POWYS rugby star Dan Lydiate has a lot to celebrate this week; he’s part of the Wales squad that are looking forward to a Rugby World Cup quarter-final, and he became a father for the third time.

Lydiate’s wife Nia gave birth to their third child, a boy, earlier in the week, with the 34-year-old flanker dashing back home from France to attend the birth, making it just in time.

As Wales were beating Georgia 43-19 on Saturday to confirm their spot as winners of Pool C and make it four wins from four at the tournament, Lydiate, from Abbeycwmhir, near Llandrindod Wells, admitted it had been a “pretty special week”.

The Dragons flanker, playing in his third Word Cup and who started in the 28-8 win over Portugal on September 16, had been absent from training this week ahead of his side's final group game.

Lydiate took to Instagram and Twitter to announce the birth of the couple’s as yet unnamed son.

“Been a pretty special week,” he wrote. “A dash back from France to get back in time for the birth of our baby boy. [Nia] was amazing. #blessed.”

The couple already have one daughter and son, with Lydiate’s post accompanied sweetly by a black and white photo of him walking out of his hospital carrying the new arrival in a car seat, with the other two children flanked either side of him.

Wales had already qualified for the knockout stages but their win on Saturday confirmed they will top the group. They will play Argentina in the quarter-final on October 14 following Los Pumas’ 39-27 win over Japan today (October 8).

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