What is Esports?
Rhodri Evans
Esports, short for electronic sports, is the world of competitive, organised video gaming.
Players compete in various games across different genres, including first-person shooters, real-time strategy, sports simulations, and multiplayer online battle arenas.
These competitions range from small community events to massive international tournaments with millions of viewers and significant prize pools with prizes in the millions.
Unlike casual gaming, esports involves structured competitions, professional teams, and leagues, much like traditional sports.
Players dedicate hours to training, strategizing, and improving their skills, often working with coaches, analysts, and support staff.
The esports industry has rapidly grown into a multi-billion-dollar sector, attracting sponsors, media coverage, and even inclusion in global sporting events like the Olympics.
So, who is Esports Wales?
Esports Wales is the national governing body dedicated to developing and promoting esports throughout Wales.
Founded in 2018 to support grassroots and professional gaming talent, Esports Wales provides a structured pathway for players, clubs, and industry professionals to engage in competitive gaming.
The Mission
Esports Wales aims to:
- We aim to support competitive gaming from the grassroots to the professional level
- We aim to improve the standard of Welsh esports and increase its level of awareness in Wales.
- We aim to provide opportunities for esports talent in Wales to be scouted by professional teams through hosting and sponsoring tournaments nationwide with the focus always on Wales.
Like the WRU and FAW, Esports Wales is the new Kid of the block! With it’s Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality, and online world.
Esports Wales runs the national team taking players to countries like Bali, Romania, Portugal among others playing for prize pools up to million pounds. Wales also took Gold, Silver, and Bronze medals at the Commonwealth Esports Championship in 2022.
Esports Wales doesn’t stop there with organizes national leagues (Welsh Esports League) with teams such as Dragons RFC, Tribal Basketball and Pontypridd FC having teams competing in the league.
The organization also works with educational institutions, local businesses, and government bodies to develop esports-related programs that benefit both the gaming and digital industries in Wales.
With esports gaining mainstream recognition and inclusion in prestigious sporting events, Esports Wales is committed to ensuring that Welsh players and teams have the platform and support they need to succeed.
Whether you’re an aspiring player, a gaming enthusiast, or a business looking to get involved in esports, Esports Wales is here to help shape the future of competitive gaming in the nation.
Sportin Wales’s coverage of Wales’s World Cup qualifying campaign is proudly sponsored by S4C. You can watch all of Wales’s matches this year for free on S4C and S4C Clic.
If you want to read more pieces from Sportin Wales, why not read to our monthly magazine here or subscribe to the magazine and newsletter at https://sportin.wales/subscribe/.
Our podcast is back for the new season and our co-founder Alex Cuthbert is in charge! You can find all the episodes here or the video versions on our YouTube channel.
You can also keep track of our pieces and videos on our socials at @Sportin_Wales on X or Sportin Wales on Instagram and Facebook.
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Glamorgan Women win first ever match against Sussex
Rhodri Evans
With spring in full swing, attention turns to the summer sporting calendar.
As the football and rugby seasons come to their conclusions, the cricket season, ever understated and underrated, coughs, splutters, and rumbles into gear.
Glamorgan will, for the first time, be represented by dual professional teams, as the women’s side of the club begins its first season as a semi-professional outfit.
Initially put into the second tier of the revamped women’s professional structure, Glamorgan will move up to the top county level in 2027.
“If you asked me three or four years ago, I wouldn’t have thought we would have a women’s team here at Glamorgan turning professional in two years’ time,” says Glamorgan’s head of women and girls’ cricket, Aimee Rees.
With the success of The Hundred and, in particular, Welsh Fire’s run to the final at Lord’s last season, Glamorgan are looking to use that as a springboard to future success and development of Welsh women’s cricket.
Nine senior Wales players from the old system forms the basis of the new Glamorgan squad, with 15 academy youngsters selected from Wales, Gloucestershire, and Wiltshire.
“Those girls have shown incredible commitment coming in for squad sessions twice a week and one-to-one sessions, but they really want to play for Glamorgan,” adds Rees.
Coaching them will be Rachel Priest, 39, who made 162 international appearances for New Zealand and featured in the women’s Big Bash in Australia as well as the Hundred in the UK.
But two years playing county cricket for Wales helped attract Priest back to Cardiff.
“It was a real privilege to play for a county that also represented a country, and I love the people here, so it was an awesome opportunity for me to start my coaching career and be part of something brand new,” says Priest.
“What an opportunity for these girls to have a career in a sport they love.
“There’s a long way to go in the development of women’s cricket around the world but the UK has put a lot of resource into it and this new set-up is going to be really good in bringing on the next generation.”
In their first season as a semi-professional outfit, Glamorgan will play in the Metro Bank One Day Cup and T20 Blast. After two seasons in the season tier of women’s cricket, Glamorgan will be promoted to the top tier and become fully professional.
For now, though, some of the Glamorgan players’ jobs include teacher, solicitor, physio, and radiographer, as well as a number of students.
In the team’s first ever match on Saturday 19th April, they faced Sussex at Sophia Gardens. In a rain reduced match, both sides batted for 25 overs, with the Welsh county winning by 53 runs.
After a gloomy morning, Glamorgan lost the toss and were put in by the visitors. Daisy Jeanes got the home side off to a good start, scoring 35 from 28 balls, with four fours and a towering six.
However, her side were left reeling at 56-3 when Sussex’s 16-year-old spinner Eve O’Neill ripped through the Glamorgan top order.
Skipper Beth Gammon rallied her side and marshalled the middle over superbly, finishing as the last woman out in the final over, having scored 72 from 56 balls.
Her partnership of 104 with Gemma Porter – who ended with 29 – was vital.
On a bowling-friendly day, Glamorgan’s first innings score of 178-5 looked strong, and so it proved.
Sussex’s batting innings never truly got going. Wickets for Eve Jackson and all-rounder Jeanes left Sussex reeling at 79-5 and then 117-7.
Poppy Tulloch, who Glamorgan announced had signed on loan from Somerset for the season, made her debut a memorable one. The right arm seamer took the first Glamorgan wicket with a vicious in-swinger, before cleaning up the tail with three wickets to make sure of a convincing margin.
That margin may prove important later in the season, as the One Day Cup employs a bonus point system where the winning side can earn an extra point if they win with a run rate 1.25 times that of their opponent.
Glamorgan’s victory puts them fourth in the league two table, and already in a strong position to potentially make finals day in September.
Speaking to Glamorgan after the match, captain Beth Gammon was proud of her side’s opening display.
“I couldn’t have been happier with how everyone contributed and the attitude that they walked out onto the pitch with today,” Gammon says.
“We knew today was a massive day for us as Glamorgan, and in Wales, so to see how much effort and how much pride everyone had putting on the shirts for the first time. I couldn’t be prouder of everyone.”
Speaking about her own display, Gammon was pleased to score so quickly, without putting herself under pressure to score regular boundaries.
“I think I’m naturally a busy player. I like to tick over,” she adds.
“I’m really fortunate that the group of coaches and players back us and back us to do our strengths to the best of our ability. So, it’s nice to go out there and know that whatever you do, the team is backing you to do it.
“I was fortunate that the openers got us off to a really good start, and then me and Gem Porter put on a really good partnership then that almost gave us a bit of a platform to start searching for the boundary a little bit more.”
With a first win on the board, Gammon is confident that her side can make their inaugural one a success.
“The team thrives off confidence when you put in winning performances,” Gammon finishes.
“We’re going to take the positives from our first performance. We know there’s still bits that we want to refine and work on as well – and hopefully throughout the weeks and training now we put that into place.
“We will put those things right and continue to take this confidence and momentum to kick onwards. We’ll see where we end up after the first few games!”
Sportin Wales’s coverage of Wales’s World Cup qualifying campaign is proudly sponsored by S4C. You can watch all of Wales’s matches this year for free on S4C and S4C Clic.
If you want to read more pieces from Sportin Wales, why not read to our monthly magazine here or subscribe to the magazine and newsletter at https://sportin.wales/subscribe/.
Our podcast is back for the new season and our co-founder Alex Cuthbert is in charge! You can find all the episodes here or the video versions on our YouTube channel.
You can also keep track of our pieces and videos on our socials at @Sportin_Wales on X or Sportin Wales on Instagram and Facebook.
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Tenth edition of Judgement Day puts Welsh rugby into perspective
Rhodri Evans
There is a tired old joke that gets re-told around this time of year.
‘What are they judging?’ someone will quip with a smirk.
While it is not a very funny joke, the meaning behind it is often fair. Judgement Day – Welsh rugby’s showpiece afternoon of back-to-back derbies – has the ability to blend into the background.
Rugby’s packed schedule means that Judgement Day is often placed just after the Six Nations and the first rounds of the European knockouts. The previous three months of intense rugby takes its toll and therefore teams are weakened by injury and fatigue.
Each of the four teams on Saturday April 19th were shorn of important players: for Ospreys, Justin Tipuric, Adam Beard, Morgan Morris and Rhys Davies were out; Rey Lee-lo and Mason Grady were missed by Cardiff; Scarlets were without Sam Costelow and Johnny Williams; and Dragons missed Huw Anderson and Rio Dyer.
Coupled with the fact that the ‘biggest’ Welsh derbies – Scarlets vs Ospreys and Dragons vs Cardiff – are always played in front of partisan crowds at the regions’ home grounds and not at the Principality Stadium, these days can often drift into exercises in seeing who is in form and in the frame for an international call-up.
However, with 2025 being the tenth edition of Judgement Day, one cannot help but dwell on the changes in Welsh rugby in the twelve years since its inception.
On the pitch in 2013, Wales were still celebrating a second Six Nations title in successive campaigns. In 2025, the team ‘won’ the wooden spoon for a second year in a row.
Off the pitch, Welsh rugby is in crisis mode.
Most of the build up to Saturday’s match concerned Cardiff Rugby, who a week earlier had called in the administrators after their owners – Phil Kempe and Neal Griffith of Helford Capital Limited – had failed to uphold key contractual requirements agreed to when they bought the club in January 2023.
Thankfully, the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) were in a position to take short-term control of the club and prevent any job losses.
However, adding at least some of the weight of Cardiff’s reported £9million debts to their own precarious financial load is not what WRU chief executive Abi Tierney would have wanted.
Tierney, prior to the Cardiff crisis, was busy negotiating with the Welsh regions to sign the long-term agreement called the ‘One Wales’ strategy by the WRU.
Cardiff, having been taken over by the WRU, have agreed to it, but the deadline passed in the week before Judgement Day without Scarlets, Ospreys, or Dragons signing the deal.
The ‘One Wales’ campaign is the WRU’s new strategy to lift Welsh rugby back to something like where it was upon the advent of Judgement Day in 2013: Six Nations champions and ranked 5th in the world.
The plan, according to the WRU, is set to save the Union £5million annually and allow the regions’ funding to be raised from £4.5m to £6.8m in 2029.
The WRU have conceded that a ‘small number’ of losses will occur within the organisation in order to make the Union a ‘fully functional, fit-for-purpose, professional organisation.’
“Everything we are doing is to improve rugby in Wales for everyone,” Tierney said when announcing the ‘One Wales’ strategy.
“Last summer we confirmed our strategic trajectory, where we intend to be by 2029, and today we are giving further details of how we are going to get there.
“The world game may have turned professional in 1995 but 2025 will be the moment we remember Welsh rugby completed this transformation, into a fully functional, fit-for-purpose, professional organisation.”
However, without the regions signing the new Professional Rugby Agreement (PRA25), Welsh rugby remains in stasis.
On the pitch, there is plenty to be hopeful about. With playing budgets cut, younger players have been given more experience earlier than they would have in previous years.
With three of the four clubs still in the hunt for the United Rugby Championship (URC) play-offs, 2025’s Judgement Day had sporting and symbolic significance.
Ospreys and Cardiff contested the first match of the afternoon, with the Swansea-based Ospreys the home side in an odd quirk.
After Keiran Williams opened the scoring for Ospreys, Cardiff dominated.
Head coach Matt Sherratt had admitted that the events around the club had been ‘unsettling’ for his squad, but on the pitch at the national stadium his side looked anything but.
Four answered tries in the first half gave the capital region a 7-22 lead at halftime that proved unassailable. Ospreys rallied in the second period and tries from replacements Will Spencer and Kieran Hardy made it tight, before Gabe Hamer-Webb completed his hattrick in the dying minutes.
For Mark Jones’s Ospreys, their season has ended as quickly as it started. Two defeats in the URC have put them seven points behind eighth in the table and only three games remaining. On the flip side, Cardiff will welcome Munster to an emotional Cardiff Arms Park with a play-off spot within reach.
Similar to Cardiff, Scarlets’ bonus point victory over Dragons has kept them in the play-off hunt after a winter wobble.
Dragons, who have won just one game all season, looked set to double their tally when Jared Rosser’s second try of the game gave them a 20-7 lead shortly after halftime, but a Vaea Fifita-inspired Scarlets came back well.
Fifita’s try was excellent, while Blair Murray’s was industrious. Unfortunately for the Dragons, losing has become a habit.
28,328 fans were in attendance at the Principality Stadium for the weekend’s action, which is the lowest Judgement Day crowd held at the national stadium.
With the search on for a new men’s head coach, investors at Cardiff Rugby, and the beginning of a new strategy still to be ratified, the only way is up for Welsh rugby. And with green shoots on the pitch, perhaps momentum is growing.
Sportin Wales’s coverage of Wales’s World Cup qualifying campaign is proudly sponsored by S4C. You can watch all of Wales’s matches this year for free on S4C and S4C Clic.
If you want to read more pieces from Sportin Wales, why not read to our monthly magazine here or subscribe to the magazine and newsletter at https://sportin.wales/subscribe/.
Our podcast is back for the new season and our co-founder Alex Cuthbert is in charge! You can find all the episodes here or the video versions on our YouTube channel.
You can also keep track of our pieces and videos on our socials at @Sportin_Wales on X or Sportin Wales on Instagram and Facebook.
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Sinclair Group Announces Sportin Wales Partnership
Rhodri Evans
The Sportin Wales podcast has a new sponsor: The Sinclair Group!
Alex and Gareth were joined by Ellis Jenkins at the Sinclair BYD showroom to record the first podcast of a new era.
In a first for the pod, Alex took the boys on tour, visiting the Sinclair BYD showroom in Cardiff.
“Sinclair Group are pleased to partner with Sportin Wales podcast and support their aim of giving Welsh sport a stronger voice,” said Dean Adams, Head of Marketing for the Sinclair Group.
“As a proud Welsh-founded company celebrating 80 years, we felt this was the perfect opportunity to align our brands and push Welsh sport & business forward together. We’re looking forward to working closely with Alex, Gareth & the rest of the team at Sportin Wales.”
To show off the remarkable capabilities of the BYD SEALION 7, the podcast equipment – including mics, recording deck, and cameras – were entirely powered by the car itself!
Watch for yourself how the SEALION 7 does in powering the pod:
Sportin Wales’s coverage of Wales’s World Cup qualifying campaign is proudly sponsored by S4C. You can watch all of Wales’s matches this year for free on S4C and S4C Clic.
If you want to read more pieces from Sportin Wales, why not read to our monthly magazine here or subscribe to the magazine and newsletter at https://sportin.wales/subscribe/.
Our podcast is back for the new season and our co-founder Alex Cuthbert is in charge! You can find all the episodes here or the video versions on our YouTube channel.
You can also keep track of our pieces and videos on our socials at @Sportin_Wales on X or Sportin Wales on Instagram and Facebook.
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The Ultimate Judgement Day XV
Rhodri Evans
On the latest Sportin Wales podcast, Alex Cuthbert, Gareth Anscombe, and Ellis Jenkins selected their ‘ultimate Judgement Day XV’ ahead of this weekend’s rugby.
Hosted by our new sponsors Sinclair Group at their BYD showroom in Cardiff, the boys discussed the upcoming weekend of rugby action, including the 10th edition of Judgement Day, as well as Wales vs Ireland in the Women’s Six Nations.
Check out the latest episode on our YouTube channel. Let’s get into their picks!
Loosehead Props: Gethin Jenkins
Could there be better player to kick this team off than ‘melon’? The Cardiff and Wales legend was a trailblazing prop. As good in the loose as a flanker and as mean a scrummager as anyone in the game, Jenkins captained Cardiff at three Judgement Days.
Judgement Day Highlight
By far Jenkins’ best performance came in 2017, when he captained Cardiff to a dominant 35-17 victory over Ospreys. With all three podcast guests also in the Cardiff team that day, it is no wonder they picked their old captain!
Hooker: Ken Owens
A near ever-present at Judgement Day, Ken Owens is synonymous with Scarlets and their success in the mid 2010s.
Captain for much of that period, Owens was a fantastic set piece hooker and would often pop up with a key try or two.
Judgement Day Highlight
A winning try as captain in 2015 as Scarlets beat Dragons 10-29.
Tighthead Props: Taufa’ao Filise
Perhaps the most underrated of the players selected, ‘Fa’ao’ was a force to be reckoned with. The tighthead was the cornerstone of the blue and black scrum for many years, ending his career as Cardiff’s record appearance maker.
Judgement Day Highlight
Dismantling an all-Wales international Scarlets front row in 2014, as Cardiff won 17-13.
Lock: Jake Ball
Wales have been blessed with a number of quality second rows in the last decade, but none were as hard hitting as Jake Ball on his day. The Wales international was another key part of the successful Scarlets side that won many a Judgement Day match in the mid 2010s.
Judgement Day Highlight
As part of a international-quality pack that included Tadgh Beirne, John Barclay, Samson Lee, and Rob Evans that bullied the Dragons in a 16-21 victory.
Lock: Alun Wyn Jones
How could you not pick him? Undoubtedly Wales’s best player of the professional era, Alun Wyn Jones was just as passionate about playing for Ospreys as he was for Wales.
Judgement Day Highlight
Captaining the Ospreys to an inaugural Judgement Day victory over Cardiff in 2013.
Blindside Flanker: Olly Cracknell
Another uncapped player, Cracknell was a powerful forward who Ellis Jenkins in particular hated playing against. Now carving it up at Leicester Tigers, do not be surprised if the new Wales coach takes a fancy to the former Ospreys man.
Judgement Day Highlight
Besting a back row of Josh Navidi, Sam Warburton, and Ellis Jenkins to help Ospreys to a 27-40 victory in 2016.
Openside Flanker: Josh Navidi
Has as just be mentioned, Cardiff has no shortage of international level back row talent over the years! With Judgement Day often failing just after the Six Nations, it was common for teams to rest players. For Cardiff, that meant letting Josh Navidi off the leash!
Judgement Day Highlight
Back-to-back try scoring performances in 2015 and 2016, albeit in defeats to the Ospreys.
Number Eight: Nick Williams
The New Zealand bruiser was not in Wales long, but what an impact he made! One of the hardest hitting and carrying players that Welsh rugby has seen in a long time, Williams had all the guile and skill of a modern flanker in the body of a small SUV.
Judgement Day Highlight
A 35-17 victory over Ospreys for Cardiff in 2017, in which Williams scored the third of four tries.
Scrumhalf: Rhys Webb
Similar to lock, Judgement Day has seen some top class scrum halves ply their trade in the last decade. In this team, Rhys Webb just pips the likes of Gareth Davies, Tomos Williams, Lloyd Williams, and Rhodri Williams.
Judgement Day Highlight
A brace of tries as captain in Ospreys’ 27-40 win over Cardiff in 2016.
Flyhalf: Dan Biggar
Despite podcast guest Gareth Anscombe holding the record for the most points scored in Judgement Day fixtures, he graciously selected the recently-retired Dan Biggar in the team. Wales’ undisputed flyhalf was a titan for Ospreys and there was something about Judgement Day that raised his level even higher.
Judgement Day Highlight
A virtuoso 21-point performance, that included a try and a 77th minute drop goal to beat Cardiff 23-26 in 2018.
Left Wing: Liam Williams
Described by Alex Cuthbert on the podcast as a ‘bag of spanners’, Liam ‘Sanjay’ Williams has been a handful for defenders throughout his career.
Judgement Day Highlight
A try-scorer in Scarlets’ 10-29 victory over Dragons in 2015.
Inside Centre: Hadleigh Parkes
An adopted Welshman, few embraced Welsh rugby more than New Zealand-born Hadleigh Parkes. An integral part of that Scarlets side on the mid-2010s, Parkes was a true all-rounder, and later carved out an impressive international career for Wales.
Judgement Day Highlight
Key performances in three victories over Dragons in three years (2015, 2016 and 2017).
Outside Centre: Rey Lee-lo
The most consistent player in Welsh rugby in the professional era? Rey Lee-lo is somehow still going at the age of 39 and will appear in his eighth Judgement Day match this weekend.
In the words of Ellis Jenkins, “any team I pick has Ray in it.” Who are we to argue!
Judgement Day Highlight
A key part of Cardiff’s 21-38 victory over Ospreys in 2023, registering two assists.
Right Wing: Rio Dyer
The youngest of the team, Dyer has been a shining light for Dragons during their recent struggles.
Judgement Day Highlight
Dragons’ 31-14 victory over Scarlets in 2023, a performance that marked him out as Wales’ next elite winger.
Fullback: Dan Evans
Evans has appeared at Judgement Day for three different clubs – Scarlets, Dragons and Ospreys – excelling at all three. An ultra-consistent player capable of playing fullback, wing, or flyhalf, Evans in a rare thing – a Scarlets player who became an Ospreys legend.
Judgement Day Highlight
A try-scoring performance from fullback at Ospreys to beat Cardiff 23-31 in 2015.
Sportin Wales’s coverage of Wales’s World Cup qualifying campaign is proudly sponsored by S4C. You can watch all of Wales’s matches this year for free on S4C and S4C Clic.
If you want to read more pieces from Sportin Wales, why not read to our monthly magazine here or subscribe to the magazine and newsletter at https://sportin.wales/subscribe/.
Our podcast is back for the new season and our co-founder Alex Cuthbert is in charge! You can find all the episodes here or the video versions on our YouTube channel.
You can also keep track of our pieces and videos on our socials at @Sportin_Wales on X or Sportin Wales on Instagram and Facebook.
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Your Guide To The Housing Market
Rhodri Evans
By Katie Darlow, Owner and Director of Number One Real Estate in South Wales
2025 has hit the ground running! The first quarter has flown by and Spring is truly on its way!
Activity in Southeast Wales has definitely improved compared to last year. We saw a 34% increase in valuations in January compared to January 2024 and listing levels have definitely improved.
However, there is still a lot of competition, so pricing is key as we remain in a buyers’ market. It’s noticeable that even trying a property at £10,000 – £20,000 more than the market is dictating can be detrimental in attracting viewers and achieving that sale.
According to the latest Government House Price Index (Dec 24), prices increased by 3% at the end of 2024 which is consistent with what we’re seeing on the ground.
Prices dropped the previous year between 6-7% so we still have some recovery to make up to return to the peak of Summer ‘22 prices.
The highest growth area was Blaenau Gwent with a 9.2% increase, with Cardiff showing a 5.6% year on year increase and Newport with a 2.1% increase year on year.
In Wales, we are seeing the terraced and semi-detached properties having increased the most dramatically, with detached properties respectively having increased by 1.9%.
For the rental market, lots of accidental landlords are looking to sell and there is a shortage of rental property available which means rents are remaining strong. As in investor, there could be some great deals right now for buying a property with a tenant in situ or if you are able to find the right property, it is likely that you’ll achieve a strong yield.
Many potential buyers saved more than usual last year due to uncertainty and there is now a huge amount of excess saving in the economy which ultimately, is likely to find its way into the property market.
In January 2025, approximately 110,000 mortgages were approved which shows that the market is likely to heat up this year.
What’s the outlook for property prices this year?
We are currently sitting at the bottom of the housing cycle. The real price of an average house is the same as it was in 2003. Therefore, I’d expect to see a significant rise in mortgage lending this year.
We still remain in a buyers’ but with the market looking likely to get pretty hot this summer, especially for the ‘instagrammable’ well-presented homes.
My advice
If you are a first-time buyer, my advice would be to buy now!
Prices are likely to rise, interest rates are the most competitive they’ve been for a long time and you’re more likely to get yourself a good deal if you are viewing now than when it’s likely to get more competitive in summer. More importantly, if its in the right location, you like it and can afford it, why wait?
If you’re a seller, it’s better to be one of fewer on the market now than potentially competing against more properties this summer.
Remember that as soon as you have a proceedable offer on your home, you become that buyer in a great position to negotiate on a purchase in this buyers’ market.
Email us sales@numberonerealestate
Instagram @numberonerealestate
Sportin Wales’s coverage of Wales’s World Cup qualifying campaign is proudly sponsored by S4C. You can watch all of Wales’s matches this year for free on S4C and S4C Clic.
If you want to read more pieces from Sportin Wales, why not read to our monthly magazine here or subscribe to the magazine and newsletter at https://sportin.wales/subscribe/.
Our podcast is back for the new season and our co-founder Alex Cuthbert is in charge! You can find all the episodes here or the video versions on our YouTube channel.
You can also keep track of our pieces and videos on our socials at @Sportin_Wales on X or Sportin Wales on Instagram and Facebook.
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Cardiff crisis deepens as Riza takes aim at 'clueless' fans
Rhodri Evans
Omer Riza has branded some of Cardiff City’s fans as ‘clueless’, a comment that the Cardiff City Supporters Trust has called ‘disrespectful’.
With the club under significant pressure of potential relegation, Riza took aim at the criticism he had received from some fans.
“I do read comments, I read all the comments from fans and unfortunately a lot of them are clueless,” Riza said.
Riza did qualify the comment by saying that there are a lot of “good fans” but his words still prompted a shift backlash.
In a post on X, the Cardiff City Supporters Trust asked Riza to “reflect on his ill-judged comments.”
“Comments that fans are clueless are both disappointing and disrespectful given the need for everyone to be pulling in the same direction as Cardiff City battles to avoid relegation,” read the statement.
“Given the club’s precarious position, the manager, indeed any manager, should expect to receive criticism from fervent supporters who are passionate about the future of our club. We hope Omer will reflect on his ill-judged comments.”
Cardiff’s results in recent weeks have seen them plunge further into relegation trouble, with Saturday’s 1-0 home defeat to fellow strugglers Stoke City another hammer blow.
With an away trip to promotion favourites Sheffield United, and and then a home match against relegation rivals Oxford United, this coming Easter weekend could be a pivotal one.
With the Welsh club one point from safety – and inferior goal difference to many sides around them – Riza said he was aware of the severity of the situation and was ready to accept responsibility.
“It is a failure on my part, if we go down,” Riza added.
“If they [the Cardiff City board] feel like someone can come in and save Cardiff from going down, and do a better job than me, then I’m happy for that to happen.
“I don’t believe that that is the case, I believe that I am the right person to do the job.”
Sportin Wales’s coverage of Wales’s World Cup qualifying campaign is proudly sponsored by S4C. You can watch all of Wales’s matches this year for free on S4C and S4C Clic.
If you want to read more pieces from Sportin Wales, why not read to our monthly magazine here or subscribe to the magazine and newsletter at https://sportin.wales/subscribe/.
Our podcast is back for the new season and our co-founder Alex Cuthbert is in charge! You can find all the episodes here or the video versions on our YouTube channel.
You can also keep track of our pieces and videos on our socials at @Sportin_Wales on X or Sportin Wales on Instagram and Facebook.
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Luka Modrić praises ‘incredible fanbase’ as he becomes investor and co-owner of Swansea City
Rhodri Evans
Ballon d’Or winner and Real Madrid star Luka Modrić has joined Swansea City as an investor and co-owner, the Championship club has announced.
The six-time Champions League winner and 2018 World Cup finalist praised the club, saying: “Swansea has a strong identity, an incredible fanbase, and the ambition to compete at the highest level.”
No details have been released regarding how much of a stake in the club Modrić has purchased or how much investment he has committed to providing. However, in a statement, the club said: “Luka’s investment in the club is an endorsement of the club’s ambition and vision.
He will play a key role in helping the club garner global attention and progress both on and off the pitch.”
Speaking to the club’s website, Modrić said: “This is an exciting opportunity. Swansea has a strong identity, an incredible fanbase, and the ambition to compete at the highest level.
“Playing at the highest level, I believe I can provide my experience to the club. My goal is to support the club’s growth in a positive way and help build an exciting future.”
Modrić is the latest in a long line of celebrities and sports stars who have invested in British clubs — most notably Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds at Wrexham, and Tom Brady at Birmingham City.
Tom Gorringe, CEO, said: “I am excited that Luka has come on board as an investor and co-owner.
“There is no better role model in the game for our players, from the academy right through to the first team. His endorsement of our ambition and willingness to support us on our journey will be instrumental as we aim to continue to improve our results on and off the pitch.
“In our conversations, he has demonstrated his passion for the club, his knowledge of how we are performing, and a genuine desire to help us improve. I am really looking forward to working with him more closely to drive us forward.”
The Swansea City board added: “We are delighted that Luka has joined our ownership group. From our first discussions, it was clear that there was alignment on our visions and that Luka would be a real asset to our group.
“We’d like to thank Luka and his team for their support through this process, and we look forward to welcoming him to the Swansea.com Stadium to meet you all as soon as possible.”
Sportin Wales’s coverage of Wales’s World Cup qualifying campaign is proudly sponsored by S4C. You can watch all of Wales’s matches this year for free on S4C and S4C Clic.
If you want to read more pieces from Sportin Wales, why not read to our monthly magazine here or subscribe to the magazine and newsletter at https://sportin.wales/subscribe/.
Our podcast is back for the new season and our co-founder Alex Cuthbert is in charge! You can find all the episodes here or the video versions on our YouTube channel.
You can also keep track of our pieces and videos on our socials at @Sportin_Wales on X or Sportin Wales on Instagram and Facebook.
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Cardiff City Women Win Adran Premier As Relegation Looms For The Men
Rhodri Evans
It was a contrasting weekend for Cardiff City, as their women’s team secured the Adran Premier title, while the men lost 0-1 to Stoke City, plunging themselves further into relegation trouble.
All told, it was a pretty miserable weekend for the Welsh EFL clubs, with only Swansea scoring a goal, let alone winning their matches.
Let’s dig into the fallout from a potentially damaging weekend.
Late Own Goal Breaks Cardiff Hearts
Cardiff City suffered a massive blow to their survival hopes as a late Will Fish own goal meant that they fell to a 0-1 defeat at home to Stoke City.
Stoke, who are one of Cardiff’s relegation rivals, have now lifted themselves five points above the Bluebirds, who occupy the third spot in the relegation.
Following four game without defeat, including a trio of draws, this defeat puts Cardiff in a difficult position with four games remaining.
The only silver lining for Cardiff fans is that Luton Town and Hull City also lost over the weekend, while Derby and Portsmouth drew.
With Easter weekend coming up fast, and matches with Sheffield United and Oxford United, Cardiff need to start picking up wins if they are to avoid the drop.
Cardiff City Lift the Adran
What a difference 24 hours can make! After the anger and despondency that greeted the full time whistle at the Cardiff City Stadium on Saturday afternoon, the jubilation at full time a day later was in stark contrast.
With a 3-2 victory over Briton Ferry Llansawel, the Bluebirds confirmed their third straight Adran Premier title. The visitors pushed the eventual champions all the way, with Nieve Jenkins bundling home the Cardiff winner in the 90th minute.
Elsewhere in the Premier, The New Saints ended the season on a high, beating Wrexham 0-1 at the Racecourse, while Swansea City were confirmed at the Plate winners after overcoming Aberystwyth Town 4-1.
Six-time winners Cardiff Met ended a sorry campaign with a 0-2 home defeat to Barry Town United.
Cabango Winner Keeps Swans Up
Swansea all but confirmed their place in next season’s Championship as captain Ben Cabango scored the only goal of the game at Sunderland.
Cabango’s powerful strike beat Anthony Patterson in the home side’s goal, just moments after his centre half partner Harry Darling had a header hit the crossbar.
Play-off chasing Sunderland had had the better of the chances in the opening stages, with Wilson Isidor going closest, scoring an offside goal.
The Sunderland result is not the only piece of good news for Swansea fans, as it was confirmed on Monday that Real Madrid legend Luka Modric is set to take a minority ownership of the club! Who knows, the Balon d’Or winner’s contract expires this summer…
Modric and Joe Allen midfield duo anyone?
Wrexham Draw Lets Wycombe Back In
Promotion chasing Wrexham were pegged back by Wigan Athletic on Saturday, allowing Wycombe Wanderers to close the gap to just one point.
With four games remaining, Wrexham’s attempt at a record breaking third straight promotion looks under threat.
With both sides due to face fifth place Charlton Athletic – and Wycombe welcoming fourth placed Stockport County on the final day – this promotion battle looks set to go down to the final day!
Sportin Wales’s coverage of Wales’s World Cup qualifying campaign is proudly sponsored by S4C. You can watch all of Wales’s matches this year for free on S4C and S4C Clic.
If you want to read more pieces from Sportin Wales, why not read to our monthly magazine here or subscribe to the magazine and newsletter at https://sportin.wales/subscribe/.
Our podcast is back for the new season and our co-founder Alex Cuthbert is in charge! You can find all the episodes here or the video versions on our YouTube channel.
You can also keep track of our pieces and videos on our socials at @Sportin_Wales on X or Sportin Wales on Instagram and Facebook.
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Running For Cancer Research Wales
Rhodri Evans
I’m Nic Clarke and I’m the events manager for Cancer Research Wales – the Welsh cancer research charity.
Established in 1966, we’re an independent charity that spends all its research funding here in Wales.
Cancer Research Wales is also the only charity that’s wholly dedicated to funding research into cancer in Wales – that’s all we do.
Our goal is to unite Wales against cancer through world-class research.
We’ve funded research projects across Wales including Swansea, Cardiff, Bangor and Wrexham with more than £35 million to help with earlier detection of and better treatment of cancers.
We rely on public support to do this, and we already have around 1,000 runners taking part in our events this year to help fund this work.
We’ve got people running for us in events right around the country – from the Barry Island 10K; the ABP Newport Marathon Festival; the Wrexham 10K; the Newtown 10K and the Cardiff Half Marathon.
With 1 in 2 of us now expected to develop cancer during our lifetimes, the need for research into this disease and your support to fund that is greater than ever.
Cancer Research Wales
Cancer Research Wales is a great charity to work for and I get to spend my day helping people achieve their running goals, whilst also supporting the research we are doing here in Wales, which is amazing.
As well as getting to support all of our fantastic fundraising runners I am a runner myself, a running coach, a race commentator and race director.
I love to get to know our runners, read their stories on their fundraising page, understand their motivation. When we meet up on race day it is like meeting a friend who you have got to know and now you get to meet face-to-face.
The running community is very supportive, and on Team Cancer Research Wales we provide training and coaching advice support for each other as we raise money for this great cause. On race day, you only have to look around and you’ll see our smiling runners in their DNA-inspired Cancer Research Wales stripy tops waiting for the starting pistol.
So why should you run?
For me, it could be that I don’t enjoy cycling, I’m not good with heights and it take me ages to get into a swimming pool.
Running for me is a way to help stay active, the physical side is good for health, and there is so much benefit for mental health as well.
A run on your own or with friends is a great way to reset your head. You need to concentrate on what you are doing and that helps clear your head of any other stresses.
Taking up a challenge for a charity gives that extra incentive of doing something for others, and also the accountability to the training and fundraising. It is harder to back out of a challenge once you have told people what you are doing and why.
How I got involved with running
I became involved with running and mass participation events when I was asked to host and commentate at a new event that was coming to Cardiff.
From small beginnings – 350 runners, that event grew as did the requests from other race organisers for me to commentate at their races.
I trained as a race director and delivered races across the UK as well as supporting new race organisers and students studying event management.
I’ve been very fortunate to work on some of the UK’s largest and most well-known races.
Distance before time
The one thing odd thing was I didn’t run, or rather thought I couldn’t, due to knee injuries at the age of 17.
That all changed in 2019, when former colleagues encouraged me to take up the Couch to 5K challenge.
Despite my protests about dodgy knees, I started to improve my time, writing about my running and tracking my progress, then one day I looked at my right knee which was now double the size of the left one.
It was a bit of a self-fulfilling prophecy – I had told people I had issues with my knees and now I did again. A very good friend and former athlete saw me one day, with my heavily strapped knee and commented “You were running too fast!” He was right I should have continued to follow my plan and build up steadily.
Six months of recovery and suddenly the world changed as we all went into lockdown.
Like so many others during the Covid pandemic I had time on my hands, I would go for a daily walk, but found I was bored.
One day I thought I would jog to every other lamp post and gradually over time increased the number of lampposts I jogged past.
I remembered the words of my friend and made sure I stuck to a steady pace – in my own words ‘Distance before time’.
More capable than I gave myself credit for
Within a few weeks I was back to 5K and took up a virtual challenge to run the 870-mile distance of the Welsh Coastal Path.
Each day I would run and record my distance. I tried to get from 5K to 10K which was a challenge but with help and support from some friends I managed it.
One of my friends ran a 10K with me and commented that I was more capable than I gave myself credit for.
With events still on hold, London Marathon launched a virtual marathon to be completed in early October 2020. With some encouragement from friends and family, the next thing I knew I was training for a marathon, and then I completed it.
So, I guess my message is, I’ve gained a lot from running and it’s become a very big part of my life.
Why don’t you give it a try? Sign up for a Cancer Research Wales run and help us unite Wales against cancer.
https://www.cancerresearch.wales/get-involved/our-events
Sportin Wales’s coverage of Wales’s World Cup qualifying campaign is proudly sponsored by S4C. You can watch all of Wales’s matches this year for free on S4C and S4C Clic.
If you want to read more pieces from Sportin Wales, why not read to our monthly magazine here or subscribe to the magazine and newsletter at https://sportin.wales/subscribe/.
Our podcast is back for the new season and our co-founder Alex Cuthbert is in charge! You can find all the episodes here or the video versions on our YouTube channel.
You can also keep track of our pieces and videos on our socials at @Sportin_Wales on X or Sportin Wales on Instagram and Facebook.