Listen: Malta rugby marches on

In this week’s edition of Sportsdesk by Times of Malta podcast we shift away from football to other sports.

Men’s national rugby coach Damian Neill looks back on Malta’s dramatic 18-18 draw with Croatia, which assured the country a play-off spot for the third consecutive time.

We also spoke to tennis coach Juan Giner about his work with 17-year-old sensation Helene Pellicano.

Next Saturday will be fight night for Welsh boxer Joe Cordina as he will challenge Andy Townend for the vacant British Lightweight title at the O2 Arena, in London.

Cordina, 27, will be making his first appearance on the ring since August 4, when he defeated Sean Dodd to claim the Commonwealth Lightweight title. 

He is currently undefeated in his professional boxing career with eight wins from eight bouts, including six KOs. 

The Times of Malta sports desk joined Cordina for a conversation about his upcoming fight which has the potential to set him up for bigger fights in the near future. 

Moreover, Cordina also spoke about his Maltese heritage which shoulders more responsibility on him as it represents a part of his family. 

In addition, in this audio Cordina also discussed: 

Take us through your preparation: “I could not have asked for a better preparation and I am looking forward to face such a strong opponent.

Looking beyond the British title: “Winning the British title would be great but I need to step up for bigger stages…fighting for the world title”.

What does representing your Maltese heritage mean to you: “It is a weight on my shoulders but it is a good feeling for me to represent the Maltese people.”