Dai Sport

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.

The Mark Jones era at the Ospreys got off to a flying start as an overtime try from Iestyn Hopkins earned his side a dramatic 23-22 West Wales derby win over Scarlets at the Swansea. Com Stadium. The replacement full back slid over the line as the home side made the most of the space created by the sin binning of Scarlets wing Ioan Nicholas to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.

Swansea City’s skipper Matt Grimes and head coach Luke Williams have both admitted the club’s fading form needs to be urgently reversed. Both were united in their criticism - and admitted they had let down fans - after the team’s lethargic 2-1 defeat to Hull City, which snapped the Tigers’ 13-match winless streak.

Cardiff City manager Omer Riza admits there’s nothing to be done about their position in the table - other than to start winning. The Bluebirds’ 2-0 home defeat to Sheffield United makes it no wins in their last eight matches under Riza. The Londoner, who was given the permanent manager’s job until the end of the season at the start of the month, knows his side are in a precarious position ahead of a crunch clash with fellow strugglers Oxford United on Boxing Day.