Cracking the Code

'Hey, where you from?', the cliched opening gambit of one backpacker seeking to temporarily befriend another over a cold beer. As a Welshman, I know that in many instances my response will draw a blank face and a 'Ah, Cool. Where's that?'. Each time, I sigh internally, so as not to come across rude, before offering up a token 'next to England'. On reflection, Wales' notoriety level or lack of, probably says as much about what the principality is bringing to the global stage, as it does about the geographical awareness of my fellow traveller. This lack of global identity is not an issue for our Celtic brethren from Ireland and Scotland. They have many an export, synonymous with their nation that have become common place in global society. The fact is, Brains isn't Guinness, Penderyn isn't Glenmorangie or Jameson, and despite his statue in the middle of Corwen, Owain Glyndwr isn't William Wallace. But then again, Wallace was seven feet tal...

'Courageous', an adjective I hope isn't used to describe the Welsh performance, in this evening's all important Euro 2016 group match against Russia. If the nation finds itself celebrating the players' courage, we will probably be doing so in absence of the desired outcome, qualification. Three times last week, I watched courageous Welsh efforts in the sporting arena. Each time the courage yielded nothing more than defeat. It started on the Wednesday, and the Under 20's Rugby team. A performance built on abrasive defence, backed up by tactics that were far better suited to the wet conditions than those deployed by their New Zealand counterparts, lead to Wales edging it on the scoreboard with time all but done. The teams departed the field with the Baby Blacks victorious, courtesy of a last minute penalty from Jodie Barrett. On Thursday, and to Lens, where Wales temporarily found themselves in dreamland as they lead England at half time of the much anticipate...