Sport

Farrell faces uncertainty after red card in England’s slim victory over Wales

Published

2 years ago

August 15, 2023

ENGLAND’S captain, Owen Farrell, may be sidelined for the World Cup opener against Argentina due to a red card received during the warm-up match against Wales at Twickenham.

In a historical moment, Farrell became the first English player to see a yellow card elevated to a red by the novel ‘Bunker’ review system, which resulted from a high tackle on Taine Basham.

Wales momentarily took the lead with Tomos Williams scoring after a penalty try, and England was disadvantaged with three players, including Farrell, in the sin bin. However, a try from Maro Itoje and a decisive penalty by George Ford secured a narrow victory for England.

Despite Farrell’s three penalties, the match was marked by both teams delivering lackluster performances. The climax came with Farrell’s red card after Freddie Steward’s risky tackle on Josh Adams, which left England with a slender two-point lead.

The ‘Bunker’ system’s intervention was crucial as the referee was unsure whether to give Farrell a straight red for his tackle on Basham. Initially penalized with a yellow, Farrell was later dismissed to the shock of many.

Welsh hopes surged as Tomos Williams scored easily, aiming for their first victory at Twickenham since 2015. However, a robust English response led by Itoje turned the tables. Ford’s winning penalty broke England’s three-match losing streak. Still, the looming ban on Farrell casts a shadow on their celebrations.

As England preps for the World Cup in France, Steve Borthwick’s team will remember this as less than their best performance. They grappled with the weight of recent defeats and were still reeling from last week’s loss to Wales. Farrell’s penalties and Ollie Lawrence’s fierce run were the few bright spots.

England’s disciplinary issues surfaced again with Henry Arundell also sin-binned. Despite this, their grit was evident as they rallied from behind to snatch the victory. As they celebrate, concerns persist about the injuries to Farrell and scrum-half Jack van Poortvliet, who left the field on crutches.

Gatland rues missed Welsh opportunities

On the Welsh side, it was a transformed lineup from their triumphant match against England the previous week. Newcomer Joe Roberts and seasoned full-back Liam Williams shone. However, injuries marred their game, notably captain Dewi Lake’s knee injury 26 minutes in, further straining their hooker position already weakened by Ryan Elias’s injury and Ken Owens’s extended absence.

Veteran Dan Biggar’s entry enlivened the Welsh, exemplified by his cross-field kick assisting Adams, which eventually led to a penalty try. Despite their brief lead, Wales’ inability to capitalize on a three-player advantage will be a concern for coach Gatland, especially as they face world champions, South Africa, next.

Line-ups

England: Steward; Arundell, Marchant, Lawrence, Daly; Farrell (capt), Van Poortvliet; Marler, George, Stuart, Itoje, Martin, Lawes, Earl, B Vunipola. Replacements: Dan, Genge, Cole, Hill, Willis, Youngs, Ford, Malins.

Wales: L Williams; Adams, Roberts, Tompkins, Rogers; O Williams, T Williams; G Thomas, Lake (capt), Francis, Beard, R Davies, Lydiate, Reffell, Plumtree. Replacements: Parry, Mathias, Lewis, Tshiunza, Basham, G Davies, Biggar, K Williams.

Sport

World Cup qualifiers 2026: How are Wales doing?

Published

17 hours ago

November 18, 2025

Staff Writer

THE 2026 World Cup is going to be bigger and better than ever before, with the tournament expanding to accommodate an additional 16 teams this time around, for a total of 48.

This makes qualifying a little more interesting as many more teams have the opportunity to perform on the highest stage. Teams like England were able to secure their place in the competition fairly early, while other groups have been under more pressure to secure top spots – Wales included.

So whether you’re a casual viewer here for the drama, or a dedicated fan watching both on TV and across online betting apps for the best odds, here’s a rundown of how Wales are doing in the World Cup qualifiers.

How are Wales performing?

Wales have been in qualifying Group J, alongside Belgium, North Macedonia, Kazakhstan, and Liechtenstein. Despite tough competition, Wales, led by head coach Craig Bellamy, have produced some great performances and have given themselves a reasonable chance of making the finals. This would be their third qualification ever, following on from 2022’s success.

They had a strong start against Kazakhstan, in which they claimed a solid 3-1 victory at home. They then drew 1-1 against North Macedonia thanks to a 96th minute equaliser, and thrashed Liechtenstein 3-0 back in June. The undefeated streak ended with a 4-3 loss to group favourites Belgium in Brussels (and again a loss to Rudi Garcia’s team in Cardiff last month).

With another victory over both Kazakhstan and Liechtenstein under their belts, these results have put Wales in a good position within the group, but they nonetheless face a fight to qualify, being two points behind Belgium, and behind North Macedonia on goal difference.

If Wales win and Belgium lose (as unlikely as that seems), they would qualify for the World Cup automatically as group winners.

Lose or draw and it’s the play-offs for Craig Bellamy’s men. In some senses, there’s less pressure on tonight’s match as Wales have already at least qualified for the play-offs as one of the Uefa Nations League group winners. However, finishing second in the group would give them an easier path to qualification.

Looking ahead to the 2026 play-offs

If Wales miss out on topping the group (which is likely), they will have to settle for a play-off spot, which is a much more challenging route to qualification.

Should they lose or draw tonight, they will have to face a top-seeded team away from home to have a chance at reaching the play-off final. However, should they beat North Macedonia, they will play weaker opposition at home.

Today’s crucial game for Wales

The 2026 qualifiers have and continue to be highly competitive in Europe. Wales are in the mix, having proven that they can challenge, but are sitting very much in between favourites and underdogs.

Tonight’s match is looming, the stakes are high, and anything could happen. A win could put them on the path to automatic qualification if Liechtenstein can overcome the odds, while a draw or loss will force them to rely on the hardest play-off route. Welsh fans will be hoping for a strong performance, as well as a bit of luck.

Sport

South Pembrokeshire Short Mat Bowls: Week eight results and league table

Published

1 day ago

November 17, 2025

Herald Sport

THE SOUTH Pembrokeshire Short Mat Bowls Association – known as the Friendly League – has released the latest results following week eight of the competition.

Last week’s matches saw:

East Williamston 8–2 Cosheston
Kilgetty 7–3 St Twynnells
Reynalton 5–5 St Johns
Llanteg 8–2 Lamphey

The fixture between Hundleton and Carew was postponed, while Badgers had a bye.

Updated league table – Week eight

Team	Played	Won	Drawn	Lost	Shot Diff	Points
East Williamston	7	7	0	0	160	62
Reynalton	7	4	1	2	34	40
St Johns	7	3	1	3	-2	35
Cosheston	7	3	0	4	33	33
Badgers	7	3	0	4	-10	33
Llanteg	7	3	0	4	-39	33
Carew	6	3	0	3	-20	30
St Twynnells	7	3	0	4	-45	30
Hundleton	6	3	0	3	-8	29
Lamphey	8	3	0	5	-19	29
Kilgetty	7	3	0	4	-54	26

More fixtures are set to follow as the Friendly League moves into the second half of the season.

Sport

Haverfordwest County Women make it two wins from two in Phase 2

Published

1 day ago

November 17, 2025

Herald Sport

HAVERFORDWEST COUNTY AFC Women continued their strong start to Phase 2 with an impressive 4–2 victory over a determined Morriston Town side on Sunday.

It was a superb all-round performance from the Bluebirds, combining sharp team play with some outstanding individual finishes. Striker Kayla Jones led the way with a well-taken brace, while Ella May Mumford and Tayla Gibbs also got on the scoresheet to secure all three points.

The win makes it back-to-back victories in Division A, further strengthening the squad’s momentum going into the next fixture.

Haverfordwest County now turn their attention to their next home match on Sunday 23rd, when they host Bonymaen Colts Ladies.

Squad: Rhian Jones, Freya Watkins Williams, Erin Frost, Katie Gibbins, Mollie Flanagan, Bethan Chapman, Tayla Gibbs, Ella May Mumford, Emma Smith, Ffion Kirk, Kayla Jones.