Batchelor ready 'to show the world' on PFL debut
Training out of the renowned Shore MMA gym in Abertillery, south Wales - the same camp that has produced Jack Shore, Oban Elliott, and Brett Johns - Batchelor has an impressive pedigree. The Welshman enjoyed a decorated amateur career with a 9-1 record, capturing titles in the bantamweight and featherweight divisions on the Cage Warriors Academy Wales circuit."They've all said to me 'You're more than ready for this step,' even before I turned pro," said Batchelor.Both of Batchelor's professional wins have come via TKO, underlining the striking ability that has made him one of the most exciting prospects to emerge from the Welsh MMA scene in recent years."I'm more than ready for this level," he added. "I'm going to shock a lot of people on the night. It's going to be an interesting match-up - but I'm looking forward to it."Now, with the eyes of the MMA world turning to Brussels, the Welshman is embracing the moment and the chance to make his mark on the international stage."I've never been in a more perfect position to take this chance and show the world who I am," he said.
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Wales Online
13 minutes ago
- Wales Online
The forgotten Wales and Lions star ready to spark back into life with new challenge
The forgotten Wales and Lions star ready to spark back into life with new challenge The Wales prop will be a key figure for the Dragons this season Wyn Jones (C) is at the Dragons this season (Image: © Huw Evans Picture Agency) The 2024/25 season was one to forget for the Dragons, but there are credible reasons to believe the Welsh club will be significantly more competitive this time around. There were a significant number of areas in need of fixing but none more important than the front five. Head coach Filo Tiatia and his support staff took great care to identify the right players not only to improve the club's on-field performance but to strengthen the culture. One of these players is former Wales prop Wyn Jones, who will be crucial to the club's chances of competing this season. The former Scarlets star returns to Welsh rugby after a season at English giants Harlequins. Jones will combine playing rugby with working at his farm back home in Llandovery while he and his wife have recently welcomed their first son, Lewis Wyn, into the world. Sign up to Inside Welsh rugby on Substack to get exclusive news stories and insight from behind the scenes in Welsh rugby. "As you get older and you know your transition out of the game is getting closer," Jones tells WalesOnline. "For me it was about coming home. Article continues below "We've just had our first baby, so it was nice to be able to live at home and play rugby while having family and home comforts around us. "That was best for me and the family. I help out a lot with my parents and keep an eye on the farm back home. "With the little one being born it's nice to be closer to the family. "When you are younger you never think about life after retirement, but when you cross 30 you think okay I'm probably getting closer to the end. "You have a different outlook once you get over the 30 mark and you have to look at the future as well." Back on Jones' farm in Llandovery his family has around 400 acres of land which comprises 100 cattle. "I'll probably go back to the farm and take that over," Jones tells WalesOnline when asked what he'll do when he eventually retires. "I'll be trying to keep my hand in there while still playing rugby. "Rugby still comes first as it always does but when I was in London it was more difficult to keep my eyes on things and keep my hand in more than it is now. "I literally do anything on the farm. "If I'm tired and need a day off it will be lighter duties if anything at all and some days when I'm tired after training if there's jobs that need doing I'll help out. "It could be anything from cattle work to sheep work to tractor work. There's a range of different things all depending on the time of year really. I think it gives me a good balance. "If you have a bad day in training you can go out and do something on the farm and completely switch off. On days off it helps me switch off from rugby. "That's probably been the key for me having something else to focus on when you've had a good day in rugby or won a grand slam, there's always something that's gone wrong on the farm to bring you back down to earth - or vice versa. "It kind of brings you back down to earth. Rugby will come first whatever happens and that's always been the case or it never would have worked." But as Jones says rugby comes first and he will undoubtedly play a key role for the Dragons this season. The 48-cap Wales international who toured with the British & Irish Lions to South Africa in 2021 will bring a hard edge and scrummaging prowess to the Dragons front-row. Join WalesOnline Rugby's WhatsApp Channel here to get the breaking news sent straight to your phone for free "I'll bring a bit of experience," Jones tells WalesOnline. "They've got a young squad here. "They've brought in the likes of myself, Dillon (Lewis), Thomas Young, Seb (Davies) and Levi (Douglas). "Last season they were winning games at 60 minutes and then it slipped away from them. "It's just adding that little bit of experience and trying to get those games over the line to get more wins under our belt. "A lot of recruitment has been done in the front five and the pack especially." Tiatia's side recorded only two wins last season but they should expect a better return this time around after an aggressive recruitment drive. The likes of Jones, Young and Lewis, among others, will be tasked with improving the competitiveness of the Dragons pack, while they will also complement some of the club's bright young talent in the shape of Jordan Morris, Brodie Coghlan, Dylan Kelleher-Griffiths and Nick Thomas, among others. "A lot of recruitment has been done in the front five and the pack especially," he said. "I've been very impressed with the young boys coming through. "You've got Dylan and Jordan, two young looseheads who have been training really well. I've been really impressed with those two. "They've got plenty of questions to ask which is great and hopefully I can help them along as well. "I've also been impressed with Brodie, the hooker. "There's a lot of good young youngsters here but they need a few years to get some more game time under their belts and some more time in the environment. "It's looking very positive and I truly believe we can be competitive this year." Get the latest breaking Welsh rugby news stories sent straight to your inbox with our FREE daily newsletter. Sign up here. Times are tough in Welsh rugby at the moment with the Welsh Rugby Union working behind the scenes to put a new structure in place for the professional game. A reduction of professional clubs is a possibility but Jones insists what goes on in the boardroom will not affect the team's performance this season. "It was refreshing going to England and not having to go to crisis meetings!," joked Jones. "It's above our pay grade. We turn up and do our professional job as best as we can. "We just leave people above us to sort it out. It's probably been going on for too long I'll be honest and it needs to get sorted out sooner rather than later. "It's above my pay grade so I'll just leave them to it. There has been a lot of change at the Dragons this year. "I've been very impressed with the training facilities, the staff and everything around the place having been at the Scarlets for years and knowing where the other regions train. "This is by far the best training facility and everything is here. We can't use that as an excuse. It's very positive here. "I think the coaches are really good and I really think we can take strides forward." Article continues below Jones played a straight bat when asked about the prospect of a Wales recall, but if he can help turn the Dragons pack around a phone call from Steve Tandy is not out of the question.
BBC News
2 hours ago
- BBC News
Rangers on cusp of something special - if they can address critical issues
Rangers are just one tie away from the riches and prestige that comes with Champions League qualification, but few who have watched Russell Martin's new side so far this season will be getting carried have delivered one convincing performance (at home to Viktoria Plzen) in the six they have played and will need to improve significantly before Club Brugge visit Ibrox next midweek if they are to have any chance of overcoming the is inconceivable that Brugge will not more ruthlessly punish the slackness in possession that has plagued Rangers as they try to adapt to Martin's methods than either Panathinaikos or Plzen were able head coach says it's a process and that with each passing game and training session, the players will improve in the system, but while they have got away with it in Europe, both Motherwell and Dundee have taken points off them in the Rangers supporters have not been slow to vent their displeasure. Ibrox on Saturday was an uncomfortable place to be as Martin's decision to bring on Kieran Dowell to try to retrieve the game against Dundee was met with boos from the stands and a generally insipid performance led to the stands emptying long before James Tavernier's penalty earned a visit on Saturday in the League Cup - a no-win scenario for Martin, but an opportunity potentially to introduce Mikey Moore and Thelo Aasgaard into the is expected of both as Rangers stand on the cusp of something special, but only if they can address critical issues that threaten to derail their season almost before it has begun.
BBC News
2 hours ago
- BBC News
2025-26 Celtic Challenge to feature knockout rugby
The Celtic Challenge is set to feature knockout rugby for the first time as organisers announce changes to the competition structure ahead of the 2025-26 league - which gets under way on 20 December - will feature 10 rounds before culminating with semi-finals and a six-team competition features two sides from Scotland, Ireland and Moore, the Welsh Rugby Union's (WRU) head of women's rugby, said: "The Celtic Challenge is a major foundation block in the development pathway to give players the opportunity to play at a high level and to realise their personal ambitions of wearing the red of Wales."The likes of prop Maisie Davies, lock Alaw Pyrs and hooker Molly Reardon have already used it as a launchpad to play Test rugby, and we can expect more players from Gwalia Lightning and Brython Thunder to follow in their footstep in the new extended league." Gwalia Lightning and Brython Thunder have previously been the Welsh representation in the competition and they will be the two sides involved in this 2025-26 was announced in April that Lightning and Thunder were to be replaced by two fresh months later the WRU postponed the proposed revamp of top-tier women's rugby in Wales two months later "due to the ongoing transformation in the men's game".Edinburgh Rugby and Glasgow Warriors were the two Scottish sides in the competition last term with Wolfhounds and Clovers representing Ireland.A total of 44 players who featured in the Celtic Challenge during the 2024-25 season have been selected for international duty in this year's Rugby World year's women's Six Nations featured 73 players who featured in the Celtic Challenge, with 64 of the league's representatives named in the U20's Six Nations Women's Summer Series in McDarby, the Irish Rugby Football Union's (IRFU) head of women's performance and pathways, said: "The introduction of a Celtic Challenge final is a natural evolution for a competition that continues to grow in impact. "The success of our players on the international stage is a direct reflection of the high-performance environment the Celtic Challenge provides. "We're proud of the role this league plays in developing world-class talent and remain committed to its continued expansion and success."Team announcements, fixtures and broadcast coverage details for the Celtic Challenge will be announced following the conclusion of the Women's Rugby World Fay, Scottish Rugby head of women and girls strategy, said: "The continued evolution of the Celtic Challenge shows the vital contribution this competition plays connecting our club game to the international stage. "We have already seen the impact that both Edinburgh Rugby and Glasgow Warriors have had on the Scotland team and this will only grow as the Celtic Challenge does."Wolfhounds retained their Celtic Challenge crown after defeating Edinburgh 102-0 in their final fixture of the series in March.
