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'There are lots of benefits of it' — Supporters welcome Welsh tourism tax plan

'There are lots of benefits of it' — Supporters welcome Welsh tourism tax plan

ITV News20 hours ago
The Welsh Government is deciding if the visitor levy will proceed but there is a mixture of opinions on whether it would help areas in Wales or be a hindrance.
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Wales goalkeeper Olivia Clark goes from working at McDonald's to Euro 2025
Wales goalkeeper Olivia Clark goes from working at McDonald's to Euro 2025

Rhyl Journal

time12 minutes ago

  • Rhyl Journal

Wales goalkeeper Olivia Clark goes from working at McDonald's to Euro 2025

Clark admits to a 'random' football journey that has taken her from defunct clubs to Champions League action in the Netherlands. But probably the strangest part of the story is that Clark actually began her international journey with Wales when she was still serving fast food customers in Lincoln. 'I was front of house at McDonald's, on the tills and taking orders,' said Clark, whose next task is to stop Manchester City star Vivianne Miedema and company when Wales meet the Netherlands in their Euro 2025 opener on Saturday. 'I was still doing that when I first got into the Wales set-up. 'I said to them, 'I've got to go now to go to international camp' and they were like, 'What?'. 'It was all very random, but then my whole career's been like that.' Prep time 🏃‍♀️ — Wales 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 (@Cymru) July 1, 2025 Clark began her football career at local club Lincoln Ladies and switched from her striker role after 'our goalkeeper fell ill one day'. While she would remain in situ, the team did not as Lincoln Ladies relocated to Nottingham and rebranded. Clark thought her sporting future might lie in cricket – she had played for Lincolnshire and the Yorkshire Diamonds development team – but was persuaded to train at seventh-tier Boston and progressed up the pyramid via Nettleham, Huddersfield and Coventry United. By then, her Wales career was up and running. 'I was on Twitter scrolling one day and saw the FAW holding a trial for Under-17s,' said Clark, now 23 and with 30 senior caps to her name ahead of Wales' major tournament bow in Lucerne. Tournament essentials 🤩🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 — Wales 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 (@Cymru) July 1, 2025 'I said to my dad, 'Mum's Welsh, do you think I could play for Wales?'. He said, 'Of course', so he drove me four-and-a-half hours to Merthyr and I was soon invited to senior camp. 'It's been such an honour to play for Wales because it connects my family.' Clark's club career has taken her from Coventry – the Championship team were liquidated while she was there – to Bristol City, FC Twente in the Netherlands and back to the Women's Super League at Leicester. At Twente in the first half of this season she came up against Celtic, Chelsea and Real Madrid in the Champions League, getting a sneak preview of the talent coming through the Dutch ranks. Clark said: 'It was a good level of football, full of young players and an up and coming league. 'It was a dream to play in the Champions League, but the opportunity to come back to the WSL with Leicester was too good to turn down. 'Most of the top Dutch players are elsewhere such as the WSL or the German league, but their young players are technical, physical and very tactically intelligent. 'I think our first game will be quite physical and people will see us as underdogs. But I think we can surprise a lot of people in this tournament.'

Wales goalkeeper Olivia Clark goes from working at McDonald's to Euro 2025
Wales goalkeeper Olivia Clark goes from working at McDonald's to Euro 2025

South Wales Guardian

time12 minutes ago

  • South Wales Guardian

Wales goalkeeper Olivia Clark goes from working at McDonald's to Euro 2025

Clark admits to a 'random' football journey that has taken her from defunct clubs to Champions League action in the Netherlands. But probably the strangest part of the story is that Clark actually began her international journey with Wales when she was still serving fast food customers in Lincoln. 'I was front of house at McDonald's, on the tills and taking orders,' said Clark, whose next task is to stop Manchester City star Vivianne Miedema and company when Wales meet the Netherlands in their Euro 2025 opener on Saturday. 'I was still doing that when I first got into the Wales set-up. 'I said to them, 'I've got to go now to go to international camp' and they were like, 'What?'. 'It was all very random, but then my whole career's been like that.' Prep time 🏃‍♀️ — Wales 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 (@Cymru) July 1, 2025 Clark began her football career at local club Lincoln Ladies and switched from her striker role after 'our goalkeeper fell ill one day'. While she would remain in situ, the team did not as Lincoln Ladies relocated to Nottingham and rebranded. Clark thought her sporting future might lie in cricket – she had played for Lincolnshire and the Yorkshire Diamonds development team – but was persuaded to train at seventh-tier Boston and progressed up the pyramid via Nettleham, Huddersfield and Coventry United. By then, her Wales career was up and running. 'I was on Twitter scrolling one day and saw the FAW holding a trial for Under-17s,' said Clark, now 23 and with 30 senior caps to her name ahead of Wales' major tournament bow in Lucerne. Tournament essentials 🤩🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 — Wales 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 (@Cymru) July 1, 2025 'I said to my dad, 'Mum's Welsh, do you think I could play for Wales?'. He said, 'Of course', so he drove me four-and-a-half hours to Merthyr and I was soon invited to senior camp. 'It's been such an honour to play for Wales because it connects my family.' Clark's club career has taken her from Coventry – the Championship team were liquidated while she was there – to Bristol City, FC Twente in the Netherlands and back to the Women's Super League at Leicester. At Twente in the first half of this season she came up against Celtic, Chelsea and Real Madrid in the Champions League, getting a sneak preview of the talent coming through the Dutch ranks. Clark said: 'It was a good level of football, full of young players and an up and coming league. 'It was a dream to play in the Champions League, but the opportunity to come back to the WSL with Leicester was too good to turn down. 'Most of the top Dutch players are elsewhere such as the WSL or the German league, but their young players are technical, physical and very tactically intelligent. 'I think our first game will be quite physical and people will see us as underdogs. But I think we can surprise a lot of people in this tournament.'

Lions player ratings as Jac Morgan 'puts down marker' and pundits left eating their words
Lions player ratings as Jac Morgan 'puts down marker' and pundits left eating their words

Wales Online

time15 minutes ago

  • Wales Online

Lions player ratings as Jac Morgan 'puts down marker' and pundits left eating their words

Lions player ratings as Jac Morgan 'puts down marker' and pundits left eating their words The Lions ran out comfortable winners in their second match in Australia as they downed the Queensland Reds Jac Morgan of the British & Irish Lions celebrates after scoring their fifth try during the tour match against Queensland Reds (Image:) The British and Irish Lions made it back-to-back wins out in Australia after they thumped the Queensland Reds in Brisbane. Following a concerning defeat against Argentina in the warm-up in Dublin, Andy Farrell's side now appear to be up and running, backing up their triumph over the Western Force at the weekend with another positive display and a 52-12 win. As ever, though, with Farrell trying to piece together his Test XV in his mind, a number of players put their hands up. ‌ After Tomos Williams' tour-ending injury in the win over the Force on Saturday, Jac Morgan is the only man left flying the Welsh flag Down Under, however he stood up to the occasion on Wednesday with a well-taken try and a fantastic performance all round the park. Sign up to Inside Welsh rugby on Substack to get exclusive news stories and insight from behind the scenes in Welsh rugby. ‌ He enjoyed the most carry metres (49m) of any Lions forward and was the top tackler with 21. He also picked up three jackal turnovers, too. And his performance was well received across the board with the British and Irish media, ramping up that competition for the seven shirt when Test No.1 comes around on July 19. "The race for seven is right on. He's been exceptional tonight and put pressure on the players playing on Saturday," said former Wales and Lions fly-half Dan Biggar after Morgan had been awarded the player of the match gong. Article continues below "He's put down a marker," added commentator Miles Harrison. The top mark came from The Telegraph, who handed Morgan a 9/10, saying: "Punchy and clever in the carry, scoring a try while plundering a hat-trick of jackal turnovers, too. A quiet evening against Argentina was banished brilliantly. "Right back in the conversation (to start a Test), despite fierce competition." ‌ RugbyPass said the Welshman enjoyed a "strong" performance, adding: "Made an excellent turnover early in the game and came up with two more. His effort couldn't be faulted in all aspects of the game. Hit a great line for his try in the second half." While it was a bitty first half, some reports in The Times said he was having a quiet first half. However, by the end of the match, the Ospreys star appears to have emerged as a Test contender. "Jac Morgan is named man of the match; impossible to find fault with that," wrote Stephen Jones in The Times. ‌ Will Kelleher also added: "Jac Morgan is the official man of the match. I take it back when I said he wasn't doing much in the first half. He's grown into this game, and the tour, really well and had a good night." "For the Tests it feels they'll still go for a 'big 6', so Ollie Chessum or Tadhg Beirne, with an out and out No7 either side of Jack Conan. So would you have Morgan, Tom Curry or Josh van der Flier having seen them all play properly now?" The Express said that Morgan sent a reminder to everyone of his talents, awarding him an 8/10 and saying: "Reminded everyone there is still a Welshman on tour with first half turnover and [ran a] banging line for his score." ‌ also believe Morgan's performance in Queensland has thrust him right into the Test conversation. Giving him a 7/10, they added: "Morgan placed his foot right into the argument for a Test start with a really strong showing in the 7 jersey. "He was his usual industrious self with the ball in hand, grabbing a try and adding his weight to shove Porter over in the first half. ‌ "In defence he was a menace in and around the breakdown which was a huge positive for the Lions." There was also praise from The Guardian, who said of Morgan: "He was brilliant. Now the only Welshman in the squad, he could be a starter for the opening Test if he continues to perform like this." Elsewhere, others also impressed. Captain Maro Itoje put in a big display and he got 9/10 in RugbyPass's player ratings. They wrote of the skipper: "Leading the Lions for the first time on Australian soil, Itoje proved a real nuisance at lineout time and showed real intent in defence and in the carry. Won every 50:50 and capped his performance with the Lions' first try. Much more like it." ‌ The Daily Mail also dished out a 9/10 for the second row, saying of his performance: "This was one of the captain's hallmark performances. A nuisance in defence, forcing spilt balls and messy rucks. Led from the front with his usual intensity." Finn Russell also received praise from the publication. "Showcased his vast range of passes to ensure the ball reached his wingers," they said. "Seamlessly linked up with (Jamison) Gibson-Park for a Test-ready half-back partnership. Wrap him in cotton wool until the Tests." Article continues below The Telegraph also gave Itoje 9/10, while they handed the same mark to wing Tommy Freeman. "Fumbled his first touch before recovering," they said of the Englishman. "Won back a restart and hunted involvements with typical hunger, scoring twice."

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