Olympics: Welsh Cycling Stars To Shine In Paris
anna southgate
Great Britain’s cycling team is turning red.
No, this isn’t a funky new skin suit departing from the traditional white or navy blue, but rather a reflection on the nationality of the riders.
After Aberaeron’s Josh Tarling came so close to a medal in the men’s road race time trial, Wales will be hoping for further success in first the men’s road race and then the wave of talent on track.
Of the six names selected in the women’s team pursuit, four are Welsh, including Meg Barker attending as a reserve.
Meg is the younger sister of two-time Olympic medallist Elinor who is part of the team along with fellow Cymru cyclists Jess Roberts and Anna Morris.
When you add that to the women’s sprint with Emma Finucane alongside Lowri Thomas as a reserve, Stevie Williams joining Tarling in the road race with Owain Doull as a reserve, it means there are nine Welsh cyclists set to compete at the games, along with Ella Maclean-Howell who has already ridden in the mountain biking.
For all bar Elinor Barker and Doull, this is their first experience of the Olympics, hardly surprising for 19-year-old Maclean-Howell, 20-year-old Tarling and 21-year-old Finucane, in particular.
Putting The ‘Pinnacle Of Sport’ In Perspective
Elinor Barker won gold in Rio and silver in Tokyo, both as part of the team pursuit, before revealing that she was pregnant when she rode in Japan.
Her son, Nico, is now two years old and Barker admits that he doesn’t quite understand what the buzz is about regarding the Olympics.
“I’ve tried to explain to him about the Olympics but he’s two years old,” said Barker.
“They had a sports day at nursery not so long ago and I think he understood when he’d won a race and when he hadn’t won a race but with the Olympics, I don’t think it’s the sort of thing a two-year-old can understand.
“He knows I’m on holiday and that him and Daddy are going on holiday next week and I think that’s all he cares about.”
The Olympics can often be perceived as the be-all and end-all for athletes, but Barker finds that her son, as well as her career on the road with team Uno-X, has enhanced her perspective.
“As much as going to an Olympics or winning gold can define your career and life, it doesn’t have to be the only thing you’ll achieve or only thing people care about,” said Barker.
“It’s been tough balancing road and track this year but I think it’s been really good for me. Helping with my stress levels for the Olympics.
“When Nico was small, it was the first time I’d spent a significant time away from cycling and I was still on training camps, I just wasn’t racing for just under a year. It was nice to have a glimpse into the whole entire world outside cycling.”
“Previously it’s been a culture within our team that if you’re a track rider during Olympic year you don’t do any road, you’re fully focused on track. The first year I did that it worked well for me, I was young, had so much to learn and I liked having that complete and utter focus with my whole programme overseen by the same people.
“It’s quite healthy to have Olympics as part of my season rather than the one defining thing. Don’t get me wrong, I still want to go and win, and it’s still the pinnacle of sport, impossible to overestimate.”
First Time Nerves
While competing on the world stage is now old hat for some, the Olympics brings with it a whole new level of pressure for those who have not experienced the Games before.
“There’s a lot of emotions which come with this big event,” said Jess Roberts.
“I have a lot of excitement and nervousness the closer I come to it. I’m just really excited to get going, training has been going well and I think we’re in a good place.
“Seeing everyone altogether in the same kit it feels like it’s getting real now and getting closer.
“There are times where I think ‘Oh my god I’m going to the Olympics!’ and it’s quite overwhelming. I still can’t quite believe that I’m going.”
Roberts grew up racing with and against the Barker sisters and believes that has helped bring the team “closer together”.
In the team pursuit, riding as a team is crucial, maintaining a close distance to the wheel in front of you in order to maintain the slipstream effect.
While they are riding against another team with the possibility of catching their opponents, Roberts says the team will be focusing on their internal effort.
“We have a schedule which we ride off, we’re not looking at the other team unless we’re in the final when our coach might walk the splits off the other team to know where we are,” said Roberts.
“Our coach has an iPad and we have colours which mean different things. It used to be if you walk up the line you’d be up and down you’d be down.
“You feel if someone’s at their limit or the pace is about to come off. It’s all about feel in the team pursuit, being in tune with the cadence and the speed and you can feel it as a rider.”
Olympic Expectation
Anyone who even has a passing interest in the Olympics knows about Britain’s success in track cycling and in the women’s team pursuit, GB won the World Championships in 2023.
In the women’s team pursuit, GB won gold in 2012 and 2016 before a silver three years ago in Tokyo.
Roberts says that she and her teammates are “going to Paris to win” but Barker admits it is difficult to know who the favourites before the first rounds of qualification are.
“We don’t know where we’re at or where everyone else is at,” said Barker.
“We know what time we want to do and what we think we’re capable of and then we’ll have to see what the other qualifying times are and try and figure out what we’re targeting.
“There’s a lot of uncertainty and a lot of unknown.”
Barker is also competing in the women’s madison, an event which she and Scotland’s Neah Evans won gold at the 2023 World Championships.
“We’ve been keeping a close eye on other teams for the Madison, seeing what countries are putting forward which teams,” said Barker.
“We’ve had a lot more races with head-to-head against different teams. What makes it so difficult is how tactical it is how that can impact on things. Whether teams are going to use the same tactics or ride it differently we don’t know. That’s always the case which is why cycling is so exciting.
“We have our plan A and will keep trying to revert to that, but we have to understand that not everyone has the same plan A as us. We will have to adapt and change our plans if someone attacks or is really dominant in the splits.”
Welsh Cycling Growth
At the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, Wales won seven medals including James Ball and pilot Matt Rotherham’s gold in the Men’s tandem sprint.
For Barker, the “growth in Welsh cycling is amazing but not at all surprising.”
“We’ve known for a long time that we have really good pathways and infrastructure to support Welsh cycling particularly in the south,” said Barker.
“You can see that with Geraint Thomas, Luke Rowe, Nicole Cook and Becky James, so many people who you can count who’ve gone and made it to the top.
“I think it shows that the funding and work that’s put in to putting things in place is worth it. All the work with the Commonwealth Games puts a safety net in place in a way for anyone who slips through the net for British cycling.”
Speaking of the Commonwealths, will Barker be there? The 29-year-old certainly hopes so.
“I’ve got three years remaining on my contract with Uno-X on the road,” said Barker.
“In terms of Commonwealth Games, I’d love to compete in that again, but I don’t know how certain that is. The Olympics in LA is just outside of that three-year contract is up so it’ll be a case of re-evaluating when that time comes.”
📷 – SWpix.com
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Olympic Weekend Recap: Promise, Bad Luck and Dubious Decisions for Welsh Stars
anna southgate
The Olympics is underway! After a long and at times utterly bizarre opening ceremony the events have officially begun.
Of course, the Games began early with the Men’s Rugby sevens and football tournaments but now we can get in the full swing of hours on hours of tv watching and live page updating.
Already we have had one of the highlights of the Games. French superstar Antoine Dupont shining in the men’s rugby sevens, scoring two tries and assisting another in the Olympic final against Fiji.
However, how have the Welsh stars performed? It’s been a mixed bag to say the least…
Josh Tarling
European Road Race Time Trial champion Tarling headed into the games as one of Wales’ big hopes for an Olympic medal.
Having finished third in last year’s World Championships behind Remco Evenepoel and Ineos Grenadiers teammate Filippo Ganna, Tarling was one of four main favourites heading to Paris along with Evenepoel’s Belgian teammate Wout Van Aert.
In wet conditions on Saturday, Tarling started well and was up on the best time only to suffer a front wheel puncture, forcing him to change bikes.
Commentators on Eurosport estimated that the puncture and subsequent bike change cost Tarling around 30 seconds.
Ultimately that proved costly with Tarling finishing two seconds off the podium and only 28 seconds behind the winner in Evenepoel over the 36 minutes on the bike.
A devastated Tarling spoke to Discover plus after the race and said: “It just sucks, everyone put a lot of effort in but it happens.”
“I had a slow puncture on the rim and I had to change. Right now it’s annoying but in a few days with the road race I’ll give it my best.”
Tarling will have to pick himself back up for the Road Race on Saturday where he competes alongside Welsh teammate Stevie Williams.
Welsh Rowers Shine
GB’s history of rowing success would take too long to recant with stars such as Sir Steve Redgrave, Matthew Pinsent and Katherine Grainger.
The heats began in earnest on Saturday and it has been a case of so far, so good for team GB.
In the women’s double sculls, Welsh rower Becky Wilde and partner Mathilda Hodgkins-Byrne made it safely through to the semi-finals having needed the ‘Regatta of Death’ to qualify for the Olympics.
They race in the semi-finals on Tuesday for a place in Thursday’s final.
Meanwhile, Ollie Wynne-Griffith and partner Tom George also made it through to the semi-finals of the men’s pair, winning their heat in commanding fashion. They go in the semi-finals at 09:34 on Wednesday.
Already through to the finals are Welsh pair Graeme Thomas and Thomas Barras as part of the Men’s quadruple team. Qualifying fourth fastest they will need to go some way to overhaul the Dutch who looked imperious in their semi-final when the two meet again on Wednesday.
Matt Aldridge and the men’s four are also through to Thursday’s final while there was further success on Monday morning with Britain looking dominant in their men’s and women’s eight heats with Harry Brightmore and Eve Stewart playing their part.
📷Benedict Tufnell for British Rowing – Left: Ollie Wynne-Griffith bow and Tom George Stroke. Right: Becky Wilde Stroke and Mathilda Hodgkins-Byrne bow.
Sevens’ Stuttering Start
It’s been an up and down start for GB’s women’s team at this years Olympics.
After consecutive fourth place finishes at Rio and Tokyo the dream was to go one better and reach the podium.
Indeed, the tournament began well with Wales’ Jasmine Joyce scoring as GB beat Ireland 21-12.
However, then came the might of Australia, newly crowned as 2024 Champions and possessing some of the leading players in the women’s game.
Maddison Levi, the leading try-scorer for the 2024 World Series was immense against GB scoring a hattrick as Australia humbled their opponents 36-5 on Sunday.
However, Joyce and GB hit back against South Africa with the Welsh star scoring a brace in her side’s 26-17 win against South Africa to secure a place in the quarter finals.
Pool Performances
In the water it has been a mixed bag for Wales’ swimmers. Kieran Bird finished fifth in his heat for the men’s 400 metres freestyle failing to qualify while Monday morning Medi Harris also came up short in the women’s 100 metre backstroke heats.
There was further disappointment on Saturday when the men’s 4×100 metre freestyle relay team missed out on a medal finishing fifth with Welshman Matt Richards on the lead out leg.
However, Richards will have another chance of a medal on Monday evening when he goes in the final of the men’s 200 metres freestyle, an event where he won World Championships gold in 2023.
Boxing Bemusement and Bafflement
It may only be the beginning of the boxing competitions in Paris but already there have been plenty of raised eyebrows at decisions – as is customary with a sport where judges decisions are final rather than a set time or finish line.
When Rosie Eccles entered the ring for her first bout in the women’s 66kg against Polish boxer Aneta Rygielska she was well aware how much of a “bogey fight” round one can be.
After the fighters had shared the first and second rounds 3-2 with the judges respectively all was hanging on the final round.
For Eccles, four years of heartache, injury and disappointment came down to just a few minutes and, when her opponent was docked a point for repeatedly dropping her head as well as receiving warnings for shots round the back of the head, it looked like a win was a certainty.
However, when the scorecards came in, it was a surprise win for Rygielska. When the scorecards came in it was even more peculiar with only one favouring the Pole 29-27 and two in favour of Eccles 30-26 and 29-27 respectively.
With the two judges who called it an even fight at 28-28 a piece they called it in favour of Rygieslka.
The crowd themselves showed their dismay at the decision as it appeared that Eccles was the only one who was prepared to fight at times.
Speaking to BBC boxing pundit Steve Bunce on Radio 5live an understandably emotional Eccles said: “She didn’t land anything clean and I’m just really shocked, I don’t know what to say.”
“My game plan going into the fight is that she doesn’t want to win a fight convincingly this girl, she wants to steal rounds and the idea was not to let her steal it.
“I thought I did that. First fight it’s never perfect, but when the judge took a point off her it seemed like a dead certainty for me, I didn’t have a doubt [I’d win].
“When the result took a long time, I started to worry. I feel like I’m in a dream.
“I pushed so hard to get here, I was so ready, overcome everything. My dream’s over and there’s not another cycle in me, my body can’t do another cycle.
“I want to say thank you to everyone because I’ve had brilliant people. I’ve worked my ass off but I’m so fortunate, I just can’t believe it’s ended that way.”
This Week’s Hopes
As mentioned, the majority of Wales’ hopes this week lie in or on the water in the swimming and rowing events.
Britain will hope to retain their 4x200m Freestyle relay gold from Tokyo with Matt Richards set to compete on Tuesday, before hoping to challenge in the men’s individual 100m final the following evening.
In the boats, expect plenty of medal action for Wales’ rowers this week, meanwhile keep an eye out for GB’s hockey teams who have already begun their campaigns as they look to replicate the success of the women’s team who have won medals at the past two Games.
Keep an eye out however for Ruby Evans in GB’s women’s team final as the gymnast goes up against the likes of USA and superstar Simone Biles.
📷 British Athletics / Getty
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Azu '100%' Confident Of Olympic Gold
anna southgate
“Four by one we’re winning that, 100%.”
Like most sprinters, Cardiff’s Jeremiah Azu isn’t lacking in confidence. Anyone who has watched Netflix’s documentary Sprint can testify to the swagger of the world’s quickest men.
However, whilst his individual goal is to reach a first Olympics 100m final, in the 4×100 metres he believes the team will medal.
To do so, they will have to make sure they get the baton all the way around the track having failed their final change at the recent London Diamond League.
“We’ve got a strong team in the 4x100metres. I think in London, you could see we had a great first three legs and if we would have got the baton round we would have probably ran a world leading time,” said Azu, 23.
“It’s a shame for the home fans but you’ve got to look at the positives, we’ve got another shot in the Olympics. We’ll have Zharnel [Hughes] in the team and it’s going to be a super-fast team.
“It’s all about learning, you’re constantly learning you never stop learning in any aspect of life. Me and Louie [Hinchliffe] had never run together and our change went great. We’ve got another shot at the Olympics and I’m sure we’re not going to leave without something as a relay.”
Britain’s team of Azu, Hughes, Hinchliffe and one of Richard Kilty or Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake, are set for tough competition in Jamaica, USA, Japan, Italy and South Africa. It is a sign of his confidence that Azu relishes the opposition.
“Everyone’s going to have strong teams which is what you want,” said Azu.
“You don’t want to race against people you know you’re going to beat, you want to race against people that are going to give you a challenge.
“We’re competitors, we want to race against the best, but yes we’re going to come home with the gold.”
Making the Most of His ‘Gift’
Azu is a devout Christian and says that when he lines up on the start line, he is thinking of no one else other than God.
Now it’s Azu’s duty to make the most of his ‘gift’.
“It’s known that I’ve been gifted this talent. So in these moments I’m doing what He’s called me to do,” said Azu.
“Entertain people, not wasting the gift I’ve been given. One of the worst thing people can do is not fill the talent that they have, so I make sure I use it to the best of my ability.
“I think I’m doing the right things, getting there. Making sure I’m not lazy in any aspect, working hard day in day out.
“No one is going to come and hand it to you, if you don’t work for it, then it’s never going to come.”
The hard work and effort is crucial when it comes to performing. Azu’s personal best and Welsh record is 9.97, leaving no time to think.
“I try to just let it happen,” said Azu.
“I’m trying not to think of anything too specific because that’s when things go wrong. I get out great and then what happens happens, I run my own race.
“What I do shouldn’t affect anyone else what they do shouldn’t affect me. We’ve all got our lanes, it’s not a contact sport.
“You’re on auto pilot. That’s why we train so much is so that in those 10 seconds all the training comes out. That’s why you work on your technique so when you’re tired or under pressure your real self shows.”
Senior Ranks
Having been a promising junior and U23 sprinter, Azu exploded onto the senior scene in 2022 winning the British Championships in a wind-assisted 9.90 aged just 21.
The following year he won European bronze before securing his second European U23 gold in Finland in 2023.
This year is Azu’s first as a ‘senior’ athlete, however, it is something he has been preparing for since he was a teenager.
“I don’t think I’ve ever considered myself a young sprinter,” said Azu.
“Even when I was 17/18 losing to guys that were way older than me and I’d be upset and my parents would tell me ‘It’s alright, you’re young’ but to me it never felt like that. A loss is a loss.
“Officially, this year is my first as a senior, but I’ve always had that mindset, regardless of what age I’m racing.”
This year, Azu finished second at the British Championships behind young US based sensation Hinchliffe.
The result was enough for Azu to qualify for the Olympics as he’d already ran the qualifying time of 9.97, becoming the first Welshman to break the 10-second barrier in Leverkusen in May.
“I was happy, British champs is always good as my family is there and they don’t get to watch me race often as we’re all over Europe, sometimes even further places,” said Azu.
“Manchester can either be great weather or terrible, there’s never anything in between but it was a good moment to qualify for my first Olympics. The stuff you dream about. Everyone wants to do it and the standard’s never been this high.
“I know I’m in the right place because you had to make history by going sub 10 seconds to even qualify for these championships.
“I’m happy with the standard British Athletics have because I think it’s going to breed better results from the athletes because you know before you go into the Games that you’ve got the standard and can be competitive when you’re on that start line. If I can do what was asked of me before then I can make it into that final.
“Olympic final is where it’s at. The Olympics is the pinnacle of sport and the 100 metres is probably the top of that, everyone wants to see it. To be top eight there and then to go at it and attempt to get a medal is stuff everyone dreams of.”
📷 British Athletics / Getty
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Ollie Wynne-Griffith: Back For More
anna southgate
Oliver Wynne-Griffith is a rare thing in this month’s magazine.
An Olympian who is not making their debut at this month’s Games.
Three years ago, at Tokyo 2020, Wynne-Griffith won bronze as part of the men’s eight.
However, these Games have a different feel about them to those of three years ago.
“In Tokyo we didn’t have any of this,” says Wynne-Griffith.
“No kitting out, no friends, no family, it was quite a surgical and clinical games. This time I want to relax and enjoy the process.
“Last time I remember thinking about how I never thought I’d become an Olympian. This time, I know the job’s not done.”
Blood Is Thicker Than Water
When Wynne-Griffith won bronze, he ended an 89-year wait for his family after his great-grandfather Harold Rickett finished just fourth at the 1932 Olympics.
“It was a special moment at the start line,” says Wynne-Griffith.
“It’s special going to the Olympics on your own with the rings and the lion on your chest, to know that someone 89-years ago in my family had been there in the same boat and same seat in the eight was really cool.
“To go one result better and get a bronze medal was nice as well!”
Wynne-Griffith first started rowing as a “lanky 13-year-old” and admits initially rowing was a way to keep fit during the summer, as he dreamed of becoming an international second row.
However, rowing soon took “the front seat”, offering with it a range of opportunities.
“With rowing, the US universities are really strong,” says Wynne-Griffith.
“When you have some of the top universities in the world offering you scholarships and places to study there it’s amazing.
“I felt I’d won the lottery as a kid, simply through enjoying my sport I had all these opportunities, and it’s been a stepping stone from there to here.”
Conquer or be Conquered
A few years later and Wynne-Grifith was winning his bronze at Tokyo.
The following year, he and GB teammate Tom George decided to head to Cambridge University, taking a year out to study and compete at the illustrious boat race.
“Tom and I rowed on the same side of the boat together in the eight,” says Wynne-Griffith.
“That year, the boat was stroke side heavy at Cambridge and our coach sat Tom and I down and asked for one of us to switch sides.
“Quite quickly all the guns were pointed at me! I’m not sure if there was a meeting before the meeting where that was decided but I remember being quite excited by the challenge.”
Moving from stroke to bow in layman’s terms mean putting the oar into the water on your left side instead of your right as you row.
Whilst this could have been a complicated change, Wynne-Griffith could call upon an Olympic great for advice.
“We had James Cracknell there as a consultant and he’d switched sides between Sydney and Athens,” recalls Wynne-Griffith.
“He told me I’d be fine and that soon I’d be brushing my teeth with my other hand, writing with my other hand, shaving with the other hand, anything you can think of!
“Cracknell was epic because he mapped out the pathway and was really good at mentoring me. He reassured me that I wouldn’t feel strong on that side for a few months, and it would feel unnatural, but that I’d be better at it than I thought I was.”
While the Olympics is the pinnacle for most sports, rowing has its own unique highlight on the calendar in the shape of the boat race. Even for an experienced competitor and Olympian like Wynne-Griffith, the boat race could get the nerves jangling.
“The boat race is mental,” says Wynne-Griffith.
“Rowing doesn’t have a massive following, you don’t pack out stadiums every week, but that’s one when you know there’s millions of eyeballs on you and probably 250,000 people scattered across the bank yelling either dark blue or light blue.
“I remember waiting in the boat bay to put the boat on the water and when the shutters came up, I remember thinking ‘Wow!’ I’d been at the Olympics only 12 months previously, but I can’t remember having such a spine-tingling moment as that.
“It’s such a binary race, you either conquer or be conquered there’s no silver medal, although I do like to say I’m a boat race silver medallist!”
From Newbies to Record Breakers
After the boat race, Wynne-Griffith and George returned to the GB programme and were placed in a boat together again, this time the pair.
“Cracknell reassured us that we were two of the strongest guys in the world and that there was no reason despite me switching sides that the pair couldn’t be world class,” Wynne-Griffith says.
“Initially we saw it as a vehicle to get back selected in the four or the eight, but Cracknell set the goalposts really high, aiming to win the worlds in our first year.
“We didn’t manage it in our first or second years, but James made sure we were going out there from day one to achieve something GB haven’t in a long time.
“From day one, the message was ‘We mean business here’ and it was great to have someone with his confidence in our corner.”
Despite there being some initial good signs during testing, no one knew for certain if the boat would be a success or not until they competed internationally.
“In that first regatta back in Belgrade in 2022, we put the boat on the water and had no idea if we’d be good, in terms of competing internationally,” says Wynne-Griffith.
“GB haven’t really had a competitive pair since 2015-16 and we haven’t had a gold medal in the event at the Worlds since Matthew Pinsent and Steve Redgrave in 2002, who also won our last Olympic gold in 1996.
“We were very much in the dark and it was terrifying but that fear really excited you.
“That first regatta went well, we won quite convincingly, and it has invigorated me for the last two years.”
The pair won bronze at the worlds in 2022 and silver in 2023, a year where they also became the second fastest boat in history, beating the British record.
“There was really good natural speed, but I wouldn’t say it was plain sailing,” says Wynne-Griffith.
“We’ve definitely struggled for consistency through the last couple of years, but it feels like we’ve ironed that out and we’re getting to the boil at the right time.
“This year we’re still unbeaten. Last year when we broke the British record, the reaction from us was that it was lightning fast, but we weren’t sure how we were doing it. It was quite mercurial, and we couldn’t work out how to make it repeatable.
“I really hope and believe the work we’re doing can produce when it matters most and so far, we’ve shown that this year.”
Golden Goal
Having won two World Rowing cups this season alongside a European title, the pair will be one of the favourites for Olympic gold.
“Winning an Olympic gold medal is something I’ve dreamed of since I was a kid and if we can do that in a few weeks’ time, there won’t be a happier man on earth,” says Wynne-Griffith.
“For us it’s producing our best when it matters. If we can do that in the final and we don’t win, then there’s no regrets.
“There’s a belief inside me that if we produce our best then the result will take care of itself.”
Wynne-Griffith could be one half of a golden couple for Britain at the games with his partner Hannah Scott competing in the women’s quadruple sculls, a boat which are reigning world and European champions.
“We’ve been in the team since 2021 together and it’s nice to have the person you’re closest to be going through the exact same thing as you,” says Wynne-Griffith.
“Fingers crossed for two gold medals.”
📷 – Benedict Tufnell for British Rowing
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Rosie Eccles: Punching Through The Pain
anna southgate
“I’m going, I’ve done it.”
Those are the words of Rosie Eccles, embarking on her maiden Olympics having missed out narrowly on going to Tokyo three years ago.
Eccles is the reigning light middleweight Commonwealth Games champion, having gone one better than her welterweight silver four years prior.
“It all started when I was 15, looking through the window of a boxercise class in my hometown leisure centre,” says Eccles.
“You weren’t supposed to join until you were 16 but the trainer allowed me to join. It sounds a bit clichéd but the second I put the gloves on I knew it was what I wanted.
“The trainer saw something in me and agreed that I could join an early morning training session he ran in Newport when I turned 16.
“I bought a moped and I used to go to bed in my clothes, set my alarm for 3:30 in the morning, sneak out, push my moped down the street so I didn’t wake anyone and go to Newport.
“Then I’d box from 5-6:30, come back home, sneak back in and get ready for school.”
Lighting the Olympic Flame
The routine couldn’t last forever however, and eventually Eccles’ father told her to attend a local gym. Initially, that came with its own barrier.
“To begin with, the local gym didn’t train girls,” says Eccles.
“The coach was more than 70, but despite his beliefs at that time, he changed them, saw something in me to become a boxer and gave me a chance.
“Every coach I’ve had has been male and been amazing, they’ve moved mountains for me.
“When I started, I initially kept my boxing a secret in case people thought I was different, but times have changed since then. I have two nieces, one is a keen footballer, the other is a keen rugby player, I’d have loved to have played rugby growing up.”
All the hard work, training and early hours were in pursuit of becoming an Olympian, Eccles’ dream since she was eight years old.
“I remember Kelly Holmes winning her middle-distance double at Athens in 2004,” says Eccles.
“Ever since then I wanted to become an Olympian. What’s special about the Olympics is that everyone watches it and feels part of it and their families feel a part of it too.”
‘Heartbreaking’ Disappointment and Debilitating Illness
Eccles’ dream led her to within a whisker of selection for GB in 2021, however sickness and bad luck pressed pause on her Olympic hopes.
“I became sick in a camp in America, with what was probably Covid, within a week I had pain in my neck and eventually it increased to the extent that I lost 80% function on my right side,” says Eccles.
“In the end it turned out to be Brachial neuritis caused by Covid, which attacked my nerves under my armpit. The condition effects one in every 300,000 so it’s a ridiculous chance. Every time I get Covid, it attacks my nerves. It’s attacked my right side twice, left side once, and my legs once.
“I’d lost during the early rounds of a qualifier on a split decision and then because of the pandemic the second qualifier was cancelled. Eventually they decided to take the first person on each continent per their points.
“I was second. I kept fighting throughout the year, beat four or five people that were going but it was not meant to be.
“To go through that and then to hopefully be successful at the Games would be an amazing achievement.”
Despite the setback, Eccles stayed back to help fellow Welsh boxer Lauren Price with her training.
“When the camp ended, they all flew off to Tokyo and I drove home, cried the whole way,” says Eccles.
“It was heartbreaking.
“That’s what makes this so special, it’s meant to be. All my siblings and their families are coming out along with my old man, boyfriend and some friends, they couldn’t have done that for Tokyo.
“We had a nice send off by GB the other week and there was a big screen and all my family popped up one by one to wish me well. I’m not one to cry but I had tears in my eyes on the drive home, all I could think was, ‘I’m going, I’ve done it!’.”
‘My Heart Wants That Gold’
Eccles now has an opportunity to replicate Price’s achievements from Tokyo and win a gold medal.
“I’ve got tremendous self-confidence but I’m not daft enough to say I’ll breeze through anyone,” says Eccles.
“There’s no margin for error, you’ve got to win five fights and the first one is always the bogey fight, it’s the one you’ve got to get right. Well, you’ve got to get them all right, but you can’t afford to get that first one wrong.
“The margins are really small, you can’t afford to have an off minute, you do that and you’re out.
“In every other competition at the Olympics you win a silver medal. However, in boxing you lose a gold so it’s a slightly different mentality. Also, we’re not wired to be able to lose.
“I’m pulled in every direction, but my heart wants that gold. My head tells me that I should be happy with a medal and the semi-finals is a good marker where you can go on with something in your back pocket assured of at least a bronze medal, but I want that gold.”
To achieve her goal, Eccles will have to call upon the “huge advantage” of Birmingham’s Commonwealth Games where she won gold.
“When you compete at the Olympics you carry a big weight with you,” says Eccles.
“It’s not merely the funding you’ve received but your performance determines the funding for future generations as well. For me, that pressure adds fuel to the fire.
“Then you add the pressure of the crowd. I’ve seen some people be really influenced by a crowd and fight in a completely different way than they planned.
“From my experience you’ve got to screw it up to get it right.
“The Commonwealth Games was the best moment of my career to date. It was my last chance there and I put lots of pressure on myself and expected a lot of myself. I didn’t have an easy route and still came out with the gold.”
Professional Aspirations?
When Eccles finally set foot in the Olympic village it was the cause of a double celebration as it coincided with her 28th birthday.
“When you set foot in the Olympic village, it is so iconic,” says Eccles.
“We all know how mad the Olympic village is so hopefully I can find a quiet corner but then again with boxing I’m used to the madness.
“I’ve been in the village for the Commonwealth Games and other villages across the globe, but this is extra special, and nothing will compare to this.
“If you get through to the latter stages of the tournament, you get the opportunity to box at Roland Garos on the tennis courts. That’ll be incredible, I’d love nothing more than that.”
After the Olympics, what’s next? Could Eccles follow in the footsteps of the likes of Lauren Price and Joe Cordina and go from the Olympics to the professional boxing world?
Despite acknowledging that any future career and Saudi deals depend on her performances at the games, Eccles is not prepared to look beyond the challenge which is in front of her for the time being.
“I’ve dreamt my whole life of this moment and think about it often. When it comes, I don’t want to look past it as I don’t know what I’ll do next,” says Eccles.
“The opportunities available in professional boxing are huge, opportunities which weren’t there 15 years ago.
“I’m often told that my style suits professional boxing and people say I’m never in a boring fight, but I’ve not engaged in anything yet.
“My sole focus is on the Olympics and whatever happens after, will happen.”
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Becky Wilde: Battling Against The Current For That Olympic Dream
anna southgate
For some, reaching the Olympics is simply a by-product from success in their field.
For others, it is the culmination of a lifelong dream.
Becky Wilde dreamed of representing Great Britain at the Olympics ever since watching the games at Athens aged six.
Wilde grew up in a sporting family. Mum, Sharon, represented Wales in hockey, while Dad, Dick, played rugby for English students.
Additionally, brother Dan now plays Rugby League in Australia and sister Naomi played hockey for Wales at age grade level.
Becky however dreamed of taking part in the Olympics, initially through swimming.
“I first remember the Olympics in 2004 and, by 2008, I was obsessed with swimming,” says Wilde.
“Michael Phelps, Rebecca Adlington, they really captured my imagination, and I loved it.
“The dream was always the Olympics, but along the way I wanted to go to the Commonwealths with Wales. In 2014, at 16, I went to the Commonwealth trials and missed out by one place, half a second.
“That was pretty devastating, I don’t think I realised at the time how hard it hit me. I was young, trying to qualify whilst I was doing my GCSEs, had an injury earlier in the season so there was a lot going on.
“I was determined to make the Gold Coast team in 2018, but I was so motivated that in the end I overtrained and went into a spiral where during A levels, alongside all the academic stress I got myself into such a hole and ended up falling out of the sport nine months before the Commonwealths.
“It was really gutting and hard to go through. A lot of lessons were learned but it was very sad to go through.”
Rowing Idols Inspire New Hope
Whilst the swimming dream might be over Wilde was not ready to give up on her Olympic dream without a fight. This time she is attempting to make her dream a reality on the water, rather than in it.
“I remember Helen Glover and Heather Stanning winning the pair in 2012 and then Katherine Grainger and Anna Watkins in the sculls,” says Wilde.
“Around that time there was a lot of talk around talent ID in rowing and how they’d taken people who were a bit older on fast-track programmes.
“I loved being an athlete and I didn’t want to give that up. It was a big reason why I chose Bath University because of the World Class Start programme that was available there.
“I was quite literally a swimmer one day and a rower the next. I started rowing in June 2017 and I was good on the rowing machines but once out on the water it was a bit different. Admittedly, I was falling in for quite a few weeks!”
‘I didn’t care if I rowed again’
Wilde’s aerobic ability, gained through hours in the pool, set her in good stead but her move to the boat was far from smooth sailing.
“I progressed quickly in the first year, some domestic competitions went quite well but then I developed injury problems about a year after I started,” says Wilde.
“Initially they thought it was a back issue, but then I had a scan and they found there was a labral tear in my left hip which is when the cartilage has worn away and bone is rubbing on bone.
“Eventually the only option was surgery, and I had that a year and a half after starting rowing.
“At that point I didn’t care if I rowed again, I couldn’t sit for long periods, couldn’t walk without pain. It was horrifically debilitating, and I just wanted to live.
“Then in the lead up to the operation my right hip started having the same problems so six weeks after the first operation I had the same one on my right hip.”
Despite the setback, Wilde did return to the boat, with the help of her coaches at Bath and was almost immediately thrust into European competition.
“I had surgeries in January and March and didn’t get back in the water till June, by August or September I was in the European U23 team,” says Wilde.
“It was a whirlwind which was an incredible experience and filled me with a lot of confidence going forward.”
Financial Difficulties and Further Injury Setbacks
Like many athletes, Wilde then faced the complications of the pandemic and, whilst the hours of training on the rowing machines improved her fitness, missing out on key competitions and time out on the water held back her development.
The pandemic, combined with a decrease in National Lottery funding for rowing, meant Wilde didn’t receive funding from British Rowing until November last year.
“Welsh Rowing funded me for I think the last two years but they’re a lot smaller and can’t give athletes enough to live off,” says Wilde.
“When the pandemic came, I wasn’t at the level before Covid to get the funding and with the decrease in lottery funding for British rowing I wasn’t able to be funded at all until this year.
“My mum and dad helped me out so much but also it involved a lot of part-time work in and around training and trying to be a rower, make the Olympics and have enough money to live.”
There was still time for another uphill battle. Wilde needed surgery in September 2023 due to a condition called compartment syndrome in her forearms meaning that her muscles had become too big for the muscle sheaths.
“My muscles would seize up and I couldn’t grip anything, which is quite crucial as a rower,” says Wilde.
“They cut into my arms to make the compartments bigger, so the muscles have more room to grow. It was quite a quick recovery process and now I don’t get the same issues whereas before I couldn’t hold onto the handles.”
Qualification from the Regatta of Death
With the injury troubles behind her, it was now the not so small matter of being selected for a boat and qualifying. Like most of the battles Wilde had fought, this was for from straightforward.
“This year with the quad being world champions they were going to stick with the same boat, but the double hadn’t qualified, and I was fast enough to be in with a chance,” says Wilde.
“I think back to my earlier memories of rowing, it is the smaller boats which stand out, so it does feel like I’ve come full circle in a way.
“With my now partner Mathilda Hodgkins-Byrne, we were thrown into a boat together for the double sculls in January and we ended up doing really well but they kept testing other combinations until we were confirmed as the boat for qualifiers in March.
“World Champs the year before the Olympics is where the first 11 crews get a chance to qualify. The British crew that year missed out and then you have your final chance to qualify in May.
“That’s nicknamed ‘the Regatta of Death’ because you’re either going to the Olympics or not and you have to place in the first two. It’s the first and only race in your career where you are content with coming in the top two.
“We were so relieved when we crossed that line. I had imagined it and dreamt of that moment so to finally be able to say, ‘I’m going’, it was disbelief and I’d never seen my mum cry happy tears before that moment.”
Not there to ‘Make up the Numbers’
Whilst competing at the Games is the fulfilment of a lifelong dream for Wilde, it is only the first step in her career, with the possibility of further GB rowing success on the line.
Great Britain topped the medal table for rowing at Beijing, London and Rio but had an underwhelming 2020 games where they finished with only one bronze and one silver medal.
“We’re definitely a boat that doesn’t just want to be there for the experience or to make up the numbers,” says Wilde.
“A British double hasn’t made a Worlds or Olympics A final since 2018 so we’d like to change that and from there you don’t know what will happen.
“Romania were unbeaten till Europeans this year since 2019 and are the big dogs in women’s double skulls, after that it’s quite an open field.
“The Americans are pretty solid as are the Aussies and Kiwis but I’m just exciting to compete against the rest of the world.
“Being on the British rowing team, medalling is almost ‘the norm’ so we’re hoping for a medal. We’re enjoying it and as we say, ‘a happy boat is a fast boat’ so long may that continue.”
📷 – Benedict Tufnell for British Rowing
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Ruby Evans: Young Gun Gymnast Tumbling For Gold
anna southgate
17 years 133 days.
That will be the age of Ely’s own Ruby Evans when she steps out to compete for Great Britain at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
In doing so it will be the high point of a fledgling gymnastics career which began when she attended the local leisure centre aged just four.
However, she admits initially it wasn’t love at first sight.
“I went to Western leisure centre at four as a joke with my cousin,” says Evans.
“He didn’t enjoy it and neither did I at first! They thought I was really good and should keep going.”
“They wanted to take her to the next advanced class in Fairwater, but she was insistent on not going,” continues mum Leanne.
“So, we bribed her!” adds dad, Chris.
“They said how talented she was, and I think she was a bit overwhelmed.
“It was two quid, drop off at 2pm and then pick up at 7pm, almost free day care and she’d learn a bit of gymnastics along the way. It was a no-brainer!”
Evidently, the decision to keep going has proven to be the right one with Evans’ first competition proving a turning point.
“I started getting the hang of it, enjoying it a bit more and then won my first competition,” says
“From there I kept going to different competitions and kept winning. Welsh gymnastics noticed me, and I trialled for them and then I’ve been training at Sophia Gardens ever since.
“Coming here and making friends, all my closest friends are from gymnastics.
“If I had nothing to do it would drive me insane, obviously I like my days off don’t get me wrong, but if I just went to school and went home, I’d go crazy, my brain needs to do something.”
Welsh Olympic History
Evans admits balancing her GCSEs whilst competing in Europe was “very hard” but is now able to completely focus on the upcoming Paris Games having been announced as part of GB’s five-strong women’s team.
Evans will be one of five going to the Olympics including Alice Kinsella, Becky Downie, Georgia-Mae Fenton and Abi Martin.
The announcement immediately preceded a surprise homecoming at Sophia Gardens where friends and family celebrated Evans’ selection alongside coaches and teammates.
“When I was selected, I didn’t know what to say,” says Evans.
“It was a phone call and I think I just said, ‘thank you’. I was only allowed to tell my parents and my coach and that’s when it hit home a bit more.
“Coming back from the announcement day was amazing. I’ve been holding in the news for about two weeks and now it’s finally out and I can talk about it.
“To be surprised by all my family and friends at the gym, everyone I’ve ever met in my life from my first teacher to my last, it’s amazing because they show just how much support I have around me in Wales.”
In being selected Evans has her own place in history, becoming the first Welsh artistic gymnast to go to an Olympics since 1996.
“I didn’t really know the history,” admits Evans.
“My dad told me as he googled it because we hadn’t heard about a Welsh gymnast in a long time.
“It feels amazing to be the one from Wales and the odd one out in a way is special.”
Olympic Teen Team Dream
Reaching the Olympics only became an idea for Evans last year, admitting she’s never watched the games before.
“Growing up I never thought ‘I’m going to go to the Olympics’,” says Evans.
“I was just doing gymnastics. Now I’m going it’s crazy.”
They will be hoping to replicate the achievements of the team in Tokyo who won Olympic bronze.
“GB is a very good team with a successful past,” says Evans.
“Last time at Tokyo the team won a bronze medal with a really good team.
“I don’t think we’re going to put any pressure on ourselves, we’re just going to go out there and enjoy the experience.
“Alice was in the team last time and it wasn’t the same as it was during Covid, Becky is so good at bars and then the rest of us it’s our first Olympics for me, Georgia-Mae and Abi.”
Family Support and Inspiring the Next Generation
As with most parents, being a supporter comes with more nerves than competing itself, and Ruby’s mum Leanne is no different.
“I never watch! I normally hide,” says Leanne.
“I record it but look away and then watch it back afterwards once I know the result.”
Despite their nerves, Evans’ family have been a constant source of support and help over the years, taking her to events up and down the country along with daily practices.
“It does mean a lot to us,” says Chris.
“We have been traipsing up and down the country, but we’ve enjoyed every second.
“People did ask me ‘What will ever come of it?’ and to be honest we didn’t have any expectations and whatever will be will be, but now she’s going to the Olympics!
“We’ll fly out there for the opening ceremony and stay there for nine nights, if you’re going to go you might as well enjoy it!”
“My family have been amazing,” adds Evans.
“They’re the ones that put me into gym and it’s just as hard for them to take the days off work.
“Bring me to training, take me to the airport all the time every day. Also, there’re fees and there’s a lot of money that’s gone into this sport, hopefully I can repay them one day.
“They’ve never pressured me and if something goes wrong, they basically just laugh at me and tell me to get over it as it’s not that big of a deal and I think that’s the best way to be, to go with the flow and that’s what’s got me here.
“My cousin was outside earlier doing cartwheels and she loves it. I think she copies me, and I’ve inspired her to carry on as well. It is something special to know that people do enjoy watching me and hopefully I can inspire a few along the way.”
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Welsh Rugby's Summer Assessment - Where Do We Go From Here?
anna southgate
Three tests, three defeats.
Wales’ win against Queensland Reds may have been their first of 2024 and was rightly celebrated given its dramatic nature, however the fact remains that the run of losses is now at nine test defeats.
Warren Gatland’s side are now at an all-time low in the rankings of 11th.
There were several positives from the tour. More attacking intent and cohesion, epitomised by Regan Grace’s try against the Reds, a try-scoring machine in the driving maul and some superb individual performances.
Archie Griffin, Ellis Bevan and Ben Thomas have all impressed on their first starts for Wales while Aaron Wainwright and Dewi Lake have both put in some commanding performances.
A Hill To Stand On
The positive end of the summer, which begun with Wales’ performance in their second test against Australia, has been overshadowed by talk of Cory Hill.
The second row was brought into the squad from fourth division Japanese side Secom Rugguts to cover for the injured and unavailable Adam Beard, Will Rowlands, Seb Davies, Teddy Williams, James Fender and then Ben Carter while on tour.
In fairness to Hill, while he made errors during the game, on the pitch he had showcased some sharp moments. An offload off the floor to keep play going, drawing the defender to create a two on one for Rio Dyer’s try in the second test.
The main reason for the outcry for Hill’s selection was due to a case in 2021 where Hill and some friends caused a disturbance and damage outside the house of a woman and her children.
With Hill moving to Japan, initially there wasn’t a public apology, but when he was named captain for the game against the Queensland Reds, the former Cardiff and Dragons second row faced the press and apologised for the incident.
The main response was frustration at the comments by head coach Warren Gatland as he seemed to dismiss the situation. Comments such as “young men make mistakes” and that the “time-frame has gone” didn’t help.
Roughly an hour prior to kick-off on Friday morning it was announced that Hill had pulled out of for “personal reasons” meaning scrum half Gareth Davies would lead the team in his place.
Post-Match Response
Following the match Gatland admitted that he needed to hold his hands up to his mistake and that he “probably shouldn’t have put him [Hill] in that position.”
Also, there was the admission from Gatland that he “didn’t appreciate there was going to be some negativity about making that call”.
The latter point is frustrating. Anyone in or around Welsh rugby media, fan groups or have passed through Welsh rugby X (formerly twitter), could have told you there’d be “some negativity”.
This wasn’t a sudden outcry. Merely a focusing of the voices at one decision, at one time. With the game itself essentially a dead rubber, it merely added to the focus, it was almost all anyone talked about.
It seems bizarre that Gatland was unaware of that. Perhaps he doesn’t go through the depths of rugby twitter but that he is not briefed on what the response will be is surprising.
The response from several has been that “a lot of sportspeople who have had similar situations that, for whatever reason, are back in the fold,” as Gatland said or that there are those who have done worse and are playing top level rugby or other sports.
You only have to look to America and the number of cases of alleged domestic violence and sexual assault against American Football players to know that what he is saying is true.
However, after the allegations of sexism, misogyny and racism within the WRU last year and subsequent restructure, the WRU must understand that the decisions made by them and their employees are done so under a cloud of heightened scrutiny.
Member of the Senedd Heledd Fychan told the BBC she does “question the steps that were take by Warren Gatland to make Hill captain.”
While Nigel Walker said that the WRU were “admitting that we got this wrong.”
“The important thing is that we recognise that we got this wrong, we’ve admitted that we’ve got it wrong and perhaps in the past we wouldn’t,” said Walker.
“Are we a perfect organisation at the moment? No, we’re not.”
“Are we striving to be more perfect than we currently are and were 18 months ago? Yes, we are.”
Regardless of whether the WRU are striving to be better, incidents such as these will reinforce the feeling amongst fans that they are out of touch with a complete and utter lack of understanding for the wider press along with the thoughts and feelings of fans.
- Is an Anglo-Welsh league the future for Welsh rugby?
- Let’s Talk With Gwen Crabb
- Welsh Rugby’s Next Big Things
Where Do We Go From Here?
Hill still has a year-long contract remaining in Japan and his future within the Wales setup.
Post match Gatland stated that Hill “would potentially look to come back to Wales and one of the regions.”
“If that’s the case, he’s got that experience that he could potentially come back into the fold.”
Should the decision be taken to reintegrate Hill within Welsh regional rugby then one would hope lessons will have been learnt from this summer’s tour.
Before that, Gatland has several questions to answer on the field.
This Autumn, Wales face Fiji, Australia and South Africa, a tough task in stopping their run of defeats.
To win any of those games, Wales will need to finalise a style of play and decide on the players who fit that style best.
The positives from this tour mean Wales perhaps have more strength in depth than first believed with Jac Morgan, Beard, Rowlands, Josh Adams, Joe Roberts, Tomos Williams, Ryan Elias, Taulupe Faletau and Sportin Wales co-founder Gareth Anscombe all in line to return to the fold.
Questions on selection will remain however. What is the best role for Cardiff duo Thomas and Mason Grady, neither of whom are expected to play the positions where they featured against Australia once regional rugby resumes in September.
Christ Tshiunza, another of the huge positives from the tour but it is unclear whether he will be used as a second row or flanker going forward.
Whatever the plans, Welsh rugby fans need to see improvement from their team and organisation and quickly.
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Is An Anglo-Welsh League The Future For Welsh Rugby?
anna southgate
On Tuesday night, the news broke that Bristol Bears will play a home Premiership game at the Principality Stadium on the 10th of May 2025.
It was something which had been rumoured last season, in and amongst the mess which was a Wales v Barbarians clash on the same day as Scarlets hosted Cardiff in a Welsh derby.
Bristol’s opposition is yet to be decided for the first ever English Premiership match held in Cardiff.
Speaking on this week’s Sportin Wales podcast, Daily Mail journalist Alex Bywater offered the Welsh and Bristol viewpoints of the decision.
“There’s two different strands to it really,” said Bywater.
“If you look at it from a Bristol perspective, it’s a really exciting prospect. They can take their home games to a much bigger stadium and bigger audience to grow their brand.
“But the flip side is what does that mean for Welsh rugby? The short term is the Welsh Rugby Union will get a fee which we don’t know.
“The wider issue is that the Welsh regions might lose fans who go to watch the Bristol Bears game and from then on they go to watch Bristol at Ashton Gate rather than go to the Arms Park, Rodney Parade or to Ospreys and Scarlets.
“I think that’s a real and genuine concern for some people. I think there’s a debate to be had around taking the money for the game which Welsh rugby needs at the moment, against the long-term thinking in terms of the implications it could have.”
Anglo-Welsh Connotations
One of the most bizarre elements of the situation is that on the same weekend Bristol play the role of hosts at the Principality Stadium, all four Welsh regions are playing the first of two consecutive games in South Africa.
The travel involved in the URC and wider European rugby has been criticised time and time again, with Sportin Wales co-founder Alex Cuthbert noting the risk it creates for players in his column in our May magazine.
Could this therefore be a soft launch, as the kids call it, for a possible future Anglo-Welsh league?
Regular Anglo-Welsh competition has been at a premium since the Anglo-Welsh Cup was ended in 2018, the year where all four Welsh regions finished on the bottom of their pools.
In its heyday, the finals attracted attendances between 40-65,000 at Twickenham with Scarlets in the final in the first year before consecutive Leicester Tigers v Ospreys finals were shared and then Cardiff’s brilliant win against Gloucester in 2009.
In recent years, those matches have been restricted to Europe and wins for Welsh sides have been at a premium.
Ospreys’ memorable wins at Leicester in January of 2023 and Sale at the Brewery Field last season are two standouts, but it is perhaps Cardiff who’ve seen the biggest rewards.
Their home games against Harlequins and Bath saw sell out crowds and brilliant atmospheres, benefitting particularly from the proximity of the West Country club and an historic rivalry.
The prospect of more fixtures like that is something former Wales and Cardiff forward Josh Turnbull would like to see.
“Bristol are trying to attract a different audience, it’s like Ospreys going to play in London,” said Turnbull.
“I just look at what Cardiff did, selling out the Arms Park on a number of occasions. Bath and Harlequins last year, Sale the year before, I don’t know how many time the drum needs to be banged but an Anglo-Welsh league would be fantastic.
“Bring back those cross-border rivalries. The URC was exciting when it first started, travelling somewhere new, going to South Africa and playing against some of their best players.
“In terms of the travelling the novelty has worn off and I think it would be exciting to have an Anglo-Welsh league. It really would.”
The Reality of an Anglo-Welsh league
Following the collapse of Wasps, Worcester Warriors and London Irish there are now 10 teams in the Gallagher Premiership.
Those three sides going into administration emphasised the fragility of the position rugby finds itself in as it recovers post the pandemic and Wales is no different.
During their strategy announcement, the WRU and CEO Abi Tierney announced they faced a £35m funding gap spread over the next five years.
Therefore, unless a highly lucrative offer came on board, it is highly unlikely that the Welsh sides would leave the URC given the current financial situation.
That however won’t quieten the calls from fans who, like Bywater, see the Gallagher Premiership as a better “product…than what’s been shown in the URC.”
The thought of reigniting the old-standing rivalries will be a draw for several, in particular those who remember the rebel season of 1998-99 where Cardiff and Swansea turned their backs on the Welsh Premier Division opting instead to play friendlies against English Premiership clubs. 7
For the time being, it looks like a plan Welsh fans dream of, without it ever being a risk of coming into fruition.
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European Recap: TNS Cruise, Caernarfon Win Lottery, Nomads & Bala Heartbreak
anna southgate
It was a week of mixed emotions for the four Welsh clubs in Europe with success, disappointment and failure dished out almost equally for the Cymru Premier sides.
Heading into this week TNS, Caernarfon Town and Connah’s Quay Nomads all carried first leg leads however Bala had to overturn a 2-1 home defeat to Paide Linnameeskond of Estonia.
The second legs began on Tuesday as Cymru Premier champions The New Saints travelled to Montenegro, looking to protect a 3-0 lead from the first leg of their opening qualifying round of the Champions League.
A Brad Young penalty before half time provided added security for TNS, adding to his two goals from the first leg and despite a poacher’s effort from Asmir Kajević 20 minutes from time, The New Saints safely secured their place against Hungarian champions Ferencváros.
TNS will hope they can keep hold of Cymru Premier player of the season Young amid rumours that he is sought after by the likes of Bristol City.
Penalty Heroics Send Caernarfon Through
Success didn’t end there either. Caernarfon Town, on their European debut last week, beat Crusaders and travelled to Northern Ireland with a 2-0 lead.
The Canaries were making their first appearance in continental football and did so in the Europa Conference league.
In the second leg, Town appeared to have put the tie beyond doubt when Arnaldo Paulo Fernandes Mendes smashed the ball home from a corner, however, three second half goals from the home side brought the tie back level in normal time.
With minutes remaining in extra-time, Crusaders thought they should have had a penalty for handball, but the referee waved away protests leading to a tense penalty shootout in front of the Caernarfon travelling faithful.
14 penalties were taken and scored before three successive misses. Crucially, two of those were from Crusaders meaning the experienced Marc Williams sent the keeper the wrong way sending Caernarfon Town through to the second round on their first attempt.
Next up for Caernarfon will a trip to Poland and former European Cup semi-finalists Legia Warsaw on Thursday the 25th of July.
Heartbreak for Nomads
Connah’s Quay Nomads were the third Welsh side to carry a positive result into the second leg after a 0-1 win away at Slovenian side Bravo, courtesy of a Ben Maher smashed finish from close range late on in Ljubljana.
They too looked to be heading into the Europa Conference second round only to see Bravo defender Nemanja Jakšić run from defence, pass the ball out wide and slot coolly home two minutes from normal time.
With scores level the game went into Extra Time, and with six minutes left Matej Poplatnik headed the Clovenian side through, leaving the home side heartbroken.
Paide leave it late to beat Bala
Bala Town were the only Welsh side to have a deficit going into the second leg but had been given a ray of hope after Joshua Ukek’s penalty in the 95th minute of their first leg left the scores at 1-2 as the sides headed to Estonia.
The Welsh side cancelled out their deficit in the 12th minute when defender Nathan Peate headed home from a corner.
Home side Paide had chances in normal time but Bala’s defence held firm with the aggregate scores at 2-2 in a tense game.
With 10 minutes or so remaining in Extra time, Bala defender Alex Downes received a second yellow meaning the visitors were down to 10 men as penalties loomed large.
However, in added time of Extra Time, Paide teenager Oskar Hõim took a shot from outside of the box and it arrowed perfectly into the far top corner sparking scenes of mass hysteria amongst the Estonian fans.