Sport

Wales Women continue to build with key appointments

Published

4 years ago

February 11, 2021

FORMER Wales back row Geraint Lewis and former Bristol Bears’ Athletic Performance Coach Sam Dodge have joined Warren Abrahams’ Wales Women coaching team as assistant coach (forwards) and physical performance lead respectively.

Lewis, who, as a WRU performance coach was part of the Wales Women coaching team throughout last season alongside other performance commitments, will now focus solely on this role as Wales Women prepare for the rescheduled Women’s Six Nations and the Rugby World Cup later this year.

Prior to joining Bristol Bears, where he played a key part in their European Challenge Cup and domestic success in recent years, Sam Dodge worked as a WRU strength and conditioning coach for RGC academy and also supported Wales Women.

WRU General Manager, Women and Girls, Charlotte Wathan said, “As we look to accelerate the development of the women’s performance programme, building a strong, dynamic team is a key objective. We’re recruiting people with expertise and knowledge within their field in order to support our long-term aim of closing the performance gap with the top nations in international women’s rugby.

Wales Women head coach Warren Abrahams said, “These are very exciting appointments. Geraint is experienced in the women’s programme already and his in-depth knowledge as a forwards coach, and his line-out nous in particular will be vital for the programme going forward. He brings an added dimension to the coaching team and the more diverse we are as a unit, the more exceptional we will become as a coaching group.

“Sam too is a brilliant appointment. He is an exceptional strength and conditioning talent with a solid philosophy and has experienced a winning performance environment at Bristol which we will gain from in the women’s game. Having cut his teeth with Wales Women’s as an intern, it’s great to see him back in the programme as we strive to raise standards across the women’s game in Wales.”

Geraint Lewis said, “I always feel honoured to be part of any Welsh national side and I’m delighted to have been given the opportunity to be part of Warren’s coaching team at such an exciting time for the women’s game internationally.

“I learned a lot from my time with the women’s programme last season and I hope to use that experience to make a greater impact this time around. I’ve worked with some fantastic individuals in my career but it’s always good to work with new people as I continue to develop as a coach.”

Lewis is looking forward to being part of the new-look Women’s Six Nations in April.

“It will be exciting to play in a stand-alone tournament and in a new format too. Playing France will give us a great benchmark as to where we are as a team and Ireland are improving all the time. With the play-off game at the end too, these games will be vital after a year without international fixtures and ahead of the Rugby World Cup in September.”

Sam Dodge, who will work with WRU Head of Physical Performance Paul Stridgeon with the aim of creating a world-class physical performance programme for female players said, “Having thoroughly enjoyed my time at Bristol, I’m very excited by the new challenge of this role.

“There is enormous potential in the women’s game in Wales, and with the new coaching team in place and the WRU’s investment into the female game, there is huge scope to make a big difference in a relatively short amount of time. We have some talented players and excellent athletes in Wales and my aim is to build a world-leading national programme to ensure there is no stone unturned to help the players reach their full potential.

Sport

Letterston marksman wins junior athlete award

Published

1 day ago

January 21, 2025

Tom Sinclair

A TALENTED young athlete from Letterston has been honoured at the British Shooting Awards 2024.

Seren Thorne was shortlisted for the prestigious awards and attended the gala event held at the Imperial War Museum in Manchester. To the delight of her family and supporters, Seren was named the winner of the Rifle Pathway / Junior Athlete of the Year award.

This accolade highlights Seren’s exceptional skill and dedication to the sport, marking her as one of the rising stars in British shooting.

Her mother, Sian Thorne, expressed immense pride in Seren’s achievement, sharing photos of the memorable evening.

The British Shooting Awards 2024 celebrated excellence in the sport, with a full list of winners available on their official website.

PHOTO CAPTION: Champion marksman: Seren Thorne receiving the Rifle Pathway / Junior Athlete of the Year award (Pic: Supplied).

Sport

Previewing the 2025 Super Bowl

Published

2 days ago

January 20, 2025

Staff Writer

Each year millions of people across the world gather to watch one of the biggest sporting events of the year – the Super Bowl. Last year, 3.4 million people in the UK watched the Super Bowl, up 1.1 million from the previous year. Considering the growth in popularity of American football in the UK, we anticipate the viewership will be even higher for 2025.

The 2025 Super Bowl is scheduled to take place on 9 February 2025 at Caesars Superdrome in New Orleans, Louisiana.

NFL teams

12 teams began competing for a spot in the 2025 Super Bowl when the playoffs began on January 11. At this point, four teams were eliminated. This now leaves eight teams to compete in the Divisional playoffs. Four of these will make it to the Conference Championships before contesting for a spot at this year’s Super Bowl.

The eight teams left with a shot at competing in the 2025 Super Bowl are:

Philadelphia Eagles
Baltimore Ravens
Buffalo Bills
Detroit Lions
Houston Texans
Kansas City Chiefs
Los Angeles Rams
Washington Commanders

Last year, the Kansas City Chiefs took the title for the second year in a row. However, the latest Super Bowl odds puts the Detroit Lions as the favourites to win this year’s Super Bowl, following a series of impressive performances in the regular season.

The national anthem and halftime show

Before the game commences, a special guest performs the national anthem. Last year, Reba McEntire offered a moving performance of The Star-Spangled Banner, and this year the task falls to jazz singer Jon Batiste.

It’s not just the football match that people look forward to. Super Bowl halftime shows are a spectacle in themselves and many look forward to the performance as much as the game itself. This year, 17-time grammy winner Kendrick Lamar is headlining the halftime show. Lamar previously headlined the Super Bowl in 2022.

How can I watch the Super Bowl in the UK?

The Super Bowl is being broadcast to fans free on ITV, including live online via ITVX on your laptop, mobile, or tablet.

Sky Sports is also broadcasting the event which you can watch online via Sky Go, NOW TV, or using the Sky Sports mobile app. You could also head to your local pub as plenty of pubs in Pembrokeshire will be showing the big game.

Will you be tuning in?

With a surge in popularity for American Football, it’s anticipated that more people from the UK than ever before will be turning their TVs on for the big event this year. Will you be watching this year’s Super Bowl?

Sport

Division Four West rugby: Thrills and tight contests on a chilly Saturday

Published

3 days ago

January 19, 2025

Herald Sport

Exciting matches, hard-fought battles, and standout performances define the weekend’s action.

Dreigiau Emlyn Edge Harlequins in Close Contest
Dreigiau Emlyn 21 – Pembroke Dock Harlequins 15
Dreigiau Emlyn secured a narrow victory over Pembroke Dock Harlequins, strengthening their position in the top half of the table. Gethin Davies scored two crucial tries, while Deiniol Rees added three penalties and a conversion to steer the hosts to victory. The Harlequins kept the game competitive with tries from Craig Barnett and Tom Donovan, with Ben Hathaway converting one and kicking a penalty. However, Emlyn’s composed performance ensured they held on for the win.

Teirw Crymych Outgun Llangwm in High-Scorer
Llangwm 22 – Teirw Crymych 33
Teirw Crymych powered to a 33-22 victory over bottom-placed Llangwm, bolstering their challenge for the league’s top spots. Sion Williams and Morgan Jones led the visitors’ try-scoring efforts, with additional tries from Sion Owen and Nick Bevan. Adam Phillips was reliable from the tee, adding four conversions. Llangwm fought back with tries from Aidan Rees and Ryan Banner, while Harry Makepeace contributed two conversions and a penalty. Despite their spirited display, the hosts couldn’t match Crymych’s attacking prowess.

St Davids Win Key Clash Against Llanybydder
Llanybydder 17 – St Davids 29
St Davids took a significant step away from the relegation zone with a vital 29-17 win over Llanybydder. Harvey Godkin, Nathan Foster, Zac Morgan, and Morgan Griffiths all crossed the whitewash for the visitors, with Bob Froy converting three and adding a penalty to secure a bonus-point victory. Llanybydder’s John Evans delivered an impressive hat-trick of tries, with one conversion by Matthew Rowlands, but St Davids’ all-round performance proved too much for the home side.