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Wales Online
a day ago
- Wales Online
Unanimous backing for Ospreys redevelopment of St Helen's sports ground given by councillors
Unanimous backing for Ospreys redevelopment of St Helen's sports ground given by councillors It's a key moment for the regional rugby side and chief executive Lance Bradley pledges to respect the ground's history St Helen's Rugby and Cricket Ground, viewed from the Mumbles Road end (Image: Wales Online ) Plans by regional rugby club the Ospreys to redevelop Swansea's historic St Helen's sports ground have been unanimously approved. Ospreys chief executive Lance Bradley addressed the council's planning committee to say the redevelopment was really important for the club's future and also for that of Swansea RFC and Swansea University, which will continue to play matches there. Mr Bradley said the aim was for schools and age-grade representative rugby to also benefit as part of a rugby 'hub' at the seaside venue. 'It's an incredibly iconic ground,' he said. 'We will completely respect the history of the place.' Mr Bradley referred to 'uncertain times' in Welsh rugby and said the opportunity to redevelop St Helen's would be a a significant factor in ensuring the future of professional rugby in Swansea. The plan is to refurbish and cover the existing north stand, which will remain standing-only, re-orientate the pitch in a north-easterly direction towards the clubhouse and replace the current turf with a 3G surface, build a new southern stand and add two stands at either end of the pitch. The club's preferred option for the southern stand is a two-storey rather than a single-storey structure incorporating changing rooms, a medical room, toilets and corporate hospitality. A report before the committee said the club couldn't unequivocally confirm the two-storey option at this stage. It added that the capacity of the ground would be between 8,044 and 8,396. Never miss a Swansea story by signing up to our newsletter here Ospreys chief executive Lance Bradley outside the Guildhall, Swansea, after approval was given for the redevelopment of St Helen's sports ground (Image: Richard Youle ) Uplands ward councillor Peter May addressed the committee to say he'd lived close to St Helen's Rugby and Cricket Ground, which opened in 1873, for 29 years and that he backed the project. He said the Ospreys had had 'a dialogue not monologue' with local councillors and residents and that in his view the scale of the proposed venue was 'about right' for the area. Cllr May said he would, though, want buses available to take spectators away from the ground if there were evening midweek or late weekend matches. He acknowledged that Swansea Cricket Club would have to vacate the ground it has occupied for 150 years but this was partly due, in his view, to Glamorgan Cricket Club's decision not to play fixtures there since 2019 because of concerns about the facilities. 'I really look forward to the evolution and the next chapter in our dear St Helen's ground,' said Cllr May. The Ospreys will also create a fans' zone with a retractable roof at the Gorse Lane end of the ground, a staff car park with around 100 spaces to be accessed via Gorse Lane, a new southern entrance for spectators, and bicycle stands for 80 bikes. Replacement floodlights will also be installed. The southern stand at St Helen's, which will be replaced (Image: Richard Youle ) The Ospreys also intend to build a training barn at the Gorse Lane-Mumbles Road corner of the ground, and the permission given by the committee included outline consent for this second phase of the scheme. Although the rugby club was the applicant, the committee report said the initiative was a joint venture with the council and Swansea University and formed part of a wider city deal project to create a sports and medical technology cluster in the vicinity. The council, which owns the ground, is to invest in the redevelopment as part of a long-term agreement with the Ospreys. Council budget papers have shown £5.1 million allocated to the project, with just over £1 million on top to create a suitable venue for the cricket club off Sketty Lane, Sketty. The cricket club will move out at the end of August, and the Ospreys aim to play their first home match at St Helen's in December. It would be their first match there since 2005 when they moved to what was then the new Liberty Stadium, Landore, where Swansea City Football Club also play. Members of the committee backed the plans while seeking assurances about travel and road measures on match days. Cllr Phil Downing said the project was important for the county, not just the city. 'Being a total football fan, this is still very exciting for me,' he said. A planning officer said a travel plan submitted by the Ospreys, which includes buses on match days offering a park and ride service, was an evolving document rather than something fixed from day one. Referring to the 8,000-odd capacity, the officer said: 'I can remember going to games here which far exceeded that number.' The future of the current structure of four professional regional rugby sides in Wales continues to be the subject of discussion, with the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) saying a consultation about a restructure would take place this month and next. One potential development, it said, was whether there should be a reduction to three or two regional teams. The planning committee heard there were four letters of objection plus two late ones – one of which was from the Scarlets Supports Trust. A mural at St Helen's commemorating Swansea RFC vistories against New Zealand, South Africa and Australia (Image: Richard Youle ) Mr Bradley has recently said he was confident of a positive outcome regarding the WRU discussions. In a statement issued by the club after the approval decision, he said: 'This is an incredibly exciting moment and a vital step in building the future of the Ospreys and rugby across our region.' Cllr Rob Stewart, the leader of Swansea Council, said: 'It's vitally important for sport and the local economy that the Ospreys continue to be based in Swansea and we're working together to make that happen. 'We've agreed a lease for them to make St Helen's their new home and to widen its community use. By having a lease agreed and planning permission in place the Ospreys can start moving ahead with their plans to remain in Swansea and transform the historic St Helen's ground into a modern sports facility.' He added: "We know the uncertainty over the future of the regions has raised concerns about the timing of the planned redevelopment of St Helen's. That's why we're working closely with the Ospreys and have an agreement with them to ensure the works at St Helen's progress in line with any WRU decisions on the future structure of the regions." Article continues below
Belfast Telegraph
2 days ago
- Belfast Telegraph
Northern Ireland and Liverpool star Conor Bradley in a race to be fit for the start of the new season
Bradley has impressed during pre-season for the Reds but injury means the 22-year-old sitting out the visit of the Spaniards to Merseyside. Slot's comments suggest it is not serious which is promising news for both Liverpool, beginning the defence of the Premier League on August 15, and Northern Ireland whose World Cup qualifying campaign is just a month away. Club captain Virgil van Dijk and number one goalkeeper Alisson Becker plus defender Joe Gomez were also absentees for the two matches versus Athletic Club. While Slot stated Van Dijk and Alisson will be back for Sunday's Community Shield clash at Wembley against FA Cup winners Crystal Palace and the opening Premier League match of the 2025/26 season at home to Bournemouth on Friday week, the boss of the champions told LFC TV that 'it is going to be tight' for both Gomez and Bradley. Northern Ireland supporters will be keeping a close eye on the situation with the opening World Cup qualifier in Luxembourg on September 4. Manager Michael O'Neill is keen that all his big hitters are fit for that vital match which is quickly followed by another away game three days later against group favourites Germany. Bradley has become a figurehead for O'Neill's new, vibrant young Northern Ireland side which has given the Green and White Army hope of reaching a first major tournament since Euro 2016. He is also an important player for Liverpool. Having made his first team debut as a teenager, he excelled at Bolton Wanderers on loan before returning to Merseyside where he has shone for the Reds when selected from the start or as a substitute. The Tyrone native has won the Premier League and Carabao Cup with his boyhood club over the last two seasons though on the flip side he has suffered frustrating injuries keeping him on the sidelines at different stages during that time. With Trent Alexander-Arnold leaving Liverpool for Real Madrid in the summer, this season is viewed as the one that Bradley can nail down a regular starting slot at right back though he faces stiff competition from new signing Jeremie Frimpong who has come in from Bayer Leverkusen. Before tonight, former Dungannon United Youth player Bradley had featured in all four of Liverpool's pre-season fixtures scoring in the first one against Preston North End.
Reuters
3 days ago
- Reuters
Pirates' Mitch Keller looks for run support; Rockies seek elusive home sweep
August 3 - Mitch Keller's name frequently popped up in trade rumors ahead of the deadline on Thursday, but the veteran right-hander stayed with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Now, Keller (4-10, 3.69 ERA) can focus on the rest of the season, starting Sunday afternoon when he takes the mound in the series finale against the Colorado Rockies in Denver. Rookie right-hander Bradley Blalock (1-2, 7.09) will start for Colorado, which has a chance to sweep its first home series of the year. The Rockies might be without Seth Halvorsen for the rest of the season after the right-handed closer left Saturday's game in the ninth with an injury to his pitching elbow. Interim manager Warren Schaeffer didn't have a definitive update but sounded discouraged. "It don't look good," Schaeffer said. While Keller's record isn't flashy, he has pitched better than his record indicates in his 22 starts this season. He has a 3.02 ERA over his past nine outings and has won his past three decisions after losing 10 straight from April 4-June 21. In those games, the Pirates scored more than two runs just once. He struggled in his most recent start, tossing 73 pitches in just two innings against the San Francisco Giants on Monday in a game the Rockies won 6-5. He will face Colorado for fifth time in his career -- and fourth start -- and holds a 2-1 record and 0.39 ERA in those appearances. His lone loss came in Denver on July 16, 2022, when he allowed an unearned run in a 2-0 Colorado victory. He will try to salvage the final game of the series for the Pirates, who dropped their second straight, 8-5, on Saturday despite having Paul Skenes on the mound. Pittsburgh entered the weekend on a five-game winning streak but couldn't hold a significant lead Friday night. The Pirates scored nine runs in the first inning and led 15-6 after they batted in the top of the fifth and then fell 17-16 following the Rockies' four-run fifth inning and five-run ninth. "Our pitching has been so good all year long," Pittsburgh manager Don Kelly said. "When you look at the foundation they've set from the starters to the bullpen, and the way we've gone about it, I definitely think Friday was a blip. Some guys may be pitching here for the first time, too." Blalock is coming off his first quality start of the season and best outing of the year. He threw six shutout innings at Cleveland on Monday but was denied a win when the Rockies couldn't hold his 3-0 lead before defeating the Guardians 8-6. The bottom fell out for Blalock on May 10 when he gave up 12 runs in 3 2/3 innings in a 21-0 loss to the San Diego Padres, and he was optioned to Triple-A Albuquerque the next day. He was recalled July 7 and is 1-0 with a 1.59 ERA in three starts since his return. "You've seen it the last three starts he's had," Schaeffer said after Blalock's start in Cleveland. "You can see confidence building." Blalock, who hasn't faced Pittsburgh in his brief career, said he gained that confidence after a conversation with Rockies minor league pitching coordinator Scott Oberg. Since his recall, Blalock has walked just one batter in the 17 innings. "Scott came to me and was like, 'Stop trying to throw the ball to the corners. You've got a lot more plate to live with,'" Blalock said of his talk with Oberg. --Field Level Media
