In mourning but with attitude ...

The Welsh half of this union is in mourning. Come to think about it so too should the English half be - if he cared!
In Wales rugby is more than just a game; it's a passion, a way of life. My children just don't get it either. I fear they consider themselves to be English but I keep hoping that one day they will 'see the light'!

 Wales haven’t had (so far) what one could consider to be a good (or even mediocre) series of Autumn Internationals. Losses to Samoa and Argentina came as a shock. I remember in the early 1970’s seeing Argentina play what I think was a combined Tredegar and Ebbw Vale XV at Tredegar Rec. They’ve come a long way since then!

The omens didn't seem too good when a couple asked if thy could share my table in the coffee shop at Trentham Gardens. I said yes before looking up to see the gentleman sporting an All Blacks hat and scarf. We had a chat about the coming game and as I left he said "may the best team win". Secretly I was hoping that they wouldn't, which probably revealed my lack of confidence! 

The loss against New Zealand was more predictable. They are the best team in the world, with an unbeaten record in their last 20 test matches. Wales haven’t beaten the All Blacks in my lifetime (actually since 1953, which is a full three years before I was born!) and don't look like doing so any time soon.

One thought that has crossed my mind is that for such a magnificent All Black team why do they have some players who are so close to the edge of cheating? Their hooker should have been sent off in the first minute for flooring Bradley Davies with a punch from behind.

In Wales we like fair play. In any debate my late father would always weigh up the pros and cons and the words 'fair play' were invariably used to give credit to the opposing arguement. We are generally prepared to praise to best team (unless that best team happens to be England - but then I guess this goes for all supporters of the Celtic nations!) 

I doubt that even if Andrew Hoare had been given his marching orders the result would have been very different, but it might have been poetic justice and the All Blacks might just have needed to work that little bit harder...