Beaumont, Pope, Payne And Matthews Retained By Welsh Fire On Deadline Day
Harry Corish - Sportin Journalist
Tammy Beaumont, Ollie Pope, David Payne and Hayley Matthews are amongst those who will return to Cardiff, as Welsh Fire are welcomed back to Sophia Gardens this summer for the third year of The Hundred competition.
The Hundred features eight teams from seven cities, with men’s and women’s competitions taking place side by side: Welsh Fire (Cardiff), Southern Brave (Southampton), Northern Superchargers (Leeds), London Spirit, Trent Rockets (Nottingham), Oval Invincibles (London), Manchester Originals and Birmingham Phoenix.
Each team feature some of the best international and domestic cricketers from around the world, including England Men’s & Women’s World Cup winners.
Among the stars confirmed to be returning to Welsh Fire on Deadline Day, West Indies captain and all-rounder Hayley Matthews and Gloucestershire and England bowler David Payne will both be back for their third season with Welsh Fire.
England batter Tammy Beaumont will return to captain for her second season in Wales and she’ll once again be joined by talented Australian all-rounder Annabel Sutherland.
George Scrimshaw, last year’s Vitality Wildcard pick for the men’s team, has also been retained for the upcoming season, along with England and Surrey star Ollie Pope and Nottinghamshire batter Joe Clarke. Jonny Bairstow is also back at Sophia Gardens as his team’s England Men’s Centrally Contracted player.
Rashid Khan, Jos Buttler, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Smriti Mandhana and Glenn Maxwell are among the list of players who have been retained by other teams in The Hundred.
The Hundred draft will take place on Thursday 23rd March and will be televised on Sky Sports. Which will feature the first draft in the women’s competition, alongside two Vitality Wildcard picks in the men’s competition.
Across both competitions, 114 players have been retained in total, meaning 134 spots remain to be filled at The Hundred Draft powered by Sage, and across the open market process in the women’s competition.
Teams in the men’s competition are able to retain 10 players, and women’s teams can retain four of their players. Six men’s sides have retained all 10, while Welsh Fire – under the new leadership of Australian great Mike Hussey – will have eight places to fill at The Draft, at which they’ll have the first pick.
The women’s competition will be hosting a draft for the first time, with Tammy Beaumont’s Welsh Fire the first side to pick. The likes of Sophia Dunkley, Danni Wyatt and Kate Cross, as well as a host of international players, will be up for grabs. The final list for The Hundred Draft powered by Sage is due to be confirmed on February 28.
The Hundred will kick off its third year at Trent Bridge on Tuesday 1 August with a Trent Rockets v Southern Brave double-header the first of 68 games that promise high-octane men’s and women’s sporting action, live music, and a host of family-friendly entertainment.
More than half a million people attended games during The Hundred’s second year in 2022, including a record-breaking 271,000 watching live women’s fixtures across the competition and more families buying tickets than in 2021.
There will be an initial, exclusive window to purchase tickets from 15-28 March for anyone who has previously bought tickets for The Hundred. Those yet to attend can sign up in advance at thehundred.com for priority ticket access from 5–18 April. Tickets will then go on general sale on Thursday 20 April. Tickets this year remain great value in line with 2022 pricing, with prices set at £5 for juniors aged 6-15, free for children five and under, and adults starting from £10.
England Women’s opener and Welsh Fire captain Tammy Beaumont, said:
‘’I’m so excited to be back as captain of Welsh Fire for The Hundred. The energy and support from the Welsh fans last year was amazing, and I can’t wait to experience it again. It’s such an exciting time for us with the women’s draft just around the corner. We’re on the lookout for some seriously talented players to join our team, and I can’t wait to see who we can bring on board to help us compete this August.’’
Gloucestershire and England bowler David Payne commented:
‘’I’m delighted to be retained by Welsh Fire for 2023 for my third season in Cardiff. The last two campaigns obviously haven’t been easy, but I’m excited about starting fresh in 2023. It’ll be great to see a few familiar faces from our retentions, but I’m also looking forward to seeing how we can build our squad during the draft in March. We need to get off to a good start so we need to make sure we have the right mix of talent and experience to take us to the next level.’’
Over 14.1 million people tuned in to watch The Hundred action in 2022 and games will again be broadcast live on Sky Sports and BBC broadcast and digital channels throughout the competition.
To stay up to date with the latest news, buy tickets or to sign up for priority access, visit thehundred.com or follow The Hundred, and the eight teams, on Instagram, TikTok and YouTube.
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Warren Gatland Hopes A Mixture Of Youth And Experience Will Help To Put Aside the Trouble Of This Week By Defeating England
Harry Corish - Sportin Journalist
Wales head coach Warren Gatland discusses his team selection ahead of Wales’ crunch Six Nations game against England.
The Kiwi hopes his side can put aside the of field troubles to defeat England in this Saturday’s Six Nations clash in Cardiff.
If they can somehow pull it off, a victory this weekend could go on to be described as ‘one of the greatest wins’ in the professional era, having come within a backdrop of uncertainty and infighting within Welsh rugby.
Gatland’s Welsh players had been angered over the failure to deal with the player’s contracts, but a resolution was reached following crisis talks which took place earlier in the week.
Wales have struggled thus far in this years’ Six Nations tournament, losing their first two games against Ireland and Scotland. While England have shown some promise under new coach Steve Borthwick, beating Italy 34-14 last time out.
England are in a similar position to Wales, with a new coach placed in the hot seat, just weeks before the start of the Six Nations.
While Wales have struggled in the early exchanges of the tournament, England look to have gone back to their set piece game, a strong feature of Borthwick’s Leicester side last year, which will be a worry for Wales.
Wales head coach Gatland has gone for a mix of experience and youth, selecting 20-year-old Cardiff rookie, who is set for his Test debut in the centre position. While adding Alun Wyn Jones, Taulupe Faletau and Justin Tipuric to his pack.
Grady will start alongside fellow 20-year-old Joe Hawkins, who is his former under 20’s centre partner. The promising duo will be looking to impress with the World Cup looming just six games away.
Warren Gatland said:
“I haven’t really thought of the emotions going into the game, I am just happy things have been sorted and we can finally focus on preparing for Saturday.”
The message to the players has been let’s draw a line in the sand in terms of what’s been going on and focus completely on the rugby.
“We know the history of Wales and England and what the fixture means to everyone in Wales, so we’ve got to go out there and give a good performance.’
“Some of those experienced players have been through a lot of big situations, Grand Slams, winning Six Nations and World Cup semi-finals. They’ve handled a huge amount of pressure. It has definitely been a challenging week with all that has been going on.
“We have been impressed by Mason (Grady) coming in. He’s quick, he brings some physicality, he’s still young. I asked him the other day what’s your biggest work-on and he said being more vocal and talking.
It is remarkable that Grady has been selected to represent Wales’ senior team, just 12 months on from suffering a particularly nasty ACL injury.
The Cardiff centre impressed during his time playing for Wales under 20’s and has taken that form into the senior game, having impressed at Cardiff this season, in the URC and in the European Challenge Cup.
The physical centre has played just 20 senior games for Cardiff, playing 14 of those games this season. But Grady has been showing some excellent form, which helped him force his way into Warren Gatland’s squad in the first place.
“We’ve given Mason Grady a first cap. He’s a big lad, he’s got some really lovely rugby skills and offloading ability. He’s quick, so he’s the kind of centre I think is going to have it all going forward,” added the Wales coach.
“He’s got a good rugby head on him. He’s still pretty inexperienced, but I have been really happy with him in training.
“Mason has got some fantastic attributes in terms of what he can bring to the game. It’s a great opportunity for him. Himself and Joe [Hawkins] have played together so it’s a young midfield combination which is pretty exciting.
“There is some experience coming back into the side with Faletau, Tipuric, Jones and also Leigh Halfpenny coming in,’ Gatland said.
“We have brought some experience back with the squad and the changes we have made with the young faces alongside them, hopefully there is a better balance.”
Backs: Leigh Halfpenny; Louis Rees-Zammit, Mason Grady, Joe Hawkins, Josh Adams; Owen Williams; Tomos Williams
Forwards: Gareth Thomas, Ken Owens (capt), Tomas Francis, Adam Beard, Alun Wyn Jones, Christ Tshiunza, Justin Tipuric, Taulupe Faletau
Replacements: Bradley Roberts, Rhys Carre, Dillon Lewis, Dafydd Jenkins, Tommy Reffell, Kieran Hardy, Dan Biggar, Nick Tompkins
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Warren Gatland Rings The Changes Ahead Of Crucial England Clash In Cardiff
Harry Corish - Sportin Journalist
Wales head coach Warren Gatland has named the team to play England at a sold-out Principality Stadium on Saturday 25 February (KO 4.45pm live on BBC and S4C) in the third round of the 2023 Guinness Six Nations.
Gatland has made nine changes to the team that faced Scotland two weeks ago. Mason Grady will make his senior international debut on the weekend. He partners Joe Hawkins in the Wales midfield.
Joining captain Ken Owens in the front row are Gareth Thomas (loose-head prop) and Tomas Francis (tight-head prop).
Alun Wyn Jones is named alongside Adam Beard in the second row.
In the back row, Christ Tshiunza makes his second consecutive start at blind-side flanker, Justin Tipuric is open-side flanker and Taulupe Faletau starts at No. 8.
Owen Williams is named at fly half, with Tomos Williams at scrum half.
Louis Rees-Zammit returns from injury to take a place on the wing. Josh Adams (wing) and Leigh Halfpenny (full back) complete the Wales back three.
Bradley Roberts, Rhys Carre and Dillon Lewis provide the Wales front row cover. Dafydd Jenkins and Tommy Reffell are the other forwards selected in the match day 23.
Kieran Hardy, Dan Biggar and Nick Tompkins are the Wales replacement backs.
Gatland said:
“There’s some experience coming back into the side with Taulupe Faletau, Justin Tipuric, Alun Wyn Jones and also Leigh Halfpenny.
“And then we’re mixing that with giving players an opportunity. Owen Williams coming in at ten – we need to find out about that ten position so Owen gets a chance.
“We’ve given Mason Grady a first cap. He’s a big lad, he’s got some really lovely rugby skills and offloading ability. He’s quick, so he’s the kind of centre that I think is going to have it all going forward.
He’s got a good rugby head on him. He’s still pretty inexperienced so the big message to him has been ‘what’s the biggest thing you need to work on?’ He said ‘keep talking and keep communicating’, so that’s been the focus for him and I’ve been really happy with him in training.
“The message to the players has been let’s draw a line in the sand in terms of what’s been going on and focus completely on the rugby. We know the history of Wales and England; what that means to everyone in Wales, so we’ve got to go out there and give a good performance.
“For both teams this is a massive game because we win on Saturday and we can get things on track a little bit more. For England it’s a huge game because if you look at their final two games that’s a challenge too, so it’s a huge moment in this competition.”
Wales senior men’s team to face England in the 2023 Guinness Six Nations, Saturday 25 February KO 4.45pm GMT. Live on BBC and S4C.
15. Leigh Halfpenny (Scarlets – 97 caps)
14. Josh Adams (Cardiff Rugby – 46 caps)
13. Mason Grady (Cardiff Rugby – uncapped)
12. Joe Hawkins (Ospreys – 3 caps)
11. Louis Rees-Zammit (Gloucester Rugby – 22 caps)
10. Owen Williams (Ospreys – 4 caps)
9. Tomos Williams (Cardiff Rugby – 42 caps)
1. Gareth Thomas (Ospreys – 18 caps)
2. Ken Owens (Scarlets – 88 caps) captain
3. Tomas Francis (Ospreys – 68 caps)
4. Adam Beard (Ospreys – 43 caps)
5. Alun Wyn Jones (Ospreys – 156 caps)
6. Christ Tshiunza (Exeter Chiefs – 4 caps)
7. Justin Tipuric (Ospreys – 90 caps)
8. Taulupe Faletau (Cardiff Rugby – 97 caps)
Replacements
16. Bradley Roberts (Dragons – 3 caps)
17. Rhys Carre (Cardiff Rugby – 19 caps)
18. Dillon Lewis (Cardiff Rugby – 47 caps)
19. Dafydd Jenkins (Exeter Chiefs – 3 caps)
20. Tommy Reffell (Leicester Tigers – 6 caps)
21. Kieran Hardy (Scarlets – 16 caps)
22. Dan Biggar (Toulon – 105 caps)
23. Nick Tompkins (Saracens – 25 caps
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Welcome To My Darts Column - Polly James
Harry Corish - Sportin Journalist
My name is Polly James, a Radio DJ, Sky Sports reporter for the darts and fiercely proud Welsh woman.
Most recently there has been a huge spotlight shone on Wales due to our darting superstars. We have the most amazing roster of Welsh talent at the moment that grace the oche and I can’t wait to show off their success in 2023.
First up, let’s focus on two of our top 10 stars that have quickly become household names. The Iceman, Gerwyn Price, former hooker for Crosskeys RFC turned Darts player. From a pretty decent throw on the pitch to a world number 1 arrow smith. Truly a blockbuster story full of highs and lows, controversy and a cabinet bulging with trophies.
Jonny ‘The Ferret’ Clayton on the other hand has been a slow burner in the darts field. He fired into World-class action when he hooked up with Gerwyn as team-mates in the World Cup of darts when Wales took their first title in 2020. Off the back of that, the winning Welsh flair sparked a ‘can-do’ attitude in Jonny and lifted the lid on the quality darts we get to witness today. 2021 was an outstanding year for The Ferret. He picked up numerous TV titles and went into the world Championships that year as favourite. There was perhaps a dip in form for Jonny last year but nevertheless he still managed to top the Premier League table and play some of his greatest darts. Jonny is a contender in World darts and mixes with the best constantly.
Most recently at the 2022/23 worlds, The Ferret was gifted a huge last-16 clash against ‘new kid on the block’ Josh Rock which he relished in. This guy, hot property, outrageously confident and 5th favourite to win the whole thing was going to be a tall order for Jonny but with pure skill, focus, experience and a sensational 104 checkout on the bullseye, Jonny pulled off an upset and ruined Rock’s dream debut at Ally Pally to send him packing. Jonny booked his place in the quarterfinals to face Dimitri Van Den Berge where unfortunately the Belgian was too good for him with a battle that ended in a 5-3 defeat.
Onto Gezzy. Where do we start? A former winner at Ally Pally, a world champion but in front of absolutely no-one during the height of Covid. Gez said to me after his second-round win at the Worlds that he would love to pick up the title in front of the fans if they were ‘a bit nicer to him’. Gez gets stick, there is no doubt about it and a hell of a lot of it. We all know that fierce Welsh blood that runs through any competitive athlete, well, Gezzy has always been himself and unapologetically so. He is a big character and doesn’t shy away from emotion on the oche, that, he claims is his rugby background. Unfortunately, he is booed mercifully for his ‘antics’ on stage and perhaps that’s why he misses the rugby pitch so much. In a few post-match interviews recently, he’s mentioned his desire to get his boots back on.
It was the Worlds quarter-final clash against the German Giant Gabriel Clemens last month when he did in fact come out with his ‘secret weapon’, wearing a huge pair of ear defenders. Yeah, these weren’t quite as subtle as earplugs. You remember the memes? The internet went wild! Was this a joke? Had the crowd become too much? I was there reporting and as always it was raucous. Whatever it was, it didn’t work and Gerwyn came crashing out of the Worlds. On his Instagram afterwards he said he probably would never return to Ally Pally and deleted his account- but we love a good old Gezzy knee-jerk Instagram post and after a few weeks, in true Welsh style, he came back online, making fun of himself posting a photo wearing a ‘new pair’ of headphones.
Even though it wasn’t meant to be for Gez and Jonny at the Worlds, they are now both suitably warmed up for the next Major title on the table, the Masters, set to take place at the end of January after they faced each other in the Nordic Darts Masters semi-final. Gezzy pipped Jonny in a cracker. He trailed throughout the match, but in true Iceman grit he came fighting through a thrilling all-Welsh tussle to seal a spot in another World Series final! He eventually lost that final to Peter Snakebite Wright but proved the shackles were firmly off after the circus he found himself at the Worlds- and no war defenders were worn! Jonny a former winner of the Masters which two years ago kick started his career to the dizzy heights he finds himself in now. He needs a good run, some say a win at the Masters to secure a place in the Premier League in which the line up of 8 of the Worlds best isn’t in stone just yet. And wouldn’t it be brilliant to see Gezzy AND Jonny back in sell-out Cardiff date performing to a packed crowed once again?
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Gerwyn Price Would Love To Play Every Darts Tournament In Cardiff
Harry Corish - Sportin Journalist
Gerwyn Price Would Love To Play Every Tournament In Cardiff Following His Success In The Premier League
I spoke to Gerwyn Price following his successful night at Cardiff.
Wales deserves plenty more nights at the Darts insists former World number one Gerwyn Price who won Night Two of the Cazoo Premier League Darts in Cardiff.
But the Markham Ace will certainly look to savour the Welsh support he received in Cardiff as he aims to kickstart his battle to win his first Premier League title.
Fans love a pantomime villain to poke fun at and use their energy harassing during their performances across all sports, just look at the likes of Craig Bellamy, Jose Mourinho, Mitchell Johnson and Owen Farrell.
Sport falls within the performance industry, with fans hoping for thrills and entertainment from top class sport. But Gerwyn Price has had to develop a thick skin, having been on the receiving end of several years of constant abuse from Darts supporters.
So, it was a welcome respite when Price returned to Wales to play in the second round of the Cazoo Premier League Darts in Cardiff, the only top-level darts event to be held in Wales.
The crowd was in great voice, supporting its two countrymen Jonny Clayton and Gerwyn Price. Calon Lan, Hymms and Arias and Yma o Hyd were filling the room alongside the colour red.
Following his win in Cardiff Price said: “To come home and get the win was pretty special. I didn’t start off too well against Chris (Dobey) and I didn’t play particularly well against Michael (van Gerwyn). I played a bit better against Nathan (Aspinall), so it was definitely the crowd that won me this tonight!
“I am going to take in every tiny drop of emotion from that crowd going forward. It was a brilliant night and the crowd were fantastic for me.
“I don’t get that support every week and sometimes it gives you a bit of added pressure, I didn’t know what to expect to be honest.
“When they started shouting my name and cheering me and jeering against the other players it just helped me and am just grateful I got the win and I am looking forward to the next 14 weeks where I am where I am probably not going to get such a good reception.
“Every walk on, every dart I threw, every double that went in the crowd were right behind me. Every double the crowd was against my opponent but that’s what I get every week.
“It’s only once a year I get that, and I appreciate every moment I can get, it was a great moment for me.”
The Ferret fell to a second first round defeat against the current World Campion Michael Smith, putting the pressure on fellow countrymen Price to provide a moment to remember for all the Welsh fans in attendance.
Price edged past Chris Dobey 6-5 in the first round before holding off a spirited comeback from Michael van Gerwen to win 6-5 in a thrilling semi-final in the Welsh capital. The pressure was on going into the final on the night, but Price eased past Nathan Aspinall 6-3 sending the home fans into raptures.
Ther former world number one hadn’t been a million miles away from contention in the past few weeks, reaching two finals in the World Series in Bahrain and Denmark.
But Price insists that he is ready to re-find his old form after overcoming illness which scuppered his chances at the masters to win the second night of the Premier League in Cardiff.
“Nathan (Aspinall) told me after the game he doesn’t know how I put up with the abuse because it can be quite hostile. For the last few years, I’ve had to deal with that hostility and it is really difficult,” added the … year-old.
“I didn’t play particularly well against Michael (van Gerwyn); I was 5-3 up and he could have easily won 6-5. The crowd definitely won me that game. He mentioned that when we came back in, I understand that feeling, with the crowd putting you off, it is easy to miss a couple of doubles. I’ve had plenty of that over the years.
“This week has probably come at a good time for me, I’ve taken a week off the pro tours after Cardiff. I just needed a little break and get away for a little bit and come back.
“I’m looking forward to getting stuck into the pro tour, it’s where you find your sharpness. As much as I hate going to them, it’s the best place to find your form. Hopefully after a night like Cardiff and a little break will help me in the weeks to come.
“Before I got ill and before the Master’s I was playing some good darts, but since a couple of tough weeks I can definitely take that winning feeling going forward.
“I’ve not been myself the past few weeks but definitely the next few weeks I will be able to find my feet again, I can’t keep playing badly, so I am confident going into the next few weeks.”
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Archie Hughes Insists Working Alongside Dwayne Peel Is Perfect For His Development
Harry Corish - Sportin Journalist
Archie Hughes Insists Working Alongside Dwayne Peel Is Perfect For His Development
I spoke to Archie Hughes at Wales’ Under 20’s press conference ahead of their fixture against Scotland.
In terms of development as a scrum half Archie Hughes is probably in the best hands with Dwayne Peel overseeing his development at the Scarlets, with the former Wales and British and Irish Lions international scrum half, keeping a close eye on his development as his head coach.
Hughes has been long dreaming about running out in the red jersey of Scarlets and Wales and is currently learning under the tutelage of Peel, one of the Wales’ best scrumhalf’s and current Welsh internationals Gareth Davies, Kieran Hardy.
While Hughes at the tender age of 19, has only a few memories of Dwayne Peel during his playing days, who was capped 76 times for Wales. The youngster is certainly has enjoying learning off the former British and Irish Lions test scrum half and Welsh international.
And Peel is certainly taking a hands-on role in developing the exciting youngster, who will be looking to step up into the senior squad in the near future.
“I loved the battle between Dwayne (Peel) and Mike Phillips back in the day, they were both awesome players and Peely was a great scrum half. I think I share a lot of similarities in the way he used to play, so it is great to learn from him,” Hughes added.
“He always had good service, which I admired about his game, and he has been helping me in that aspect too. When we are at the Scarlets, we have plenty of time to do individuals, so I do work with him quite a bit.
“If he sees things in my game that I need to work on, he won’t hesitate to let me know what I need to do and help me go through it with me.”
A lot of people think as a scrum half role is limited to passing and kicking the ball, but there is plenty more to the modern role of the nine, as Hughes is well aware.
“I like to get as stuck in as I possibly can, whether that is kick chase or defence, I want to give my all and prove I am ready for this level.
There is plenty of quality throughout this under 20’s squad. We are fortunate that we have some pretty talented boys in the group, a lot of us just go out there and express ourselves, which is great to see.
“I am looking to climb my way up at the Scarlets and get some more opportunities. The competition is really tough at the moment with Gareth (Davies) and Kieran (Hardy) playing international rugby and Dane (Blacker) who is in and about that squad.
“But I am looking to push on there and keep enjoying my rugby.”
From Tenby, Hughes would have grown up watching the Scarlets week in week out and started playing with his local club, Tenby RFC, aged just five.
The young scrum half was obsessed with rugby from an early age and ended up moving to Llandovery college at just 14 to continue his development in the sport.
Hughes said:
“It’s awesome, you have some top-notch scrum halves at the Scarlets, coming into the senior squad and training next to these players has been huge for my development. I am constantly trying to learn of them as much as I can.
“It’s not always just me going to them, they come to me and try and help me out as much as they can. If I am doing individual sessions, I will have all of the boys helping out with little things. It is a pleasure to watch them first hand at training and seeing how hard they train; I am certainly taking notes off them.
“Growing up I was quite fortunate to go to Llandovery College, living there made quite a difference. I lived and breathed rugby, it was my whole lifestyle, that’s all I wanted to do.
“I played a lot of rugby there it was great to be able to focus on the game and develop under some great coaches.
“From there I got picked up by the Scarlets around the time they started their partnership with the college. It was great for me personally.”
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Angharad James Is Excited About The Progress Being Made @ FAW
Harry Corish - Sportin Journalist
Angharad James Is Excited About The Progress Being Made . . . As Gemma Grainger Looks To Kickstart The Evolution Of Women’s Football In Wales
I spoke to Sophie Ingle and Angharad James at Wales’ press conference ahead of their opening Pinatar Cup game against the Philippines.
Women’s football is booming in Wales, with record attendances being broken, seemingly every game. But Angharad James hopes the progress off the field will bring a fresh start as Gemma Grainger and the FAW look to evolve Women’s football in Wales.
It was heartbreak for Wales last October, when they fell to a 2-1 defeat against Switzerland after a late Fabienne Humm equaliser in extra time in the World Cup Play-Off final.
But significant progress has been made off the field by the FAW of late, as it was announced last month that the senior men’s squad had agreed a 25% pay cut to help fund a 25% pay rise for the women’s team.
Head coach Gemma Grainger has also put pen to paper on a new two-year contract extension, which will see the influential head coach lead Wales into the qualifying campaigns for the 2025 European Championships and the 2027 World Cup.
Angharad James said: “It’s nice to be back with the group, it seems like we’ve been away a long time. It’s nice to be back to see everyone to kickstart the new year.
“There was a lot of disappointment at first after that loss against Switzerland, getting so close to a major tournament. But since having some time away and some time to reflect on everything, I am so proud of the girls in the group, both the players and all the staff.
“It has given us a lot of hope moving forward. We will change little things and hopefully the next time we get to that stage the outcome will be a lot different.
“We are going to have to go up another level in the coming months to ensure that we are competing at the top with the hope to qualify to a major tournament.”
Despite the disappointment of missing out on that chance to reach their first major tournament, there has been plenty of progress made by the Football Association of Wales (FAW) in the new year following the success of the Women’s side.
Wales captain, Sophie Ingle said: “The step to implement equal pay is massive for our organisation. It shows what both the players and the organisation want is equal, we get the same training facilities as the men, same hotels, same travel etc.”
“We have had that for a while now to be fair, the organisation has really pushed that for us. We couldn’t ask for any more I think, we’re making huge strides in Wales.”
James added:
“It’s not just about equal pay, people think it’s just the money side of things but it’s the facilities, access to staff, the number of staff we have on camps now is very different to what we had four or five years ago.”
“So, we’ve taken big strides and together we created change which was important.”
The extension of Grainger’s new contract is another step that has brought a lot of excitement, with the Welsh manager being afforded time to evolve the team and the playing style as she aims to help Wales reach their first major tournament.
The ingredients are all there for success in the women’s game. There is now a strong interest in the team, with several attendance records being broken over the past year.
But time is needed for the team to progress, as they look to the next level after the heartbreak of missing out on World Cup qualification just a few months ago.
With several young players like Carrie Jones, Ceri Holland and Hannah Cain starting to break into the senior team, there is plenty of positivity surrounding the camp.
It is hoped the core of experienced players, including the likes of Jess Fishlock and Sophie Ingle can will help the youngsters ease into international football to improve their options moving forward.
On the impact of the younger players coming in, James said: “It is really important that these experienced players are here to help the younger girls come through. We have some good young players coming through, who we have already seen glimpses of in the last campaign.
“They are going to be a very important part of our team going forward. The young players are going to need our support going forward and hopefully we can create a good balance between experience and youth.
“I think keeping the core and the experience has been great for us, the likes of Jess Fishlock and other players who have stayed on for this next campaign is huge for us”.
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Boxer Cassius Walker-Hunt Aims To Make History After Taking Notes From Anthony Joshua
Harry Corish - Sportin Journalist
Cassius Walker-Hunt Aims To Make History After Taking Notes From Anthony Joshua and Fraser Clark
I sat down to interview Cassius Walker-Hunt to ask him about his exciting year ahead.
Cassius Walker-Hunt has everything in place to be a Welsh sports star in 2023. Named after one of the greatest boxers of all time Cassius Clay, also known as Mohammad Ali, it’s clear that Walker-Hunt was destined for the sporting world.
He’s got the family background covered, with his cousins Eli Walker and Jazz Richards just some of those who have represented Wales at the highest level in sport.
Besides sport, he’s an active member of the Port Talbot community and is even involved in a clothing brand, alongside his father Nigel Hunt and celebrity Michael Locke ‘Pancho’ from Dirty Sanchez.
Walker-Hunt, who won the elite 92kg Welsh Championship in 2021 and then retained his title in April this year, hopes the experience he’s gained from sparring with Anthony Joshua and Frazer Clark can help him to make history next year by winning his third Welsh National Championship.
The 26-year-old hasn’t had it all go his way but hopes the opportunity to watch Joshua up close during their sparring session can help the Port Talbot boxer finally achieve his dreams and represent Wales at a major level.
Walker-Hunt was brought first into Frazer Clark’s training camp, a former Commonwealth Games Champion in 2018 and a Bronze medallist at the Tokyo Olympic Games.
He then joined Joshua’s training camp in Sheffield to spar ahead of Joshua’s rematch against Oleksandr Usyk, a world champion in two weight classes from Ukraine.
The chance to learn from one of the best boxers in the world came as a surprise to Walker-Hunt, but he was keen to soak up as much as he could from the two-time former Unified Heavyweight Champion Joshua as he aims to finally break into the Welsh squad after being overlooked for so long.
Walker-Hunt, a 6 ft 2 Southpaw and two times elite Welsh national champion at 92kg, said:
“AJ was looking for sparring partners before the Usyk fight. My coach Nigel Davies was a GB coach at the London and Beijing Olympics, he’d coached the likes of Joshua, Clark, Nicola Adams and many more, so they had a relationship there.
“It was all about getting the experience in the ring against one of the best heavyweight boxers in the world. I learnt a lot in there, I saw what type of standard it takes to be at that level.
“He just tried the new tactics in there with me. It was great to see how he trains and how he handles things, he’s a great person. To mention me in the press conference before the fight was just priceless, it shows how classy he is.
“He is a lovely person; I was very lucky to have soared so many rounds with him. I’m incredibly grateful.”
With a name like his, Walker-Hunt was always destined to box; his family have a strong history interlinked with boxing, so it was only a matter of time until Cassius stepped into the ring himself.
“Both sides of my family are fighters. My mother’s father, Gerald Walker, was a professional boxer in America and my father’s grandfather was a boxer who used to fight in the booths with Tommy Farr,” said the 26-year-old.
“When I was a little boy, everybody used to ask me if I was a boxer. I got so fed up with everyone asking that I joined a gym and started to box, I loved it.
“I was about 8 or 9 the first time I went to a boxing gym. I remember going in, and the smell of sweat just hit me. I was thinking ‘what is going on here’ and ended up loving it.
“I remember going to the gym at 13 and I wasn’t taking boxing really seriously. My coach Nigel Davies had come back for the weekend from coaching team GB. He saw my enthusiasm and enjoyment in the gym straight away.
“He told me that I could be a Welsh Champion one day. Ever since then I believed I had the talent to do it.”
While Walker-Hunt is coming off the back of bitter disappointment, he is still hopeful. Despite becoming two-time Welsh Champion at 92kg, he failed to make the Team Wales Boxing squad for the Commonwealth Games, losing in the under 92kg category at GB Elite Three Nations in Cardiff to Pat Brown.
But can he push on and break into the Welsh Boxing set up, which has so far seemed reluctant to give Walker-Hunt a chance on the international stage?
“I am staying in the amateurs. I want to try and get to a big tournament with Wales, like the European Championships or the Commonwealth Games. I am just patiently biding my time to try and force myself into the Wales set up and then maybe the GB camp,” Walker-Hunt added.
“It has been frustrating at times, getting so close, but I will be going for the Welsh heavyweight title again. I am going for my third win, I want to be up there in the history books, so hopefully I can get that done, that would be special.”
That competitive spirit and self-belief it seems is a family trait, with a number of Walker-Hunt’s relatives also being hugely successful in other sporting arenas.
“My uncle, who is also called Gerald Walker, played basketball and football for Wales. He was a big role model of mine growing up.
“My cousin Eli Walker represented Wales in rugby, he played for Ospreys. My other cousins Solomon and Issiah both play Basketball for Wales and Chantelle Walker-Jones played for Wales netball last season. My other cousin Jazz Richards also played for Swansea, Cardiff and Wales.”
Walker-Hunt is as close to his roots as you could imagine, fighting out of his local boxing club Cwmavon Bees at the amateur level, and is flying the flag for Port Talbot alongside Joshua John and Geraint Goodridge, as they hope to follow in Port Talbot great Billy Beynon’s iconic footsteps.
His family are inextricably linked to the rich history of Port Talbot and the town’s growing creative side. Following redundancy from the Steelworks, his father Nigel Hunt created the popular clothing brand ‘San Portablo’ alongside Dirty Sanchez member ‘Pancho’. The beginning of ‘San Portablo’ coincided with a boom in art and design in the town following an unexpected visit from ‘Banksy’.
A former furnace rebuilder at the Port Talbot steelworks, Walker-Hunt said: “The name is a play on words from Port Talbot; the old sailors used to call it San Portablo. It was created to bring a positive light to the local area. It’s a shame that it has a lot of negativity thrown at it; it’s a poor area and people are struggling here.
“My mother is a second-generation Welsh lady, she was born to Jamaican parents who came here in the 60’s during Windrush. It was great growing up with my Jamaican grandparents around, the culture, the food. They do say Jamaica is the tropical Welsh Island, It’s just Wales with a lot of sun.”
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Sam Scarfe Wales Under 20's Hopes To Continue The Pontypool Front Row Legacy
Harry Corish - Sportin Journalist
Sam Scarfe Hopes To Continue The Pontypool Front Row Legacy . . . As He Looks To Make An Impact For Wales Under 20’s
I spoke to Sam Scarfe at Wales’ Under 20’s press conference ahead of their fixture against Scotland.
Under 20’s hooker, Sam Scarfe, represents a traditional ideal of rugby in Wales. In the days before professional rugby players would often represent their local communities before regional rugby came into place in 2003, before Sam was born.
After the sad passing of Tony ‘Charlie’ Faulkner, one third of the revered Pontypool Front Row, it almost seems poetic that Scarfe and Dylan Kelleher-Griffiths are continuing the legacy of that great front row, for club and country.
The Dragons youngster is learning pretty quickly about senior rugby, as he currently cuts his teeth while playing for Pontypool in the WRU Championship.
Scarfe has enjoyed proving himself in men’s rugby and insists the Pontypool front row is back better than ever, as he lines up alongside fellow Dragons Academy and Pontypool front rower Dylan Kelleher-Griffiths for the famous Pooler and Wales under 20’s.
The Pontypool front row of Graham Price, Bobby Windsor and Charlie Faulkner were a bit gnarlier and nastier than the current crop coming through, but Scarfe has clearly taken on those clear Pontypool values during his time at the club.
Scarfe and Kelleher-Griffiths are certainly on the right tracks to emulate the “Viet Gwent” of the 70’s as they represent Wales in the Under 20’s Six Nations.
The 20-year-old said:
“It’s a great milestone to aim for. It is a huge moment to pull on that Pontypool jersey, the ‘Pontypool Front Row’ are so famous and are known across the rugby world. So, just to be associated with them in a way is massive.
“Obviously I want to keep that legacy going, the young boys are coming through, we want to take that mantra on and get even better.”
There seems to be a growing trend in Welsh rugby, with converted backrow players making a big impact at hooker.
The 20-year-old has scored eight tries in 19 appearances for ‘Pooler’ since making the difficult move forward from the backrow to the front row, but the youngster looks set to replicate the success of Ospreys and Wales’ Dewi Lake, who has made a big impact on the international scene for Wales.
“I started as a backrower at Sengenydd before moving to Penallta. I was then involved in Dragons 16s and their academy. I then played for Coleg Gwent where we won the Schools and Colleges Cup in 2020,” added Scarfe.
“I am proud to play for Pontypool in the Championship, the Pontypool front row is back at it, like! There’s a bit of pressure on the shoulders, so you’ve just got to take it a game at a time.”
The Welsh under 20’s have recently caught the headlines for their exciting back play, but Scarfe and co have been playing a crucial role, allowing the backs to get that front-foot ball they crave.
“The backs have been great, and full credit to them they are dangerous on the ball, and they have scored some pretty mental tries,” the hooker added.
“But it all starts with the pack, if we keep up our work up front, we are the deciding factor if they get front foot ball, which makes their job a lot easier.
“We are gaining a lot of experience about how international rugby works and playing in front of big crowds. We have seen what home support can do for you but also what it is like to play away from home, with the crowd against you.”
Playing alongside grizzled and experienced men in the Championship has certainly been an eyeopener for young Scarfe but from a development perspective the young hooker is developing nicely.
“I like playing at this level a lot, a lot of people underestimate you. They look at you and your age and think they can walk all over you. But when you go out and go for it you earn their respect.
“Playing with these older head has really helped, they know all the dark arts, it’s great to be taught by all of them. Some of them are horrible, if im being honest but it’s all great for my development.
“Some of the things I’ve been taught you definitely can’t use at this level. But it’s great to know some of the stuff, it’s been great learning the past year or two, I really appreciate the support I’ve received across all the levels.”
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Warren Gatland & Alun Wyn Jones Press Conference
Harry Corish - Sportin Journalist
Warren Gatland Insists His Players Remain Focussed Despite Off Field Issues Ahead of Crunch England Fixture
I spoke to Warren Gatland and Alun Wyn Jones at Wales’ press conference ahead of their Six Nations fixture against England. Due to the sensitivity of of the topics discussed, no photos were to be taken of those involved.
Wales’ poor start to the Six Nations seems like a microcosm of the mess that the Welsh Rugby Union has found itself in ahead of a crucial game against England.
It is the first time in the Six Nations that Wales have lost their first two games of the tournament whilst also conceding 20 or more points in both games, after losing 34-10 against Ireland and 35-7 against Scotland.
But the performances come under the backdrop of the messy situation Welsh rugby once again finds itself in. As the Welsh Rugby Players Association (WRPA) decide on what their next steps are to end this sorry story.
After the recent BBC investigation into claims of sexism, bullying and sexual misconduct within the WRU.
Welsh rugby finds itself once again embroiled in a situation which leaves players and their families in a desperate situation, as the WRU and the Professional Rugby Board (PRB) continue to drag their feet on reaching an agreement on funding the game in Wales.
And the situation has risen its ugly head during the week that Wales welcome an improving England side to Cardiff in the next round of Six Nations Action.
On the Players’ willingness to play in that fixture despite the elephant in the room of the funding agreement,
Wales Head Coach Warren Gatland said:
“As far as I am concerned. I am just preparing for the game and I’m confident that the game will go ahead.”
“We understand the frustration of the players that things haven’t been sorted out between the union and the regions and PRGB, which is a joint body equally shared by the unions and the regions to hopefully get an agreement.
“I am complete supporter of the players in terms of the WRPA which to me in my time here has been incredibly weak as an organisation. I have stressed on several occasions to the players that they need to be stronger, they need to have more voice.
“From that regard I think it’s a huge positive for the players and that relationship with the union going forward, because they need to be part of all the discussions that take place.
“I am sure the players like us would like things resolved as quickly as possible. These things have been going on for a long time.
“But all I can focus on is concentrating on preparing for the game. That stuff us out of my remit. I am just planning for England next week.”
Picture of some of the players?
For the players it is an increasingly difficult time with the ‘cost of living crisis which is affecting everyone in the country. It is hard to ignore the impact the situation is having on the day-to-day mindset and the performance of the players.
It is therefore important that the players now have a say in what is to come next, as Welsh rugby looks to restore itself in the coming years.
Alun Wyn Jones added:
” I would like to thank on behalf of the players the support that has been shown from the public and ex-players, particularly in the last 24 hours, because things appear to have come to a head.
“It is just disappointing that as players a lot are caught in in the middle again. It’s the perennial conversation about funding, who has what, caught in the middle between the PRB and regions and union.
“It is disappointing that we are 20 years into regional rugby and it’s the same things that have come around again. We’ve had banding systems, project reset, I remember in 2019 we met about potential mergers, and the game has survived all of those things.
“It has come to a point where people are being affected, there is potential to affect families. This current period has come to a head after 18 months.
“This was supposed to be sorted a long time ago.
“We’re fortunate that we’re all involved in a sport and a job we love. To fathom the fact we might need to strike because of the severity of the situation is very real, but it’s the last thing we want to do.
“We’re fully aware of the privilege that we have, whether that be regional or international, but we can’t be under the guillotine and be used in the emotive side of things when ultimately this is a career and a job.
