South Wales derby could be part of Super Sunday of sport

THERE have been many truly iconic days in Welsh sport down the decades, sometimes when one major event has followed another, writes PAUL ABBANDONATO.

But Welsh rugby and football fans really could be celebrating the ultimate Super Sunday in a few days’ time.

It hinges on Warren Gatland’s World Cup aces overcoming France in their quarter-final showdown in Oita this weekend.

Hardly a gimme by any stretch of the imagination, but Wales start favourites and will be desperately disappointed if they don’t overcome a team they have beaten seven times out of the last eight, dating back to that 16-9 Grand Slam triumph at the Millennium Stadium in 2012.

If Wales emerge victorious again, it will be another early start for a rugbymad Welsh public the following Sunday on October 27 – with a 9am semifinal against either Japan or South Africa.

But get ready for more action. Because whether you intend to watch that hoped-for Wales semi-final in a pub, or at home on TV, the Welsh sport day of drama will have only just begun.

At noon on the same day, little more than an hour or so after the semi-final final whistle has blown, there is the rather important matter of Swansea City versus Cardiff City, who kick off at midday.

This is the most eagerly anticipated club football match in Wales since... well, since the last time the two great rivals were locking horns as Premier League teams back in the 2013-14 season.

Malky Mackay’s Bluebirds won the first South Wales derby that year 1-0 in the Welsh capital, with new boss Garry Monk’s side gaining revenge with a 3-0 Liberty Stadium victory over a Bluebirds team also under new management in the shape Gunnar Solskjaer.

Those travelling to the Liberty, whether from Cardiff or Swansea, might have to work out how to watch a semi-final involving Wales, as well as getting to the football on time.

Of course, we emphasise and repeat, everything is dependent upon Wales first achieving the last eight victory over France that a nation desperately craves this weekend.

The last South Wales derby was played on February 8, 2014. Gatland’s Wales were also involved in Six Nations action against Ireland that afternoon, losing 26-3 in Dublin. But of Ole that hardly constitutes a World Cup semi-final.

When Wales were previously in the last four back in October 2011, losing 9-8 to France on the day Sam Warburton was sent off, Cardiff drew 2-2 at home to Ipswich in the afternoon and the Swans lost 3-1 at Norwich.

Again, hardly the magnitude of a Swans versus Bluebirds showdown.

Perhaps the only credible recent comparison would be when Chris Coleman’s soccer aces kicked off Euro 2016 with a 2-1 win over Slovakia, just hours after Gatland’s Wales had lost 39-21 in the first of three Tests on their summer tour to New Zealand.