Sport

1m want to do more sport in Wales

Published

10 years ago

March 7, 2016

More sport: 1m people in Wales want to be more active

SPORT WALES’ latest Active Adults survey shows the potential to get more adults hooked on sport and volunteering while figures of those already hooked buck the trend seen across the UK.

The number of adults hooked on sport – participating three times a week or more – in Wales is up (41%) according to the official Active Adults Survey, released today by Sport Wales.

After speaking to more than 8,000 people in Wales aged 15 and over, the latest results show an increase since 2012 (39%), building on the rise in Welsh sport participation seen since 2008 (29%) and sustaining participation since the London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics.

The survey reveals: B67% of those not already ‘hooked on sport’ (taking part 3 times a week or more) would like to do more sport – that’s 1 million more people in Wales.

There are still gaps in participation between males (46%) and females (35%), disabled (29%) and non-disabled (48%) and those from Wales’ most deprived areas are less likely to be hooked (39%).

While the proportion of volunteers has decreased slightly from 10% (2012) to 9% of the adult population, we still have 235,000 volunteers giving an average of 10 hours to sport a month, up from 8 hours a month in 2012 – that’s a 25% increase in hours volunteered and double the number of volunteers from 2008 (113,000).

The increase in voluntary hours means the economic value of sport volunteering in Wales is nearly£300 million- the equivalent of15,000 full-time employees.

20% of those who do not currently volunteer in sport say they would like to in the future – that equates to over470,000 people in Wales.

Sports volunteers are also reaping the benefits off the field as the figures show they are 82% more likely to say they have good or very good health.

The most popular sporting activities for adults include cycling, swimming and running.

Sport Wales CEO, Sarah Powell said:

“What these results show is that we have been successful in sustaining the incredible swell in numbers of volunteers and participants which followed the London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics. I’m proud of this. We worked hard to ensure a lasting legacy and we’ve successfully bucked the trends seen across the rest of the UK, which has seen levels fluctuate in the past few years.

“There’s huge potential to engage more people and I’m thrilled to see the appetite for doing more sport and volunteering so high in Wales. The challenge now is for us and the sport sector to grow an offer that meets the needs of those people who want to try more sport. We’ve seen really successful initiatives in recent years such as Parkrun and the Breeze cycling network which have engaged people who previously thought sport wasn’t for them. Both these schemes have done this through working closely with communities to develop an offer that meets the needs of the participant locally.

“You don’t have to be an elite athlete to be a Welsh sportsperson. The dad playing football on a Wednesday night, the family running the Parkrun on a Saturday morning and the mums meeting to do circuits in the park before the school run – these are our Welsh sportspeople and they are the future of Welsh community sport. They have found their thing and we want to make sure we create more opportunities for that 1 million who want to do more sport, to find theirs. Whether that is to discover new activities, meet new people or achieve personal goals, we need to entice them into being active. Imagine the impact on the health and well-being of our nation if we were successful!”

Other noteworthy results in the survey included that:

If you believe you lack fitness you are significantly less likely to be hooked on sport.

Those people who believe they lack confidence are significantly less likely to be hooked on sport. However, if you believe your general sporting ability is better than most you are nine times more likely to be hooked.

If your friends and family take part you are more than twice as likely to be hooked on sport.

Powell added: “We have shown sport in Wales has the tools to be successful.

“However, while we’ve managed to sustain participation and grow it at school sport level, this survey demonstrates that we are not yet seeing this translate into a significant increase in adult community participation and stubborn participation gaps between men and women and disabled and non-disabled still exist. So we will have to continue to evolve our approach to ensure a Welsh sporting offer that meets their needs.

“Just as in children, adults also like to feel they have the skills and confidence to participate in sport. It provides the motivation to take part. Enjoyable opportunities, good quality competition or social sporting opportunities and the support of friends and family are all aspects that make sport a key part of someone’s life and we need to tap into this when we deliver sport.”

News

Awards celebrate all that is good about Pembrokeshire sport

Published

4 days ago

December 2, 2025

Herald Sport

PEMBROKESHIRE’S sporting community came together on Friday evening as Folly Farm hosted the annual Sport Pembrokeshire Awards – a night dedicated to honouring achievements across every level, age group and discipline.

The awards recognise exceptional performances, inspiring journeys and the volunteers who keep local sport thriving behind the scenes. The ceremony was once again presented by Ceri Coleman-Phillips of BBC Wales Sport, supported by Cris Tomos.

Lifetime honour for Premier League star

This year’s Lifetime Achievement Award went to Pembrokeshire’s own Simon Davies.
The former Wales winger enjoyed a distinguished Premier League career with Fulham, Tottenham Hotspur and Everton.

Davies scored in the 2010 Europa League final for Fulham, won fifty-eight caps for Wales – scoring six – and captained his country during the 2010 World Cup qualifiers. He was named Welsh Footballer of the Year in 2002 and Fulham’s player of the season in 2007–08. After leaving the club in 2013, he returned to his boyhood side Solva AFC, famously paying £3 subs to play against St Ishmaels.

Special recognition for Wales Women’s Street Football Team

Welsh rugby legend Gareth Thomas introduced the evening’s Special Award, honouring the players of the Wales Women’s Street Football Team for their remarkable run to the quarter-finals of the Homeless World Cup in Oslo.

The squad trains in Haverfordwest and included five outstanding Pembrokeshire players – co-captains Tor Planner and Marie Tilley, alongside Claire Mantripp, Sam Lewtas and Bryony Davies. All have overcome personal challenges, including homelessness, mental health difficulties and social exclusion, yet wore the Welsh jersey with pride on the world stage.

The team was led by manager Jo Price, former Wales and Arsenal goalkeeper.
Support staff included Anji Tinley, Manager of the Garth Youth & Community Project and a Pembrokeshire County Councillor.

Cruising Free honoured after rowing the Atlantic

The Chairman’s Award for 2025 was presented by Pembrokeshire County Council Chairman Cllr Maureen Bowen to ‘Cruising Free’ of Neyland Rowing Club, who achieved one of the world’s toughest endurance feats – rowing 3,200 miles across the Atlantic Ocean.

Sophie Pierce, Janine Williams, Miyah Periam and Polly Zipperlan completed the gruelling crossing from Lanzarote to Antigua, raising money for cystic fibrosis and the Paul Sartori Foundation.

At 32, Sophie became the first person with cystic fibrosis to row an ocean, while 70-year-old Janine became the oldest woman ever to complete the challenge. The team’s achievement was hailed as a powerful example of determination, unity and courage.

Parkrun pioneers win School Award

The School Award went to the Federation of Tavernspite and Templeton Schools – the first Parkrun School in the UK.

The federation has built a Parkrun curriculum with Parkrun UK, using the weekly event to boost physical activity, support wellbeing, and develop leadership through the Parkrun Ambassador scheme. The schools were praised for exceptional inclusion, providing adapted PE equipment, wheelchair races and strong support for disadvantaged pupils. Estyn has highlighted their work as best practice.

A strong year for Pembrokeshire sport

Summing up the event, Cllr Rhys Sinnett, Cabinet Member for Residents’ Services, said:
“My congratulations go to everyone who won awards and all those nominated. We are so lucky to have such a strong sporting scene here in Pembrokeshire, and my thanks go to all those who work so hard to ensure people of all ages and abilities can take part in the sports they love. Thanks also to our sponsors Valero, Folly Farm and Pure West Radio for supporting this celebration each year.”

Full list of winners

Girls U16: Ava Tyrie (Brazilian Ju Jitsu – Pembroke MMA)
Boys U16: Ned Rees-Wigmore (Hockey)

Club of the Year: Milford Haven Hockey Club (MAIN PHOTO)
Junior Disability: Jake Evans (Llangwm RFC)
Young Volunteer: Alannah Heasman (Haverfordwest High School)
Junior Team: Merlin’s Bridge FC Under-14s 2024/25
Unsung Hero: Jenny Lewis (Clarbeston Road AFC)
Senior Team: Fishguard & Goodwick Ladies Hockey Club
Male Achievement: Liam Bradley (Triathlon)
Female Achievement: Sanna Duthie (Running)
Disability Sport: Rachel Bailey (Boccia)
Club Organiser: Silfan Rhys-Jones (Fishguard Table Tennis Club)
Coach of the Year: James North (Kilgetty AFC)
School Award: Tavernspite & Templeton Federation of Schools
Chairman’s Award: Cruising Free (Neyland Rowing Club)
Special Award: Street Football Wales
Lifetime Achievement: Simon Davies (Wales, Spurs, Fulham, Everton & Solva AFC)

Sport

South Pembrokeshire Short Mat Bowls: Week ten results

Published

6 days ago

November 30, 2025

Herald Sport

The Friendly League continues as Reynalton close the gap on leaders East Williamston

THE LATEST round of fixtures in the South Pembrokeshire Short Mat Bowls Association’s Friendly League produced another mix of tight contests and emphatic victories.

Kilgetty were beaten 8–2 at home by Hundleton, while Reynalton delivered the standout performance of the week with a 10–0 win over East Williamston. Llanteg also impressed, defeating Carew 8–2.

Elsewhere, St Twynnells claimed a 7–3 win away at the Badgers, and Lamphey ran out 7–3 winners against St Johns. Cosheston had the bye.

League table – Week ten

Team	Played	Won	Drawn	Lost	S/D	Points
East Williamston	8	7	0	1	+130	62
Reynalton	8	5	1	2	+64	50
Hundleton	8	4	1	3	+3	42
Llanteg	8	4	0	4	–5	41
Badgers	9	3	1	5	–21	41
St Johns	8	3	1	4	–6	38
St Twynnells	8	4	0	4	–34	37
Lamphey	9	4	0	5	–15	36
Kilgetty	9	4	0	5	–49	36
Cosheston	8	3	0	5	–13	35
Carew	7	3	0	4	–54	32

Reynalton’s dominant win means they move within touching distance of leaders East Williamston, setting up an intriguing second half to the season.

Sport

South Africa run riot as Wales suffer record defeat in Cardiff

Published

7 days ago

November 30, 2025

Herald Sport

Wales 0–73 South Africa
WALES endured one of the heaviest defeats in their history on Saturday as world champions South Africa ran in 11 tries at the Principality Stadium, producing a brutal 73-0 demolition that exposed the gulf between the sides and underlined the scale of the rebuilding task facing Welsh rugby.

The fixture, arranged outside the international window, left Wales without several first-choice players and short on experience. South Africa, by contrast, arrived in Cardiff at full strength and in ruthless form. What followed was a one-sided contest from the opening minutes to the final whistle.

First-half dominance

The Springboks established their authority early, their scrum immediately overpowering the Welsh pack and setting the tone for the afternoon. Tries from Gerhard Steenekamp, Ethan Hooker and Jasper Wiese put the visitors 21-0 ahead, with Wales struggling to exit their own half and repeatedly conceding penalties under pressure.

Wales’ lineout functioned reasonably well and there were brief flashes of ambition from Joe Hawkins, Joe Roberts and Rio Dyer, but every half-chance dissolved through handling errors or South Africa’s suffocating defensive line. A late surge from the Boks saw Morne van den Berg cross just before the break for a 28-0 half-time lead.

Second-half collapse

Any hopes of containment disappeared after the interval. South Africa emptied their bench—bringing on yet more power—and immediately cut through Wales again. Wilco Louw, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (twice), Canan Moodie, Ruan Nortje and Eben Etzebeth all scored in a relentless second half.

Wales’ discipline faltered under the pressure. Taine Plumtree and Aaron Wainwright were both shown yellow cards, with Wainwright’s high tackle sent to the bunker for review. South Africa’s own discipline cracked late on when Etzebeth received a straight red card for making contact with the eye area of Alex Mann—an incident captain Siya Kolisi later claimed was accidental.

Reaction

Player of the match Andre Esterhuizen, who produced a series of thunderous carries and turnovers, said the Springboks “worked really hard” to complete their Autumn clean sweep, praising Wales for “never giving up”.

Kolisi was gracious in victory but said he did not want the Etzebeth incident to overshadow the performance, adding: “The only way a team gets better is by playing the best. Wales will be stronger for facing this.”

Former Wales captain Dan Biggar, working as a pundit, was blunt in his assessment. “There are players there that aren’t at this level now, and may not play this level again,” he said. “I don’t think anyone learned anything from that.”

A difficult day for Welsh rugby

For Wales, the defeat will strengthen scrutiny of the WRU’s scheduling and long-term planning. A young and inexperienced squad battled gamely in patches—Mann, Hawkins and Dyer among those showing fight—but the mismatch was stark.

A crowd of around 50,000, well below capacity, reflected the mood of supporters as another bruising year for Welsh rugby nears its end.

Head coach Warren Gatland will now attempt to piece together the positives from a chastening afternoon, but the bigger questions facing the structure of the game in Wales remain unanswered.