Scarlets have this week officially welcomed Sara Davies as the region’s new team manager.

Davies brings with her a wealth of experience after nearly 10 years working in administrative roles in Welsh Rugby.

A keen rugby player herself, Davies won four British University championships with UWIC while a student between 2005-2009.

She also claimed a Wales U19 cap and was an active member of Whitland RFC before hanging up her boots at the end of last season.

She has previously held posts at the WRU as a Rugby Administrator and Team Manager for the Wales Women U20 (2009-11).

She was also Wales Women’s team manager for 2011-12.

She then spent five years with Newport Gwent Dragons, firstly as a team administrator before taking over as team manager in 2014 before rejoining the WRU in 2016 as team manager for Wales U20 and Wales Sevens.

Jon Daniels, Scarlets General Manager of Rugby, said: “We’re delighted to welcome Sara to the Scarlets family. She has a proven track record and knows and understands the job inside out having held similar roles for the best part of a decade. Sara is a welcome addition to the management team here at the Scarlets.”

Sara Davies, Scarlets Team Manager added; “As a born and bred West Walian, having represented Scarlets on the field myself, it’s an honour to join the management team at the region. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my time with Wales 7s and the Under 20s side over the last few seasons but I’m looking forward to the new challenges and season ahead. Wayne, the coaching and backroom staff have all been very welcoming.”

Scarlets and Wales forward Ryan Elias has been reflecting on playing against one of the best hookers in the world, the Argentinian captain Agustin Creevy.

He’s also been talking about being ‘apprentice’ to Wales and British Lions hooker Ken Owens and how he smashed his nose in the summer tour match against South Africa.

Carmarthen-born Elias, 23, was in the hot seat at today’s Scarlets press conference at Parc y Scarlets.

He covered a wide range of topics . . .

The Wales summer tour (taking in victorious matches against South Africa and Argentina) . . .

“It was a really good experience to go out to Argentina – and play South Africa as well. Two tough sides there.

“It was a good learning experience for me. It’s good to test yourself again the best – I was up again (Agustin) Creevy in Argentina. That felt good. It’s all positives. Good tour.”

The high point of the tour?

“Scoring that try against South Africa to win.”

About smashing his nose . . .

“It was quite funny really.

“I went for a counter-ruck against South Africa and it was like running into a brick wall. I ended up folding up like a cardboard box and my knee came through and hit me right on the nose.

“It wasn’t good. It’s good to have it (the nose) back straight now. The doctors did a good job, to be fair.”

About playing against Agustin Creevy . . .

“Obviously, he’s a big man and he’s renowned for his scrummaging.

“In the last Test, we both started. First half, it was like a game of chess and I was trying to figure out what he was doing. I thought in the second half we got some dominance and that was a real positive as well.

“(He’s a) Brilliant player.

“Line-out, scrum, he’s technically one of the best

“It was really good to go up against him and touch yourself against the best.”

Working alongside Wales and British Lions hooker Ken Owens . . .

“It’s a plus.

“He’s one of the best hookers in the world.

“Obviously, he’s a British Lions so I am learning from the best.

“He’s a good leader. We are both from Carmarthen, same school and same rugby club.

“He calls me his apprentice.

“It’s good to learn from him. He’s got a lot of time for me and I’ve got a lot of time for him. There’ a respect there between us.

“Hopefully, it’s a case of changing of the guard – and when he wants to retire I’ll take his place.”

Looking to the future . . .

“I have a game by game mentality. Hopefully, come the end of the year, I’ll get picked for the World Cup (for Wales). It’s no easy task. It’s very competitive. But its something I want to achieve and I’m going to try and get there.”

Video of today’s press conference (Full version has now replaced earlier edited version).

Ryan Elias Scarlets player information:

Date of Birth:

7 – 1 – 1995

Place Of Birth:

Carmarthen

Position:

Hooker

Having been thrown in the deep end when both Ken Owens and Emyr Phillips suffered mid-season injuries, Ryan Elias has gone from strength to strength since his debut in 2014.

From making his Wales debut in their Summer Tour of 2017, to becoming a key part during of the Scarlets’ squad during the international windows, he plays with an experience that belies his age.

From crash balls from the base of the ruck to accurate darts thrown in the line-out, Ryan has an exceptionally exciting future ahead of him, both at a club and international level.

Elias touched down for Wales against South Africa in the 22-20 summer tour win at the RFK Stadium in Washington.

Renovation work to transform a former office block in Aberaeron into a brand new Integrated Care Centre with health and social care services has begun after Welsh Government officials gave it the green light.

At a special ceremony, the Chair of Hywel Dda University Health Board, Mrs Bernadine OBE, handed over the keys for the Minaeron building to Jeff Lewis, Director of building contractors Lewis Construction, in the company of local dignitaries from across healthcare and the local authority.

Hywel Dda University Health Board acquired Minaeron – a former office block dating back to the 1970s – with the help of Welsh Government funding  after it was concluded that Aberaeron Hospital is no longer fit for purpose in delivering modern day healthcare provision.

While the hospital has played an important part in providing services to the population of Aberaeron and the surrounding area, Minaeron offers significant improvements both in terms of physical access and service provision, with the planned inclusion of Tanyfron GP Practice leading to a truly integrated centre with significant improvements in patient pathways.

Mrs Rees said: “I’m delighted to be able to formally mark the start of the renovation works at Minaeron following a successful business case application to Welsh Government and excellent partnership working with our colleagues in the local authority, the CHC and Tanyfron surgery.

“This is a really exciting time for us all as we continue to develop integrated health and social care facilities for our communities.  This will allow us to provide a broad, multi-disciplinary service for local people as close to their homes as possible.”

The development of the Aberaeron Integrated Care Centre will home as a minimum:

• Clinical Services and support staff from Aberaeron Hospital;

• District Nursing teams

• GP Practice

• Office staff currently based at Felinfach property;

• Existing staff currently based at Minaeron –Ceredigion county management team;

• Public Health staff from Tregaron (subject to consultation);

• Local Authority Social Services and Mental Health staff;

• Additional staff from Bronglais or other HB facilities who were relocated when the Aberaron Hospital upper floor was vacated.

Peter Skitt, Hywel Dda’s County Director and Commissioner for Ceredigion, added: “The Minaeron development represents another hugely significant step in our journey to provide care as close to home as possible.  By integrating health and social care we can provide a range of different services in the community so that we’re not just treating our patients’ medical conditions – we’re also looking after their long term welfare in a way that has been spoken about for a long time but hasn’t really been fully delivered.

“I’d like to pay tribute to everyone who has helped to bring this project to fruition and commend them for their hard work as we look forward to the next phase of this important development.”

Photos: Representatives from healthcare and the local authority at a Handing Over of Keys ceremony in Minaeron.

Pembrey County Park will host the OVO Energy Tour of Britain Grand Depart on Sunday, 2nd September where riders will start Stage One before travelling north through Carmarthenshire en-route to the stage finish in Newport.

Thousands of people are expected to line the route, which travels through Pembrey to Kidwelly and Carmarthen, then on towards Llandeilo and Llandovery.

We want to make sure that you enjoy the day and we will keep this page updated with essential information on viewing the race safely.

Estimated arrival times

The world’s best cyclists will be racing past you – show your support and make some noise with your free fan clapper which you can pick up on the day!

Pembrey Country Park – 11:00

Kidwelly – 11:18

Carmarthen – 11:43

Llandovery – 12:40

The Tour of Britain website has the full timetable for Stage One, with estimated arrival times shown at three different race speeds. You need to arrive at least an hour and a half before these times.

We anticipate the roads will be busy, try and arrive at your preferred location as early as possible.

Road closures

A rolling road closure will be enforced. This means roads on and around the race route will be closed for a short period in which it takes the race to pass by – usually about 10 to 15 minutes around the estimated time of arrival and indicated by police escort vehicles. There are specific road closures for Pembrey Country Park and Llandovery there is further information below.

No Parking!

The route is marked with yellow advanced warning signs in the run up to The Tour. Don’t park on the route on the day. Vehicles will be towed away.

Listen!

There will be an advance vehicle 15 minutes ahead of the race, keeping you up-to-date with what is happening in The Tour.

Caution!

Please keep children back from the edge of the road and animals on a lead, away from the roadside. Riders pass by very fast, and while we encourage support, Keep bags, objects and photography equipment out of the road. Remember, taking selfies is fun, but turning your back on the race is never a good idea. Face the oncoming riders and race convoy at all times.

Police!

The Tour is escorted along the route by trained police officers and escort motorcyclists. If you are asked to stop by an officer, please listen carefully and obey their instructions.

The Route

Show your support

Don’t forget, this is a major international race and Britain’s largest free sporting event. So show your support for the British heroes and the international stars who will be taking part and leave them with positive memories of the race as it passes through our county.

Respect the riders!

We encourage everyone to get behind the riders, but please remember this is their race. Don’t block their route, run alongside them or impede their progress.

If you’d like more information to help plan your visit, take a look on the Discover Carmarthenshire website where you can find out about some of the exciting events that will be happening, where to stay and much more.

Don’t forget to share your photos and experiences using #beiciosirgâr #cyclecarms. Follow the Tour of Britain in Carmarthenshire on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Pembrey Country Park

We recommend you get to the park as early as possible. We will be open from 6am with parking reduced to £2 before 9am and £5 from 9 – 9.30am. Entry will be refused after 9.30am. If you want to guarantee you don’t miss a thing, make a weekend of it and camp at the park.

There will be loads of activities at Pembrey Country Park over the whole weekend. Have a look on Discover Carmarthenshire to see what’s on.

Getting here

The Grand Depart of the OVO Energy Tour of Britain is from Pembrey Country Park located 1.5 miles from the A484 in the south of Carmarthenshire.

By road: If  you are travelling from the east or north, leave the M4 at junction 48 and join the A4138 to Llanelli. Continue straight for approx 4 miles, crossing 3 roundabouts and 1 set of traffic lights. At the Trostre roundabout follow the signs for A484 to Pembrey.

If you’re travelling from the west, follow the A40 to Carmarthen, then the A484 to Llanelli and follow the brown signs.

By rail: There is a direct connection on the Cardiff-Fishguard line to Burry Port Train station.

By bike/foot: Use postcode SA16 0EJ to reach Pembrey.

Parking

Pembrey Country Park has over 1,200 car park spaces there will be no parking on factory road or the surrounding parkland. Get there early and park for £2 before 9am. Remember there will be no access after 9:30am to allow the race to depart safely and on time. If you arrive late at the park and are turned away, you will not be able to park on the A484.

Free parking is available at Festival Fields in Llanelli and in Burry Port.  Both areas provide access to the traffic free Millennium Coastal Path where you can walk or cycle into Pembrey County park.

Road closures

Factory Road which links the main entrance to Pembrey Country Park and the junction with the A484 will be closed from 9:30am until 12 noon on 2nd September.

Traffic management will be in place but it is advised to arrive early due to expected attendance levels. We anticipate traffic disruption from 7am – 4pm on the 2nd September.

Carmarthen Town

Carmarthen Park which is adjacent to the race route at Morfa Lane is a safe and elevated place to watch the tour race by.

Carmarthen Town Council have a range of activities planned to celebrate the day. Get your free Tour of Britain fan clapper and make as much noise as you can as the riders pass by.

Getting here

Rail: There is a direct connection on the Cardiff-Fishguard line to Carmarthen Train station.

Bus: The main bus operator is First Group.

Bike / foot: Use postcode SA31 1JP.

Parking

All Carmarthenshire County Council managed car parks in Carmarthen Town are free on 2ndSeptember.

Park & Ride

A free park and ride service is being offered by Carmarthenshire County Council for this event from 9am till 15.50pm.

It will run from Nant y ci to Blue Street next to the bus station every 20 mins (on the hour, 20 past and 20 to) and from Blue Street (10 past the hour, half past and 10 to the hour).

The bus will not operate from 11:00am – 12:00pm to allow the race to pass and buses will not be able to access the town centre during this time.

Service will recommence from Nant y ci at 12:00 noon

Last service to depart from Blue Street is at 15:50pm

Nantgaredig

Clwb Rygbi Nantgaredig RFC is a picturesque setting to view the race as it goes through the Tywi Valley a few miles north of Carmarthen Town.

The Nantgaredig RFC Clubhouse is a brand new facility with disabled access and toilet facilities. It will be open before, during and after the tour passes for light drink and food refreshments. Visit their website for further information.

Getting here

Bike / foot: Use postcode SA32 7LQ

Parking

The club is providing stewarded free parking for 100 vehicles in their hard standing area with additional parking for more in the adjoining land.

Llandovery Town

The historic market town of Llandovery is the last town before the tour leaves Carmarthenshire for Powys and is a fantastic flat location to watch the tour especially as one of the sprint races is here. Activities will include live music and kid’s entertainment.

Getting here

Bike / foot: Use postcode SA20 0AP

Parking

The Carmarthenshire County Council managed car park next to the Castle in Llandovery Town is free to use on 2nd September.

Road closure

A road closure will be in place on Market Street throughout the day.

Other viewing areas

If you intend to view the race along any other area of the tour route in Carmarthenshire, please arrive at these points at least one hour and a half before the race is due to go through. Do not park on the highway and we’d recommend you car share with others on the day.

Useful links:

Tour of Britain

Discover Carmarthenshire

Pembrey Country Park

Welsh Cycling

Road closures

Car parks

Celebrating Geraint Thomas’ success at the Tour de France, Carmarthen Velodrome could soon be renamed in the champion cyclist’s honour.

In recognition of Thomas’ family roots in Bancyfelin near St Clears, Carmarthenshire Council is proposing calling the town’s velodrome the ‘Geraint Thomas Velodrome’ from now on.

Thomas became the first ever Welshman to win the illustrious Tour de France, beating off competition from the best cyclists on the planet.

Located in Carmarthen Park, Carmarthen Velodrome, built in 1900, is one of the oldest velodromes in the world.

Run and maintained by Carmarthen Town Council, the velodrome was refurbished and reopened last year for the benefit of contemporary cyclists and future generations, thanks to funding from Carmarthenshire Council and Sport Wales, with support from Welsh Cycling.

Cllr Emlyn Dole, Carmarthenshire Council Leader, said: “Geraint Thomas’ success at the Tour de France is right up there with the greatest Welsh sporting achievements of all-time.

“That’s why, given his family roots in Carmarthenshire, we’ll now ask for Geraint’s permission to rename Carmarthen Velodrome in his honour.

“Brilliantly run and maintained by Carmarthen Town Council since its refurbishment and reopening last year, potentially calling the facility the ‘Geraint Thomas Velodrome’ in future would further raise its profile across the world, helping introduce more people from the county and beyond to the joy of cycling.

“Ongoing work in Carmarthenshire to further boost cycling includes the Tywi Valley Path, which will link Carmarthen and Llandeilo for cyclists and pedestrians, as well as a closed road cycling circuit at Pembrey Country Park. The Country Park will also stage the start of the major Tour of Britain cycling race next month as we look to strengthen the county’s growing reputation as the cycling capital of Wales.”

Although now based in Cardiff, Geraint’s father, Howell, is originally from Bancyfelin – a small village nestled between Carmarthen and St Clears on the A48.

Cllr Philip Hughes, Executive Board Member at Carmarthenshire Council and a Ward Member for St Clears, said: “This is a very proud moment for everyone in the St Clears and Bancyfelin community.

“Geraint can now justifiably be called the best cyclist in the world, but he follows in the footsteps of other sporting legends from the village, including rugby heroes Delme Thomas, Mike Phillips and Jonathan Davies, who won man of the series in the British Lions tour of New Zealand last summer.

“Bancyfelin is truly a village of sporting champions.”

The refurbishment of Carmarthen Velodrome included the replacement of all 232 surface panels making up the cycling track, as well as the introduction of a safety fence around the outside edge of the track, and a new safety zone along its inside perimeter.

After a number of successful years held at Galeri Caernarfon, The Redhouse in Merthyr Tydfil and Tramshed in Cardiff, the Wales Book of the Year Award Ceremony has found a new home for 2019 with Literature Wales announcing that the 2019 Award Ceremony will be hosted by Aberystwyth Arts Centre.

Organised by Literature Wales, the Wales Book of the Year Awards are presented to the best Welsh and English-language works in the fields of creative writing and literary criticism published in a calendar year, within three categories: Poetry, Fiction and Creative Non-Fiction.

Each category winner will be announced at the prestigious Award Ceremony, with one of the successful titles in each language chosen as the overall winner and named Wales Book of the Year 2019.

A total of £12,000 in prize money will be awarded to the successful writers. The Ceremony will be held at Theatr y Werin, Aberystwyth Arts Centre on Thursday 20 June 2019.

The theatre is currently undergoing a renovation with major investment in new electrical systems and seating.

Dafydd Rhys, Director of Aberystwyth Arts Centre said: “We are delighted to be welcoming the Wales Book of the Year Award Ceremony to Aberystwyth Arts Centre in 2019. To extend the celebrations we will be a hosting a week of activities celebrating literature for young and old. Put the dates in your diary now!”

As part of this new partnership, the fiction awards in both language will be sponsored by Aberystwyth University, and will be called the Aberystwyth University Fiction Award, and Gwobr Ffuglen Prifysgol Aberystwyth.

Dr Rhodri Llwyd Morgan, Director of Welsh Language and Culture and External Engagement at Aberystwyth University, said: “Aberystwyth is often described as the cultural capital of Wales and we have a strong literary tradition here. As well as the University and Arts Centre on our main Penglais campus, the area is also home to the National Library of Wales, the Welsh Books Council and other organisations as well as many poets and writers. It’s therefore an ideal place to hold the 2019 Wales Book of the Year Award Ceremony and we look forward to working with Literature Wales to ensure the success of this prestigious occasion.”

Key Dates for 2019:

The Wales Book of the Year Short List will be announced in early May 2019, and the Award Ceremony will be held on Thursday 20 June 2019. The names of the judging panel will be released in the autumn.

Lleucu Siencyn, Chief Executive of Literature Wales said: “We are delighted to be working with the Aberystwyth Arts Centre to bring one of our biggest literary highlights to this beautiful seaside town. Home to a host of literary organisations, and a number of writers and creatives, Aberystwyth is a natural fit for the Wales Book of the Year Award Ceremony. We are incredibly grateful to Aberystwyth University for their generous support, and we look forward to working with all our partners to ensure this is a celebration to remember!”

Photo: Aberystwyth Arts Centre on Aberystwyth University’s Penglais campus will host the Wales Book of the Year Award Ceremony 2019.

Links:

Aberystwyth Arts Centre https://www.aberystwythartscentre.co.uk/

Llenyddiaeth Cymru www.llenyddiaethcymru.org/ www.literaturewales.org

Literature Wales

Literature Wales is the national company for the development of literature in Wales. It believes that literature belongs to everybody and can be found everywhere. The company’s various projects and activities includes Wales Book of the Year, National Poet of Wales, Bardd Plant Cymru and Young People’s Laureate Wales, Literary Tourism activities, Writers on Tour funding scheme, creative writing courses at Tŷ Newydd, Services for Authors (including Writers’ Bursaries and Mentoring), and Young People’s Writing Squads. Literature Wales is a registered charity, (number 1146560) and works with the support of Arts Council of Wales and Welsh Government. Lleucu Siencyn is the Chief Executive.