WALES-Six Nations Grand slam Winners

1908, 1909, 1911, 1950, 1952, 1971, 1976, 1978, 2005, 2008 and now 2012 – eleven Grand Slams for Wales.

Estimates of around a quarter of a million people packed pubs and clubs in Cardiff with more opting to watch at a screen set up near Cardiff City Hall.

A short sharp shower prior to kick-off didn’t dampen any spirits with everyone eager for the Six Nations Grand Slam decider between Wales and France to kick off!

RUGBY-Six nations England v Wales

A massive weekend of sport awaits us in Cardiff with Nathan Cleverly fighting at the Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff City taking on Liverpool tomorrow in the Carling Cup final at Wembley but first it’s the best battle of the Six Nations campaign – England v Wales at Twickenham.

Here’s a little video that I made of my favourite Wales v England game made even more so sweet by wiping that smile off Jeremy Guscott’s face!. For some reason there are certain phrases that Eddie Butler says that still sends shivers down my spine now! Enjoy!

Let’s hope Wales can kick start the winning weekend by bringing the Triple Crown home!

RUGBY-Wales training session

The Millennium Stadium threw open it’s doors again for another free Wales training session on 15th February, 2012. Thousands queued from around midday and were allowed access from 2pm ready for the main event kicking-off at 3pm.
Fans were promised an exclusive glimpse of the squad being put through their paces and normal training preparations in front of a 13,000 strong crowd.

Everyone had to register on the WRU website initially so they could staff the event properly and make sure the whole event went smoothly (which it did!)

QUESTION-Vicious sticker outside Cardiff Arms Park

Just spotted this horrendous sticker at one of the entrances to the Cardiff Arms Park rugby stadium on Westgate Street.
I was initially drawn to the Cardiff Blues sign to see if any further details were on display concerning the amount of Cardiff Blues games now to be held at the site. But instead I found this quite offensive sticker!

 
It appears to illustrate a dark shadow/silhoutte attempting to cut someone’s throat! Is that supposed to be an activist in the hat complete with megaphone in his hand? Does anyone recognise this sticker or the artist involved?

RUGBY-Ireland v Wales

The Six Nations 2012 tournament kicked off on Saturday with a few warm-up games before the main event of the weekend – Ireland v Wales at the new Aviva Stadium in Dublin. All the pundits and experts seemed to have Ireland down as favourites to win but this game was to be anything but predictable!

What an absolute stormer of a game with both sides giving us all an amazing match full of skill and excitement in every twist and turn. In the first half Wales were the stronger side and had the lions share of possession and territory but this wasn’t reflected in the score! Rhys Preistland is a great player but his kicking wasn’t upto standard and dropped us some vital points.

After the interval both teams took the game up a gear with much more pace and tempo but it was marred by two dodgy tackles – one definatly a RED card whereas the other was at most a yellow. Leigh Halfpenny took over kicking duties for Wales and managed to score the vital winner in the dying seconds to get Wales a 23 – 21 victory and possibly setting up Wales to get another Grand Slam?

It's the right result achieved the wrong way.—
Nathan Hamer (@njhamer) February 05, 2012

Boys were class !!!!!!—
Dan Lydiate (@dan_lydiate) February 05, 2012

Just fell over my sofa but do I care? No. I FACKING LOVE YOU WALES.—
Nathan Walker (@NathanWalkerr) February 05, 2012

RUGBY-Wales v France

Totally gutted at the moment. A tremendous attempt by Wales but frustrating for so many reasons. I’ll let the photos and other people’s tweets do the talking and sum up the game.

RUGBY-It’s all starting to get a bit exciting!

Earlier walking through Cardiff City centre and it just dawned on me how significant this whole rugby thing is!
Shivers were sent down my spine the more I thought about it.

This is the first time since the inaugral Rugby World Cup in 1987 that Wales have progressed to the semi-final stage.

This time everything seems to be in place; full team fitness, stable mental state, low intake of alcohol (the players not us!), positive attitudes and and more importantly the belief that we can win against France and progress to the final.
Just typing that phrase has sent more tingles down my back.

I believe we can do this and it seems…so does the rest of Wales and beyond.
 

British Prime Minister, David Cameron, spoke in Aberdeen calling on,
“the Scottish and English fans disappointed at their own teams being knocked out of the Rugby World Cup to get behind the Welsh team instead.”

RUGBY-The Sam Warburton World Cup song

After making such an impression in the 2011 Rugby World Cup so far and leading a team successfully into the semi-finals – the Welsh 23 year old set the internet alight with some amazing ‘Sam Warburton Facts‘ – check out the link to read the best selection.

Whilst a below-par England team came crashing out of the tournament dogged with troubles including drinking, dwarf tossing, bungee jumping before games and ferry ‘hopping’ it seems that Wales captain Sam Warburton has been a leader of a team in total contrast to our English cousins!

To celebrate Sam’s achievements (and the whole teams) Cardiff-born Mark Berridge has created a song titled “Sam Our Captain” Using the music from The Beach Boys’ hit ‘Sloop John B’, it has become the official unofficial Rugby World Cup song with videos appearing online.

RUGBY-Sam War burton FACTS!

After the stunning win by Wales over Ireland by 22 points to 10 in the Rugby World Cup – the online world was set alight with people tweeting amazing Sam Warburton ‘Facts’. So many great ones and it began trending, not just in Wales, but much further a field aswell. Here’s a sample of the best ones! I hope at least a few of them turn out to be true! Click to play the official unofficial Sam Warburton World Cup song aswell whilst reading the tweets!

Sam Warburton is what Willis was talkin 'bout #SamWarburtonFacts—
Georgia Prosser (@georgia_prosser) October 08, 2011

Sam warburton doesn't breath, he holds air hostage #samwarburtonfacts—
Scott Thomas (@Scotttonkathoma) October 09, 2011

RUGBY-World Cup Streaker

Argentina were giving England a really good game when a streak of luck gave England that bit of uplift they needed in their game.

RUGBY-Amusing World Cup videos 2011

The 2011 Rugby World Cup is taking place in New Zealand and it seems loads of videos both corporate, commerical and just from the general public are popping up everywhere online.
From rugby players getting that all important and lucrative commercial deal – the airline one I can understand but how much were the players paid to advertise make-up? (lol) to some kids telling us some more about the games ahead!
Also the first of many ‘flashmob’ Haka’s that have been taking place around the world!

RUGBY-Wales v England (RWC Friendly)

After the disappointment of Johnny Wilkinson’s boots aiding England to beat Wales in the first encounter at Twickenham last week winning 23-19 it was with great anticipation, expectation and optimism that I was so looking forward to the return match at the Millennium Stadium.
For once it wasnt a mad rush to get into the stadium and I got to my seat a good 30 minutes before kick off! (I usually rack up just after the anthems!) So it was time to see both teams on the pitch warming up and gearing up for a tough game ahead. There was the usually singing of Deliah and Cwm Rhondda by a male voice choir but it didn’t seem to get the crowd going that much – I wonder whether everyone was really nervous going into this match?

RUGBY-Cardiff Blues try some different ways of advertising….

Whilst passing Leckwith Road I noticed that the Captain America advertisement was being replaced with one for the local rugby side The Cardiff Blues.

It seems the new tagline might need some work :-

“Think Rug”

I know some people think of the side as a bunch of pussies with too much prancing around in their pink outfits aswell. But whilst on the field I’d hope they are thinking more about odd-shaped balls than anything else!

Did the advertisement ever get finished?

RUGBY-Fans in City Centre trophy parade

Saturday 21st May, 2011 and one of the biggest weekends in the rugby world to hit the capital city for a while!

On Friday night Stade Francais took on Harlequins in The Amlin Challenge Cup Final at the Cardiff City Stadium whilst on Saturday the Northampton Saints took on Leinster in the Heineken Cup Final at the Milllennium Stadium in Cardiff.

There are estimates that around 90,000 rugby fans have decended on Cardiff for a weekend of rugby with an official handover of the Heineken Cup (Trophy) from the 2010 host city of Paris onpassed to the 2011 host city – Cardiff!

RUGBY-Amusing old chap at Swalec Cup Final

In the Swalec Challenge Cup Final which took place at the Millennium Stadium on Monday 2nd April, 2011 – the cameras cut to an old chap who was more than happy to play upto the cameras! Watch the video below!