucestershire which ended in a remarkable tie at Cheltenham.