Wales men and women are heading to ******* an to defend their ******* les at the Deaf Rugby Sevens World Cup.
The three-day event in Tokyo will be held between 31 October and 2 November.
The 2023 World Deaf Rugby Sevens Cup in Argentina saw the men's team defeat Australia with a 20-5 victory sealing their second ******* le in the sevens tournament and third consecutive ******* le in the Deaf Rugby World Cup for the two Welsh sides.
The women seven's tournament made its debut in 2023 with England beaten 32-0 in the final by Wales.
At their final preparation session before leaving for ******* an, players and staff came together at their training ground in Neath, and spoke to BBC Sport Wales.

#Japan #title

Wales head coach Steve Tandy names his Nations Championship squad on Tuesday, 20 October and was given some late food for thought by the Welsh clubs in European action.
Dragons, Ospreys and Scarlets made winning starts in the Challenge Cup while Cardiff competed hard but lost at Northampton on their return to the top-tier Champions Cup.
Wales will face ****** an, New Zealand and Australia in Cardiff before another fixture at Twickenham against a southern hemisphere opponent on finals weekend.
BBC Sport Wales looks at the players who grasped their last chance to make an impression on Tandy and his staff as opportunities run out before the 2027 World Cup.
Wales counting down the year until World Cup

#wales #tandy #championship #tuesday

Catherine Zeta-Jones just wants to put her feet up at home, and her husband's memoir can wait!
The Hollywood star revealed that she is yet to read Michael Douglas' recently released memoir, ****** led "One ****** uva Ride." She said her demanding, tight work schedule is the main reason she hasn't read the book.
Catherine Zeta-Jones and Michael Douglas first crossed paths in 1998 at the Deauville Film Festival. They got married at New York's Plaza Hotel in 2000. Their 25-year marriage brought them two children, Dylan and Carys.
Fred Duval/MEGA
The Welsh actress opened up about her schedule during the Thursday, October 8, 2026, episode of Today with host Willie Geist. The 57-year-old star revealed she recently finished filming "Wednesday" season 3 after spending seven months shooting in Dublin.

#douglas #revealed

Adriana La Cerva in The Sopranos. Ginger McKenna in Casino. Sofía Vergara's Griselda Blanco. For decades, the mob wife has been the archetypal anti-heroine – all fur, animal print and knee-high boots. Now Catherine Zeta-Jones has joined the ranks.
Shedding the gothic lace and American drawl of Morticia Addams in Netflix's Wednesday, Swansea-born Zeta-Jones is using her real Welsh accent on screen for the first time in Prime Video's revenge thriller Kill Jackie. She plays Jackie Price, an ex-cocaine dealer whose quiet life unravels when one routine decision ends with an elite squad of ******* assins hired to kill her.
Unsurprisingly, the series is already drawing comparisons with the BBC's Killing Eve. The series shares a director (Damon Thomas), a dark, twisted humour and puts a fierce, quirky woman at its centre. But the strongest link may be the wardrobe.
Just as Villanelle's Molly Goddard tulle dress became a character in its own right, Jackie's wardrobe – built on an enticing mix of British designers, vintage and second-hand – is every bit as scene-stealing, and serves as inspiration for how we'll want to dress this autumn.
Jodie Comer as Villanelle wearing the memorable Molly Goddard tulle dress - Robert Viglasky/BBC

#goddard #kill #series

Hollywood star Michael Douglas says his marriage to Welsh actor Catherine Zeta-Jones is "in good shape", as he reflects on their nearly 30-year relationship.
In an interview with the Sunday Times, Douglas recalled meeting Zeta-Jones, when he was 53 and she was 28, at the 1998 Deauville film festival, and telling her: "I'm going to be the father of your children."
The Oscar-winning couple were married at a star-studded ceremony at the Plaza Hotel in New York in 2000 and share two children, Dylan, now 26, and Carys, 23.
They separated briefly in 2013, but Douglas, star of hit 1980s films such as Wall Street and Fatal Attraction, claimed he "never gave up hope that we would reconcile".
"Marriage is a lot of work, you know," the 82-year-old told the Sunday Times.

#sunday

Taxes paid by pubs, hotels and cinemas in Wales will fall after the Welsh government announced a 30% cut in some business rates.
First Minister Rhun ap Iorwerth said hospitality, accommodation and leisure venues would receive the permanent cut in rates from April 2027.
"It is about helping businesses like this to thrive, so our communities can thrive," ap Iorwerth said on a visit to a pub in Cardiff.
The cut, which will be funded by an increase in the rates paid by businesses with the highest-value properties, was welcomed by UK Hospitality Cymru. But the trade body warned businesses still faced "massive amounts of taxation coming from all areas".
Pubs will be among the hospitality businesses in Wales to receive a permanent tax cut from April [Getty Images]

#april

Catherine Zeta-Jones spoke out against the "nepo baby" label, calling it "horrific" and saying her children "didn't ask to be born into this." The actress has two children, Dylan Douglas, 26, and Carys Zeta Douglas, 23, with her husband, Michael Douglas, who are pursuing their own acting careers.
In an interview with The Sunday Times, the 56-year-old Welsh actress said, "They're plugging away," adding, "My daughter wanted to be Amal Clooney for a while. But you have to go with your dreams, your passion."
The actress, known for her roles in The Mask of Zorro and Chicago, said, "It's hard for them to forge a way forward on their own. This horrific phrase 'nepo baby' is horrible because these kids didn't ask to be born into this; they're finding their own way in life. But they love it, and they're good. Otherwise, Michael and I would be the first to go, 'You know what? Maybe law school looks really good.'"
Catherine got her first major break in 1987 when she joined the West End production of 42nd Street. She went on to achieve widespread recognition in the UK after joining the cast of The Darling Buds of May in 1991.
The actress told the outlet, "Until I had my own kids, I didn't realise the pressure, how big that was for a young adult – well, a teenager." She added, "I had a sniff of the joy of being in the theatre so young. I went, 'I want to do this. I can't imagine going through school and A-levels in Swansea.'"

#didn 't #michael

The Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) has hit back at claims the women's programme is a financial drain on the men's game.
WRU women's rugby director Nadine Griffiths said allegations she had read on social media that a region is to be cut because of investment in the women's game were "embarrassing".
And she added the women's game had in fact made money for the governing body.
The Union has had a professional women's programme since the start of 2022 and there are now more than 40 contracted players.
But plans to axe one of the four men's professional regions - most likely Scarlets or Ospreys - has stirred hostility.

#union #nadine #griffiths #scarlets

Cardiff Devils opened the 2026-27 season with a 3-1 victory over Guildford Flames in the Challenge Cup at Vindico Arena.
The Devils fell behind when Cole Sandford - who left Cardiff in the summer - returned to score inside three minutes against his former club.
Josh MacDonald tied the game with a deflected shot midway through the first period and the game remained 1-1 going into the third.
Joey Martin became only the fifth player in Elite League history to reach 700 points with an ****** ist on Kohen Olischefski's go-ahead goal, and defenceman Nick Welsh sealed the win with just under two and a half minutes to play.
Devils netminder Ben Bowns was man of the match, saving 45 of 46 shots.

#devils

Nuno Espirito Santo says the atmosphere at the London Stadium is a big advantage to West Ham after his team's thumping win over Wrexham.
A crowd of 59,712 watched the Hammers beat the Welsh side 6-0 as they returned to the top of the Championship.
Head coach Nuno said Friday's result was not any kind of statement or marker, but he did think playing in front of such a big crowd in the second tier was a plus for his players.
"We just focus on ourselves and realise London Stadium is a big strength that we have, to try to take advantage of 60,000 fans who give us so much that we have to try to give back," he told BBC Radio London.
The stadium atmosphere has come under scrutiny, with distance between the pitch and the stands being very different to the cramped, hostile surroundings of their old Upton Park ground.

#london #stadium #nuno #atmosphere

The tiresome ongoing saga with Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua may be nearing a conclusion, with a fight actually happening.
Gareth A Davies is reporting that Cardiff is the new "leading contender" to host the bout on December 4 or 11, provided officials in the Welsh city sign off on an extended curfew, which had become a major issue for the originally agreed location, London's Wembley Stadium.
As you've surely heard by now, Turki Alalshikh — whose backing is paying for the massively expensive, long-overdue showdown — and Netflix have wanted the fight at Madison Square Garden in New York. The Matchroom/Joshua side had balked at this, having signed to fight in the UK.
The latest word is that Cardiff, which was always sort of a darkhorse contender to host the fight, is the new frontrunner, and we may actually get this deal done and see the fight happen. Principality Stadium has a roof, so weather won't be a concern for the fight itself.
Joshua (30-4, 27 KO) has fought at the venue before, beating Carlos Takam there in 2017 and Joseph Parker in 2018. He's 3-0 in Cardiff as a pro, having also defeated Dorian Darch at Cardiff International Arena in 2014. Fury (36-2-1, 25 KO) has never fought in Cardiff, but has stated repeatedly during the drama around this fight that he was willing to go anywhere.

#cardiff #tyson

"I don't think you can deny me much longer and I think people will see that soon."
Those are the confident words of Wrexham native Ieuan Davies who has his sights firmly fixed on the UFC.
And with the start he has made to his professional mixed martial arts career, there is no reason he should not feel confident.
The 30-year-old captured the Cage Warriors lightweight ***** le in sublime fashion in June as he stopped Omiel Brown in just 61 seconds with a rear naked choke.
It was the sixth submission victory of the Welshman's career and one he hopes caught UFC president Dana White's eye.

#davies #june

Glamorgan head coach Richard Dawson labelled his side's performance as "unacceptable" after they suffered a heavy defeat by Warwickshire in Cardiff.
The Welsh County were skittled for just 65 in their second innings in Cardiff as they were crushed by 257 runs and an innings in a dismal afternoon for the home side.
Despite Glamorgan's eye-catching start to life back in the Rothesay County Championship Division One, they have now lost three out of their last four games and could now face what previously seemed an inconceivable relegation.
"There's no hiding away from it. In front of our home fans, on our own pitch, that is unacceptable. I can't say any more than that really," said Dawson.
"The frustration is repeating mistakes, not just from the first innings but probably over the last few games as well. If you want to learn in any walk of life, you've got to be honest with yourself and look in the mirror."

#cardiff

Double Olympic Taekwondo champion Jade Jones is determined to prove that age will not hold her back as the 33-year-old prepares to box Hungarian MMA fighter Sheena Bathory on 12 September.
Welsh competitor Jones announced herself to the boxing world back in February with a second-round knockout against reality TV star Egypt Criss, before then dispatching Argentine influencer FederiKita in May to take her record to 2-0.
After her winning start, Jones, will now face her toughest test yet as she prepares to face Bathory for the Misfits super middleweight ***** le at Newcastle's Utilita Arena.
Since beginning her boxing career at 31-years-old, the fearless Jones hopes she can inspire others with her journey.
"I wanted to show people that you shouldn't be scared of failing and trying. People do think 'oh you're 33', and I did start to feel like that at the end of my Taekwondo career, that I'm older now and I've kind of passed the line," said Jones.

#bathory #Career

World champion Wu Yize fell in the third round of the English Open as Liam Davies scored an eye-catching 4-1 victory in Brentwood.
Welsh prospect Davies, 20, opened up a 3-0 lead on his way to the first ranking event quarter-final of his career, helped by a break of 105 in the second frame, then completed his victory as China's Wu struggled to find his dynamic best form.
Tantalisingly, Davies will face compatriot Mark Williams, the three-time world champion, in the last eight on Friday evening.
Williams, still a major force on the baize at the age of 51, had breaks of 76, 103 and 63 in a late-night 4-1 victory over England's Barry Hawkins.
Mark Selby, who was runner-up at last week's British Open and won the China Open in August, had his hopes of reaching another final ended by a 4-3 defeat against fellow former world champion Kyren Wilson.

#open #davies #williams #final

Former Wales and British and Irish Lions wing Shane Williams says financial support for schools and colleges rugby from the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) is "almost non-existent".
Wales' record try scorer is head of rugby at Ysgol Dyffryn Aman and suggests that support is reserved for elite players tied to regions.
The 49-year-old warns that good players are being lost because of a lack of WRU investment in student pathways.
"It's the most important part of it all," Williams told Radio Wales Breakfast.
"Where do these youngsters come from? Are we looking after them in the pathway?

#wales #irish #lions #shane

Swansea City head coach Vitor Matos has said his side must "take care" of their impressive defensive record as they aim to challenge for promotion.
Championship leaders Swansea have conceded just once across their first five games of the season, fewer than any other team in the English Football League (EFL).
A 0-0 draw against Wrexham means the Swans have managed four clean sheets in their first five league games for the first time since the 1978-79 season.
"It's good, but we know it can change quite quickly. We all know how the league is and how the results are," Matos said after Saturday's Welsh derby.
"That [defensive record] is something that we need to take care of, of course. It's important for us."

#first #swansea #care #record

Callum O'Hare "can't wait" to make his home debut after a hectic welcome to Wrexham since completing his deadline-day move from Sheffield United.
The 28-year-old got up in the early hours on Tuesday morning to seal his switch to the Racecourse Ground before Wrexham's trip to Millwall.
O'Hare then raced to London on the train, arriving hours before kick-off to make the squad, but remained an unused sub as Wrexham won 3-0 at the Den.
Then came his first Welsh derby. He was thrust in from the start by Phil Parkinson, even though he had not yet trained with all of his new teammates.
And O'Hare very nearly capped off a whirlwind few days with his maiden Wrexham goal on debut at Swansea, but the former Coventry man dragged his chance wide.

#hours #united

Jak Jones claimed the second ranking ******* le of his career by beating four-time world champion Mark Selby 10-6 in the British Open final.
The pair were tied at 4-4 after the afternoon session, which included a 139 from Selby.
Another century break brought Selby level at 5-5 before Jones, who beat Judd Trump in the semi-final, started to pull away by moving into a two frame lead at 7-5.
Breaks of 53 and 62 put Jones one frame from victory and, after England's Selby missed a green on the colours, the Welshman secured victory.
"I can't believe it to be honest," Jones, who won his first ranking ******* le with victory at the 2026 Championship League in July, told Channel 5.

#victory #mark

Wrexham are hoping to emulate rivals Cardiff City by winning the domestic treble this season.
The Red Dragons made history in 2025-2026 by winning the Adran Premier for the first time, while also lifting the Adran Trophy.
But Cardiff's triumph over Swansea in the Welsh Cup denied Wrexham the coveted treble, something the Bluebirds achieved two years ago.
Wrexham ended the summer by becoming the first women's Welsh side to win in Europe for seven years, marking their Champions League debut with a 4-2 victory against FC Pyunik.
"[The treble] is definitely my goal and I think all the girls would agree," said Wrexham captain Jodie Bartle.

#welsh #winning #first

Wrexham manager Phil Parkinson says Swansea City captain Ben Cabango got away with a "leg-breaking challenge" in their Welsh derby stalemate.
Parkinson claimed the Wales defender should have been given a straight red for the lunge on midfielder Callum O'Hare late on in the match at the Swansea.com Stadium.
Cabango, who had come on as a second-half substitute, was booked for the foul that prompted an angry reaction from the visitors' bench.
O'Hare was replaced soon after as Swansea maintained their unbeaten start to the season to stay top of the early Championship table.
"I know we want to protect our players but, when someone flies in at that speed, that could have been a leg-breaking challenge," Parkinson said.

#phil #welsh

Rugby players, coaches and staff are now safer working at the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) after changes were made following "toxic" culture findings, according to an equality watchdog.
The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) said the union had "put in the hard yards" and made improvements to the way it handled harassment and discrimination.
A BBC Wales Investigates programme in 2023 uncovered allegations of **** ism and misogyny at the WRU, prompting an independent investigation which backed up the claims.
The WRU said it had "introduced a series of proactive measures" to improve its culture.
An independent review in 2023 found aspects of the culture at the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) were **** ist, misogynistic, racist and **** phobic - and not properly challenged.

#culture #made #commission

Assistant manager Steve Parkin says he understands Chris Wilder's frustrations over the possibility of losing Callum O'Hare to Wrexham after the Sheffield United boss accused the Welsh side of a "blanket bombing" approach to the transfer window.
Speaking ahead of the Blades' Championship contest with Bolton Wanderers at Bramall Lane on Tuesday night (19:45 BST), United boss Wilder confirmed the Red Dragons had submitted a bid for attacking midfielder O'Hare.
During the press briefing, Wilder also said Wrexham were "in for half the division".
And while accepting Wilder's frustrations, Wrexham ****** istant Parkin was keen to stressed his side's transfer dealings are far more methodical than Wilder suggested.
"I did read that (Wilder's comments). Me and Chris go a long way back and he's no different to any other manager," said Parkin.

#chris #o 'hare #manager #boss

Key Takeaways
An anonymous British investor has recovered dozens of Bitcoin worth about £3.3 million after losing access to the funds in 2014.
The story is different from James Howells, whose 8,000 BTC may remain locked behind a private key on a hard drive buried in a Welsh landfill.
Glassnode says Bitcoin's 26% recovery has been backed by ETF demand and broad wallet accumulation.
An anonymous British man has recovered dozens of Bitcoin worth approximately £3.3 million, 12 years after the failure of an early crypto exchange left him unable to reach the funds.

#british #james

The Welsh Rugby Union has issued pitch safety advice to community clubs for the new season after a record-breaking summer.
Wales recorded its hottest ever day on 24 June with temperatures soaring to 35.9C in Cardiff, while July was the driest since records began 190 years ago.
The weather has left rugby pitches across the country bone dry, with surfaces as hard as concrete.
With the obvious injury risks to players, the WRU has written to all community clubs with guidance on how to ****** s the conditions before next week's opening matches.
It also says clubs can reschedule fixtures without risking any sanction up until mid-September, while match officials can overrule decisions on safety grounds.

#Rugby #safety

BKB Bare Knuckle Boxing recently finalized its Aug. 29 fight card for the BKB 58 event on Sat. night (Aug. 29, 2026) at James L. Knight Center in Miami, Florida. Topping the promotion's return to "The Sunshine State" is BKB Heavyweight Champion Gustavo Trujillo, who collides with former BKB and BKFC heavyweight ****** leholder Mick Terrill on super short notice.
Elsewhere on the card, Olympic gold medalist Yuriorkis Gamboa makes his bare knuckle debut opposite well-traveled boxing veteran Yesner Talavera at Super Lightweight, not long after Alberto Blas defends his Super Featherweight strap against Brandon Birr. In addition, Cuban boxing sensation Yunieski Gonzalez collides with Welsh warrior Ethan George for the vacant BKB Cruiserweight crown.
Former UFC ****** le contender Aspen Ladd makes her Trigon debut against Brazilian bruiser Bianca Daimoni on the BKB 58 main card, which airs live at 8 p.m. ET on VICE TV. BKB 58's four-fight preliminary card featuring Rudy Mora, Taylor Bull, Darrian Leu-Pierre and more, will stream live and free on the promotion's TikTok channel.
Here's the finalized BKB 58 fight card and streaming lineup:
Heavyweight: Gustavo Trujillo (c) vs. Mick Terrill
Super Lightweight: Yuriorkis Gamboa vs. Yesner Talavera
Super Featherweight: Alberto Blas (c) vs. Brandon Birr
Cruiserweight: Yunieski Gonzalez vs. Ethan George for vacant Cruiserweight ****** le
Cruiserweight: Uly Diaz vs. Gilberto Fuentes
Super Featherweight: Yampier Ramirez vs. Triston Harrison
Super Lightweight: Aspen Ladd vs. Bianca Daimoni
Super Welterweight: Roberto Duran Jr. vs. Ryan Spivey

#featherweight #boxing

Cancer is serious. Ryan Reynolds is not. Luckily his characteristic sense of humor, along with being true to his word, has helped shine a light on a sobering topic in a fun way. First, he made a friendly bet with his Welcome to Wrexham co-star Rob McElhenney of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia with whom he also co-owns the Welsh football club Wrexham A.F.C.
The bet? That McElhenney would not be able to learn Welsh, the official language of Wales, where their soccer team is located. The stakes? If Reynolds lost, he'd have to get a colonoscopy… and post the entire thing to YouTube. About 30 seconds into a YouTube upload **** led "Rob & Ryan Lead From Behind," McElhenney begins speaking in near-fluent Welsh.
Uh-oh. Colonoscopy it is.
Reynolds is an actor famous for hilarious hijinks. From his intense fictional feud with Hugh Jackman to performing epic pranks on talk shows, he is often the best thing on the internet for a good laugh. However, he is also not one to shy away from difficult conversations, particularly when it comes to health. So raising awareness about the importance of colonoscopies was, as he quipped, "enough motivation for me to let you in on a camera being shoved up my **** ."
Reynolds might have lost the bet, but his actions paid off. The procedure turned out to be lifesaving.

#thing

Hollywood star Luke Evans has paid tribute to Tim Curry, who has died at the age of 80.
Curry was best known for playing the outlandish Frank-N-Furter in film musical The Rocky Horror Picture Show. He first played the role on stage in 1973 before the film version two years later.
Evans took on the role in the cult classic musical on Broadway, which concluded earlier this month.
The Welsh star previously said a song from the musical helped launch his career.
In a social media post, Evans shared a letter he wrote to Curry "with only three weeks left before I finally hang up the fishnets and heels" saying "there is, and always will be, only one Tim Curry."

#film #only #LUKE

SIOUX CITY, IA (KCAU) - Next group up for Two-A-Days is the Pender Pendragons, after a huge 9-2 2025 season after back-to-back five-win seasons in 2023 and 2024.
The Dragons got themselves to the D1 state quarterfinals before falling to Shelby-Rising City 28-6.
The 8-man squad enters the new year without two of last season's biggest offensive weapons in the run game and passing game; however, there is a large group of returners, including quarterback Zander Welsh, who had over 1,700 total yards of offense and 31 touchdowns.
This team also brings back a familiar face to the head coach position, Andy Welsh, who has served as the head coach for the boys basketball team for the last several years. With his return, this group is very excited for the guys they are putting out on the field!
"We have 33 kids on the team. We are sitting here with 12 seniors on an 8-man football team, so we have a lot of depth. Our expectations are extremely high, and the kids have been working really hard to show what we can do," said Welsh.

#team #back

Ospreys have confirmed the return of former Wales captain Alun Wyn Jones as a director.
The 40-year-old has become a board member at the Swansea-based team with immediate effect.
Jones made his Ospreys debut in 2005, a year after he broke through with Swansea RFC, and helped the club to three ***** les and an Anglo-Welsh Cup triumph.
The former lock is to return at a turbulent time amid their fight for survival under Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) plans to cut to three professional men's sides.
"I have an understanding of the challenges facing rugby in Wales and the Ospreys," said Jones.

#welsh #return #three