Sport
Lockwood handed first Six Nations start as Joyce returns for Arms Park test
WALES head coach Sean Lynn has named his side to face France in Round two of the Women’s Guinness Six Nations at Cardiff Arms Park on Saturday (Apr 18).
Kate Williams will captain the team, with Lynn making two changes to the starting line-up for the visit of Les Bleues.
Scrum-half Seren Lockwood will make her first Women’s Six Nations start, while experienced three-time GB Olympian Jasmine Joyce comes in on the wing.
Wales return to Cardiff Arms Park for the game against a France side who opened their campaign with victory over Italy.
Lynn has kept faith with the same forward pack that started against Scotland. Gwenllian Pyrs, Kelsey Jones and Sisilia Tuipulotu are named in the front row, with Jorja Aiono and Gwen Crabb continuing in the second row.
The back row sees captain Williams joined by Bethan Lewis and Bryonie King.
In the backs, Lockwood starts alongside Lleucu George at half-back, while Courtney Keight and Carys Cox are selected in midfield.
Kayleigh Powell is named at full-back, with Joyce and Seren Singleton on the wings. Singleton made her Wales debut at the Principality Stadium last weekend.
Lynn said the performance against Scotland had shown signs of progress, but insisted there was still more work to do.
He said: “We took a real step forward as a group of players, coaches and staff against Scotland and there was real evidence of what we have started to build.
“We still have work to do as a squad and coaches, but this is another game to hone the style of rugby we want to play.
“France are one of the best teams in the world and we know they will pose a real challenge, but this is about us delivering a performance and taking another step forward.
“We will need the same grit, determination and fight we showed against Scotland in the dying moments against France.
“The Welsh supporters had a real impact on the players and the noise they generated really pushed the team forward in the closing minutes of the Scotland game.
“The supporters need to know how important they are and how much they inspire the players, and we look forward to them doing the same against France.”
Wales Women to face France:
15 Kayleigh Powell; 14 Seren Singleton; 13 Carys Cox; 12 Courtney Keight; 11 Jasmine Joyce; 10 Lleucu George; 9 Seren Lockwood; 1 Gwenllian Pyrs; 2 Kelsey Jones; 3 Sisilia Tuipulotu; 4 Jorja Aiono; 5 Gwen Crabb; 6 Bethan Lewis; 7 Kate Williams (captain); 8 Bryonie King.
Replacements:
16 Molly Reardon, 17 Maisie Davies, 18 Donna Rose, 19 Natalia John, 20 Branwen Metcalfe, 21 Georgia Evans, 22 Keira Bevan, 23 Hannah Dallavalle.
Pictured: Kate Williams (Pic: BBC)
Sport
Pembrokeshire Triathlon Club to hold next time trial event
MEMBERS of Pembrokeshire Triathlon Club are being encouraged to take part in the club’s next Time Trial Series event.
The 20km bike time trial will take place at Herbrandston, next to the old school, on Sunday, May 17, starting at 8:15am.
The club says the event is open to members of all abilities, whether they are chasing a personal best, building confidence, or simply looking to take part in a friendly club event.
Those wishing to enter are asked to book their place through the Connect My Club app.
Parking at the start is limited, so members are being encouraged to car share where possible or allow extra time before the event.
Sport
S4C secures exclusive Barbarians v Wales double-header
S4C will broadcast a live rugby double-header from Twickenham this summer, with Wales taking on the Barbarians in both men’s and women’s fixtures.
The matches will be shown live and exclusively on Friday, June 27, with the men’s game kicking off at 2:00pm and the women’s match following at 5:00pm.
Both fixtures will be available across S4C, S4C Clic, BBC iPlayer and S4C Chwaraeon’s YouTube channel, with Welsh and English-language commentary.
Sarra Elgan will present the coverage, with Lauren Salter reporting pitchside.
Gareth Charles will commentate on the men’s match, with analysis from Ken Owens and Elinor Snowsill. Siwan Lillicrap will also join the team for the women’s fixture, with further members of the broadcast line-up to be announced.
Tomos Grace, WRU Chief Commercial Officer said: “We’re delighted that S4C will bring coverage of Barbarians v Wales at Twickenham to supporters across the country and beyond.
“This fixture is always a celebration of rugby’s spirit and tradition, and it’s fantastic that fans will be able to enjoy it free-to-air, with comprehensive Welsh-language coverage at its heart alongside English provision, which is hugely important for the game in Wales.
“We look forward to what promises to be a memorable summer occasion for Welsh rugby.”
Sue Butler, Head of Sports at S4C, said the broadcaster was pleased to have secured exclusive rights to the event.
She said: “We are delighted to have secured the exclusive broadcast rights to this double-header, bringing Wales together with the Barbarians for a special day of summer rugby.
“These fixtures promise a great Wales day out, and we’re pleased that S4C’s coverage will be available across all platforms.
“This agreement underlines S4C’s commitment to delivering premium live sport exclusively to audiences across Wales and the UK, in both Welsh and English, and to showcasing the very best of international rugby on a global stage.”
John Spencer, President of Barbarian F.C., said: “Barbarian F.C. and Wales have an intertwined history, with supporters of both teams enjoying the spirit and values of the game.
“This summer’s double-header against Wales is a hugely exciting fixture and the announcement that the matches will be on S4C, on free-to-air TV, broadcast by a national broadcaster, with huge rugby experience, is really important.
“We want to showcase the very best of rugby and having the fixtures on S4C will allow us to reach a large audience for what will be a great day of rugby.”
Fans will also be able to attend the double-header at Twickenham, with tickets available through Ticketmaster and England Rugby.
The coverage will be produced by Whisper Cymru.
Sport
Merlins Bridge U14s girls celebrate league title success
YOUNG footballers from across Pembrokeshire are celebrating after Merlins Bridge U14s Girls secured the league title in the West Wales Women and Girls League.
The team confirmed their place at the top of the table after an away victory against Carmarthen Stars, capping a memorable season for the squad.
Title-winning season
The achievement follows the club’s decision to enter the West Wales Women and Girls League at U14 level, giving the players the chance to test themselves against teams from across the region.
Coach Jan Bojanowski said the success was a proud moment for the players, families and club.
The squad is made up of girls from across Pembrokeshire, who have shown commitment throughout the season and continued to develop as a team.
Growing girls’ football
Merlins Bridge AFC said the title win reflects the strength of girls’ football in Pembrokeshire and the increasing opportunities now available for young female players.
The team’s success is also a boost for grassroots football locally, with more girls taking part and representing their clubs in competitive leagues across West Wales.
The players celebrated with trophies and the league cup after completing their title-winning campaign.

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