Editors Message

staff and contributors

SPORTINGWALES

their way to the Grand Final of the Magners League.

There are grounds for optimism for Welsh rugby as we look forward to the Test against South Africa and

tour of New Zealand.

Editor:

Hamish Stuart

Art Director:

Paul P Bailey (paulpbailey.com)

Photography:

Steve Pope

Advertising Sales Manager:

Wayne McAuliffe 029 2049 6972

Contributors:

Roger Hughes Richard Thomas Gary Baker Hugh John Paul Batcup Simon Grant

Publisher:

SportingWales

Managing Director:

Steve Pope

SW

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issue11twothousand&ten

sportingwales

Accounts Manager:

John Pope

But as ever Sporting Wales is not just about rugby and football. It is a big time for golf with the Wales

Open as a precursor to the Ryder Cup.

Rhys Davies is the big Welsh hope, it is easy to put too much pressure on young shoulders – but actually he is level-headed enough to cope and focus on his own targets rather than external expectations. That is

a good combination in golf.

We focus on some fascinating players in the Wales football team – who says the modern footballers are

all stereotyped and faceless!

It is the time of year for cricket and there are signs of Glamorgan stirring. Their success of the 90's was based round a group of excellent home-grown players – it seems a similar grouping could be emerging.

As always plenty of positives in Welsh sport and we would not be able to bring those to you without the

support of our sponsors – quality backers of a quality product as we hope you agree.

Please continue to get in touch with us with story ideas and feedback either through e-mail or through our Facebook group – look for sportingwales (all one word). If you cannot rely on getting a paper copy of

the magazine, subscribe for each FREE edition through www.sportingwales.net

Hamish@sportingwales.com

©SportingWales 2010. All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, transmitted or recorded in any form or by any means without prior written permission from the publisher. While the publishers believe that all information contained in this publication was correct at the time of printing, they can accept no liability for any inaccuracies that may appear.

Contact: info@sportingwales.com Tel: 01633 410450

WELCOME TO

The roller coaster nature of Welsh sport has never been better illustrated by the topsy turfy events to affect the main teams in the capital city.

For Cardiff City it was a case of so near and yet so far, after losing the worst game to lose in British football – the Championship play-off.

It is a shame that some Swansea die-hards could not see this, but it would have been great for Welsh football to have had a team – either Cardiff or Swansea – in the Premiership. The exposure, the publicity, even being on Match of the Day every week would have worked wonders.

Losing was a sickening experience for many fans, it is the one game where there can be no consolation in defeat. Blackpool with their lower crowds and poorer ground will not grace the premiership as well as

either of the Big Two Welsh sides – but that too is irrelevant.

By contrast – and on the same weekend – Cardiff Blues really announced themselves in the top level of European rugby by beating Toulon in Marseilles to win the Amlin Challenge Cup. It is the secondary competition to the Heineken Cup, but this season's revamp and the pure quality of Toulon meant the achievement was comparable.

Building on that success without Xavier Rush will be tough, but there is so much to admire about the Blues

that they fully deserve support from all round their region. It is time for old tribalism to be buried.

Down the road the Ospreys too are showing signs of coming of age, particularly winning in Munster on Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52