As the seasons’ change and the long summer fades, there seems to be a sense of foreboding about the likely tough economic months ahead. It would be easy to get swept up in the anxiety of the Nation and fear what’s coming but there’s also reason for some welcome.
That reason is because it’s here in Wales, when the skies begin to darken, the days shorten, the rain falls, and the flowers wither that Welsh sport really fires into life.
Winter games are what warm the soul in the Land of our Fathers. From the muddy rugby fields of the Valleys across the mountains of the middle to the football parks of the North. Our communities come together to support the clubs and the people they are born from.
Horse racing turns from the flat to the jumps with the season opener and Big Welsh Racing Weekend at Chepstow and Ffos Las. Old stars embraced and new champions fashioned. Our jockeys skilled and strong as any will be driving them over the birch to raucous applause and nostril-flaring action. The word is, that our ever more respected training ranks have used the warmer months to strengthen their ammunition and add strings to their bows. There’s a surety that the likes of Evan and Christian Williams will be plundering the big Saturday prizes once more.
Domestic rugby has already woken from its slumber and as the ground softens it’ll go from strength to strength; each ruck and every maul a battle of will. Cardiff, the league favourites for the Premiership with their neighbourly old foes Newport determined to turn around last year’s podium placings. The Wizards of Aberavon poised to create a magic shock.
In the Championship Bargoed will be looking to regain the title but the 2021 runners-up Neath won’t go down without a fight. Whilst it would take a brave man to dismiss the Poolers who will be looking to re-live those glory days of yesteryear.
In the Cymru Prem it’s unlikely anyone will break The New Saints dominance. However, you can be sure there will be plenty trying. The Canaries of Caernarvon certainly won’t roll over with the likes of Flint and Bala perpetually up for the fight.
Lower down the football pyramid, the leagues get harder to call. Colwyn off to a flyer in the North while we wait for a frontrunner to emerge in the South.
Whatever happens over this possible Winter of discontent, here at DragonBet we’ll take comfort in the warm embrace of grassroots Welsh sport and of course wait with anticipation for, as the true Prince of Wales – Michael Sheen calls them… “Those Sons of Speed” to roar “Yma O Hyd” in the desert of Qatar.
