Cracking the Code

Argentina v Wales Therein lies a fundamental difference between English and Welsh rugby, I recall thinking to myself, as I enviously read that England had defeated Argentina for the second week in succession . A feat, I marked as particularly impressive due to the fact the victory had been achieved by an England side devoid of their Lions stars. I was convinced that the quality within the Welsh ranks didn’t run deep enough to front Argentina in their own backyard and come up with a W.  Fast forward a year, and it’s a case of what do I know. Clinical A and dominant D, and I’m talking Shaun Edwards style dominant, were the driving force behind a victory in San Juan that puts Wales half way to matching the achievement of their English counterparts  Post match, Warren Gatland, spoke of a street fight mentality that Wales had planned on bringing to the party. A mentality that manifested in the combative defensive effort. That said, it is perhaps a disappointment that Cu...

Pretty sure that I'm not the first punter to vacate Sydney's Star Casino, questioning what could of been, if that last spin had produced a favorable outcome. Certainly won't be the last. However, my disappointment had less to do with a dab handed croupier, more the fleet of foot of Elliot Daly, whose 78th minute try grabbed England a victory that either team would have been entitled to. Such was the contest. As I caught up on social media in the taxi (uber  had surge) home, it was the usual suspects getting grilled, Howley and of course Cuthbert, it was always going to be Cuthbert.  You do know that the Wales lot will blame me for this. To use a cricketing analogy, Cuthbert held down an end for nine overs before getting a walloping in his last. A loose carry surrendered possession at a critical stage before his decision to back his own wheels by offering Elliot Daily the outside proved to be a wrong'un as the Wasps gun turned on the heat to cross for the matc...

'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...