ITV Wales blog
Sport
Could the Olympics encourage an increase in human trafficking?
In a few short months , the London Olympics will be upon us. Millions of extra visitors are expected to flock to the UK to witness this historic event. But while the Games will be an exciting and wonderful experience for most , there will be those whose only memories of this event will be … Continue reading
Guest blog: Cardiff fired up by Loeb’s eight-stravaganza and Latvala’s ice-breaking win
by Tudor Rus The Wales Rally GB got under way on Thursday in Llandudno as the last stage of the FIA World Rally Championship. Andrew Coe, chief executive of Wales Rally GB organizer International Motor Sports, told BBC News that; “The drivers are tremendously excited. There are some really big names and some of the best … Continue reading
Latvala wins Wales Rally GB for Ford
Jari-Matti Latvala has won this year’s Wales Rally GB after a tense competition which saw many of the favourite drivers, including last year’s winner and eight-times World Champion Sebastien Loeb and Latvala’s team mate Mikko Hirvonen, forced to retire. The Finn’s win sees the Ford team take the trophy for the first time in ten … Continue reading
£1.4m funding boost for Wales Rally GB 2012
Wales Rally GB will received a £1.4m funding boost from the Welsh Assembly next year Business Minister Edwina Hart has announced. Ms Hart said: “The value of the relationship between the staging of Wales Rally GB and Wales? automotive sector should not be underestimated. Wales Rally GB has significant links with the automotive sector in … Continue reading
Disappointment for Ford as Hirvonen forced to retire
It was a disappointing second day for WRC contender Mikko Hirvonen as he was forced to retire from the Wales Rally GB after SS7 (Dyfnant 1). The Finn, who drives for the Ford Abu Dhabi team had trailed rival Citroen’s Sebastien Loeb by eight points ahead of this weekend. Hirvonen’s retirement means that the Frenchman … Continue reading
Mini aim for podium finish as they return to Wales Rally GB
This year’s Wales Rally GB sees the return of a British rally icon. Mini have entered a works team in the British leg of the World Rally championship for the first time since the 1960s. But MINI WRC Team’s technical director is hopeful that the British side can get a driver on the podium. Watch … Continue reading
Guest blog: Rally’s unsung heroes – the volunteer marshals
Bec Hinton, 29, is the marketing and sales manager for the Deli Farm Charcuterie at Delabole, north Cornwall. She has been marshalling for 15 years and involved in rallying since she was 18 months old. This weekend she will again battles the wind and rain at this year’s Wales Rally GB as a volunteer marshal. Bec … Continue reading
Loeb narrowly leads WRC championship ahead of Wales Rally GB
It’s that time of the year again where the eyes of the motorsport World turn to Wales as the final leg of the World Rally Championship roars across the country. This year it’s a more tense competition than usual. In recent years the championship has already been decided before the 13th round begins. But this … Continue reading
Olympic goodwill
The organisers of the London 2012 Olympic Games are hoping that today’s announcement of the torch relay route will finally persuade all parts of the United Kingdom that the games don’t just belong to their host city. It seems to be doing the trick. The torch will visit all 22 council areas in Wales and … Continue reading
Roll on the 2015 Rugby World Cup…
Not that I’m wishing my time away but I’ve calculated that it’s around 1450 days until the next Rugby World Cup, back here in the Northern Hemisphere, in 2015. I think the fact that a lot of us are talking about that already is a mark of how great the tournament just gone has been. … Continue reading
Guest blog: It may just be third place on offer, but Wales still have a lot to play for
by Tzevai Chong It’s been a sober and solemn few days since the disappointment of Wales’ agonising semi-final defeat to France. I’ll have to admit the red mist of anger lingered for most of the weekend but the result won’t change. And we’ve still got one more game to go – the third place play-off. Many people … Continue reading
Guest blog: Harsh lesson for ‘Men in Red’
By Paul French A lone young supporter draped in a Welsh flag in an emptying Millennium Stadium is the abiding image of Wales’s agonising World Cup exit. It was a night of what if’s for Warren Gatland’s team. What if Sam Warburton had only seen yellow, what if James Hook hadn’t lost his footing when … Continue reading
Wales deserve a warm welcome when they return home
You can follow Frances on Twitter – @FranDonovanTV Mike, Mark, Gareth and I are still smarting from that result on Saturday, like most of the rest of you, I suspect. I think what rankles the most is that the best team on the pitch didn’t ultimately run out winners. Wales played the better rugby and … Continue reading
Before the Wales/France match, a final word…
Frances Donovan presents the coverage of the match on ITV1 Wales from 8.30am on Saturday morning. Also, you can follow her on Twitter – @FranDonovanTV So, here we are, just a match away from a World Cup Final. Part of me wants to say I can’t quite believe it and it feels a bit like … Continue reading
Guest blog: Hopes and predictions ahead of Wales v France
By Tzevai Chong In 1987 four teams made the semi-finals of the inaugural Rugby World Cup in New Zealand. The home nation faced (and beat) Wales, while France overcame Australia to make it through to the final. The All Blacks went on to win the tournament while Wales beat Australia to finish third. Roll forward 24 years … Continue reading
Guest blog: Wales prepare for the unknown
By Paul French Let me put Wales’ semi-final date with destiny against France into context. The last and only time the men in red made into the final four of the Rugby World Cup, only around 22,000 spectators were present to see them beaten by the All Blacks. Over the next 24 years, while the … Continue reading
Guest blog – Putting old rivalries to one side
Here in New Zealand, it seems as though there’s only one subject on the mind of the nation. That topic, unsurprisingly, is rugby. Now, we’re down to the business end of the World Cup tournament. The country is full of people more than willing to share their thoughts with complete strangers as to who they … Continue reading
Two games down – five points gained – what next for Wales in Rugby World Cup
With two Pool matches down and two to go in the Rugby World Cup, our sports correspondent Richard Morgan looks at how Wales have performed so far, and what may lie ahead… One win and one defeat, five match points, one foot in the quarter-finals. Numbers that would have pleased most Wales supporters before rugby’s … Continue reading
Guest blog: In the end, rugby was the winner on the night
By Analiese Jackson If there’s one thing that I’ve learned over the course of the Rugby World Cup, it’s that New Zealanders have the endearing habit of supporting whoever is considered the under-dog going into a match…so long as we’re positive they’re absolutely no threat to our national team. Sitting in a bar in Courtney … Continue reading
Guest Blog: Passion and pride for a nation in mourning
By Owen Hathway Sport often has the ability to transcend its own boundaries. Historically this has been for political statements such as the boycotted Olympics of Moscow 1980 and Los Angeles 1984 or the Black Power salute of Tommie Smith and John Carlos in Mexico ‘68. More examples have been the individual courage of an athlete such as … Continue reading
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