A crowd of more than 15,000 people watched Wales' first training session in Japan for the Rugby World Cup.

Queues stretching more than a kilometre began building up three hours before the open run-out at Kitakyushu Stadium.

The local population have clearly embraced the Wales team, singing the Welsh national anthem and the hymn Calon Lân as Warren Gatland's squad undertook their first work out.

Wales' opening match in Pool D is against Georgia on 23 September.

The Welsh Rugby Union has sent several delegations to the Japanese city over the last 18 months, led by former Wales skipper Ryan Jones. They have been running coaching courses and building awareness.

Rugby World Cup organisers said the crowd of 15,300 was the largest ever at the Kitakyushu Stadium and Jones was overwhelmed: "I've never experienced anything like this in my career. It's astonishing and it's been really emotional.

"It's been like hosting a party," he said. "We got up this morning and we were saying 'oh, I hope it goes well today and people will turn up'. Then to see the queues and then to see the players' faces when they came out, it was just magic.

"It has exceeded all our expectations. But what has really warmed my heart is that it has shown how really strong the brand of Welsh rugby is. People know it's us, they love the colour red, but also how powerful rugby is.

"The dream was to turn the city red and we've done that. They weren't a host city and we wanted to bring the Rugby World Cup to them.

"It's great as the guys are one week out from our first game and to have an experience like this bring it home how amazing an event it is. It will give the players a huge lift."

Watch Eddie Butler's Rugby World Cup preview, BBC One Wales, Monday, 16 September, 20:30 BST and later on demand.

Can't see this selector? Visit this page: Pick your Wales XV to play Georgia

All pictures via Huw Evans Images.

INDIANAPOLIS – Andretti Autosport’s GT4 America Series SprintX team has announced today that David Donohue will take the co-driver position in the No. 36 Window World-MI Windows and Doors McLaren 570S alongside Jarett Andretti at Road America on Sept. 21-22.

Andretti, son of retired NASCAR and Indy car driver John Andretti, welcomes fellow multi-generation racer Donohue, the son of champion racing driver and Indianapolis 500 winner Mark Donohue.

“Having David join Andretti Autosport for Elkhart Lake brings a lot our program with his experience,” said Michael Andretti, CEO of Andretti Autosport. “With Window World and Mi Windows and Doors as the presenting sponsor of the GT4 America races, he will give us a great opportunity to have a strong finish in the Window World/Mi Sprint X McLaren.”

“We are all really excited to have David in the car for Road America. Like many other drivers, I’ve read his Father’s book ‘The Unfair Advantage’ and hope to hear some of those stories firsthand from David this weekend,” said Jarett Andretti. “I look forward to getting to work in a couple weeks and hope to put together a couple strong runs for Endurance and Window World.”

“It’s an honor to have David Donohue, son of esteemed race car driver Mark Donohue, join Jarett Andretti as a co-driver in the Window World McLaren for the upcoming GT4 America race in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin,” said Tammy Whitworth, chairwoman and CEO of Window World. “Window World is thrilled to be the presenting sponsor of the GT4 America Series for the Elkhart Lake event, and we wish David all the best in his debut for Andretti Autosport.”

“I’m really looking forward to working with Jarett and the team,” David Donohue said. “I hope we can build on their win list, especially coming off a successful Watkins Glen weekend. I also owe a special thanks to McLaren of Philly and Newport Beach for their support and cutting me loose for the weekend. I’ve always admired this series so it especially gratifying to play a part.”

The son of racing legend Mark Donohue, David Donohue has accomplished much in a wide variety of auto racing series and classes, including NASCAR’s Busch Series and Craftsman Truck Series, as well as winning the GT2 class at the 1998 running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Almost exactly 40 years after his father won the 24 Hours of Daytona, David won the 2009 event driving a Brumos-entered Riley-Porsche teamed with Antonio García, Darren Law and Buddy Rice. After starting the race from pole position, Donohue’s 0.167-second margin of victory over Juan Pablo Montoya was the closest in the race’s history by over a minute, and the closest finish in the history of major international 24-hour motorsports events. In 2013, David Donohue drove in the first GX class race at the 24 hour of Daytona. His car, the No. 16 Napleton Porsche Cayman S, won by a nine-lap lead.

Andretti, a graduate of North Carolina State University, lives in Indianapolis and races full-time. The third-generation racer is the son of John Andretti, the grandson of Aldo Andretti and the great-nephew of Mario Andretti.

RICHMOND, Va. — The StarCom Racing No. 00 Chevrolet driven by Landon Cassill will carry the colors of the University of Richmond on Sept. 21 in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series event at Richmond Raceway.

The opportunity to include University of Richmond branding on this car was made possible courtesy of Superior Essex, a long-time business partner and provider of telecommunications and datacom infrastructure products to the university. The car wrap was designed by Chad Devers, University Communications senior web designer and front end developer.

“This project was outside of my usual design opportunities and was really fun to work on,” said Devers. “I did a lot of research on how best to showcase the UR brand on a national stage like Richmond Raceway, and it will be fun to watch our car compete for the checkered flag.”

“I am looking forward to partnering with the University of Richmond this weekend and am excited to be able to represent the Spiders on the track,” said Cassill. “Spiders are driven creatures, so I’m hoping that will give me an extra edge.”

A replica car and Cassill will make a pit stop on campus Sept. 19. The car will be on display from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on The Forum, a central hub for the University of Richmond campus. Cassill will be onsite from 3-5 p.m. to meet the campus community.

With the rising cost of drag racing inspiring creative scheduling, the NHRA has used a rotating system to showcase a variety of popular part-time classes.

That’s how Jessica Hatcher, senior director of public relations and communications, and the NHRA staff like to spin it.

“In order to give fans a unique experience, we do try to keep a balance among these categories throughout the year. We are also working to rotate these categories around a bit from season to season, so fans get exposure to all of these exciting competitors and get to see new things each year,” she said.

But it’s actually not designed or billed as a rotating schedule. That’s simply an opportune function of a handful of developing series under the NHRA umbrella. However, it evolved, the system seems to blend into the economic landscape and appears to have enhanced the appeal of each category.

In reality, the Pro Stock class — a mainstay in the professional Mello Yello Drag Racing Series with its rich history that helped define the sport and its post-war car-craze origins — is the only one that has scaled back this season. And that has proven to be a step in the right direction.

The nitromethane-fueled Top Fuel and Funny Car categories headline the sport. Along with classes in the sportsman-level Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, they compete during all 24 events.

In addition, several popular categories compete exclusively at NHRA national events but not at all 24. Those are the Pro Stock, Pro Stock Motorcycle, Pro Modified, Factory Stock Showdown, Top Fuel Harley and Mountain Motor Pro Stock divisions.

Pro Stock bikes traditionally make between 14-17 appearances per season and that limited schedule has never caused a stir with calls for more or fewer events.

Dynamic paint schemes, throwback hood scoops and wheel stands that last for the first 100 feet of a launch add mystique to the massive engine power of the Mountain Motor Pro Stock cars. These powerplants boast between 818- and 840-cubic-inch-displacement, far greater than their NHRA Pro Stock cousins.

This class has run its four exhibitions this season after its NHRA debut during the 2018 U.S. Nationals.

The E3 Spark Plugs/J&A Service Pro Modified category has a 12-race schedule. The quasi-independent series expanded in 2017 from its original 10 races. It has attracted racers from the Middle East, Brazil and the Caribbean, as well as all regions of the U.S.

Rob Fisher, vice-president of motorsports for E3 Spark Plugs, called Pro Mod “the pinnacle of sportsman racing” and said he loves “the aggressive performance-orientated vibe.” He added, “The cars look like actual cars on the street, just stylized and even cooler. Where else are you going to see superchargers, nitrous and turbos going at it in an even platform? The best part about it from our standpoint is you have to get up on the wheel and drive these cars. It is nothing to see a guy working the wheel down the track going sideways and they stay in it.”

FORT WORTH, Texas – Texas Motor Speedway officials have named veteran event operations executive Blake Hardy to the position of director of operations for the Speedway Motorsports Inc. property.

The University Park, Texas, native comes to the 1500-acre motorsports facility with 25 years’ experience in live event operations with Feld Entertainment (Monster Jam, Monster Energy AMA Supercross), Live Nation, Clear Channel Entertainment, SFX Entertainment and PACE Entertainment.

Hardy was the director of operations with Clear Channel/Live Nation/Feld from 2004-2017 while based in Aurora, Ill. For the past two years, he has been the owner of Hard Line Event Productions in Aurora.

“Blake brings decades of experience managing high-energy and very successful live event operations to Texas Motor Speedway so I’m confident he’ll hit the ground running in preparation for our NASCAR playoff races the first weekend in November,” said Eddie Gossage, president of Texas Motor Speedway. “The 1500-acre facility hosts events and activities, large and small, year-round so the task of keeping it in top shape at all times is never-ending. Blake was the perfect candidate to lead the staff that carries out that maintenance and we’re happy to have him back in Texas.”

“My entire career has been spent in the live event/motorsports industry,” said Hardy. “It’s all about the fan experience, so I’m thrilled to be a part of a market leading TMS brand known for innovation and creating lifelong experiences worth remembering. It’s great to be back in my hometown, and I look forward to leading an experienced operations team into the future.”

Hardy and his family will relocate to the greater Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex.

Ken Holland knew about Connor McDavid, the hockey player. He watched the most gifted offensive center on the planet shred through his Detroit Red Wings while he was their general manager. But as he sat down for lunch with McDavid in Toronto, three weeks after taking over the Edmonton Oilers as their general manager, Holland started to understand Connor McDavid, the hockey activist.

"I was very impressed at his understanding. Of the game. Of our team. Of other teams. He asked a lot of questions. He was very interested in the business of running teams," Holland said. "He's one of the faces of this league. Historically, lots of those players haven't been involved in these things. It speaks to his passion for our sport that he wants to be involved."

McDavid is 22. He has two scoring titles and a Hart Trophy to his credit. As Holland noted, star players like that have traditionally kept their heads down to focus on the ice, rather than seeking involvement in off-ice issues. Like, for example, when Auston Matthews was asked earlier this year about collective bargaining agreement talks and responded, with a laugh, "I'm not the guy you should to talk to about this."

That's the expected approach for an NHL star in his early 20s. But not necessarily for McDavid.

"I definitely have an interest in [labor talks]. I think you should," McDavid told ESPN earlier this summer. "It's our livelihood. It's a lot of money on the line for all our players. I want to be involved. I think the players that came before me have been involved and it's important to keep that going."

To that end, McDavid has been one of the more engaged voices of his generation of players, which is important: It's the veteran players who typically have the loudest voices in CBA talks or discussions about rule changes. It's the younger players who typically have to grin and bear it until it's their turn.

"I don't think it's up to any one player to do it. But it helps when those guys who are in the public eyes show that interest, and show their understanding of what's going on," Chicago Blackhawks veteran center Jonathan Toews said.

Holland saw McDavid again at the annual NHL competition committee meetings, where a collection of players, team executives and league officials propose and debate potential rule changes for the league.

"I had never done it before," said McDavid, who was invited to join the group this year. "I thought it was a great opportunity and personally enjoyed it. All the decision-makers in hockey, all in one room. I thought it was pretty cool."

Holland was again impressed with McDavid.

"I sat across from him at the competition committee," he said. "For a young guy to be in there with general managers and Gary Bettman and people that run the league and people that run the NHLPA ... he voiced his opinion. He asks questions. He's a young guy with a great interest in our game.

McDavid said the process was eye-opening.

"They're just spitballing ideas, and they're deciding the new rules in hockey, which I thought was really cool. A lot of the coolest stuff doesn't come out of the room," he said, declining to elaborate.

Holland has attended many competition committee meetings through the years and has backed his share of game-changing ideas -- such as 3-on-3 overtime. He was pleased to see a young star such as McDavid take an active role.

"We're all in this together," Holland said. "We all want this to be the greatest league in the world. When you can get the great players on the ice involved in discussions on how to make the game better, that's a great thing for our game."

Holland said he and McDavid didn't discuss anything on the labor side, but McDavid has a keen interest in it, and what it takes for the players to stand their ground in talks. "I think you've got to feel that sense of a union. That's the only way you get stuff done," he told the Toronto Star last season. "I think the players are united. Both parties have kind of prepared so long for it. I genuinely believe that both sides want to keep playing. We want to play, and the owners want to keep making money."

NHLPA executive director Donald Fehr said McDavid "has a large presence both on and off the ice, and his voice has been an important addition to discussions" about the state of the NHL.

"As was clear in his participation on competition committee matters, Connor is passionate and knowledgeable, and an advocate for the interests of players," Fehr told ESPN via email. "We anticipate that he will become even more involved going forward, and we welcome his involvement with open arms."

Toews said the trick is to find the time to stay involved when you're a superstar like McDavid.

"It's hard because the hockey season is so busy. You get your offseason, but guys like that have a million things going on," he said. "But it's one of those things where you have to sacrifice a little bit for the past and the future. Because there are a lot of guys before you who did the exact same thing and helped lay the groundwork for where we're at now. I think we all have that responsibility a little bit."

ESPN's Emily Kaplan contributed to this report.