Six Nations Preview Scrum V Sunday

The language of rugby should prepare us for the storm surges of their

politics. The choke and hold, the chop tackle, the Blitz. Pain. The

game in Wales is as battered as the coastline of Wales. How different

this language of commissioners from the tales of resurrection.

So, what are we about to hear next? The soaring Symphony of the six

Nations. Over a jackhammer self-destruction.

It's sweet music prevails, and fevered brows can be sued, --

soothed, who will play most sweetly? COMMENTATOR: Sam Robertson storms

away! The best genes tend to be French but

the Irish of a score to settle. -- have a score to settle. And England

have a score to settle. That score. What made Wales saw made England

score. Those that wear blue must come to the land of the red. But

which read? Paint the town red or the red-faced read of indignation,

road rage red, missed red of the gaming crisis. The simple read of

Wales, though, for this, three in succession, taken as read.

APPLAUSE Good evening and welcome to Scrum V.

So can Wales make history and become the first ever side to win three Six

Nations titles in a row? Here to help answer that, would you please

welcome, Jonathan Davies. Jeremy Guscott. Paul Wallace. And Martyn

Williams. APPLAUSE

We'll hear from all the guys in a moment.

But first a taste of what's coming up. After months of speculation, Sam

Robertson commit his future to Wales. He becomes the first player

here to sign a central contract. He will lead Wales as they defend their

six Nations title, the champions are in no mood to a link which their

crime. It's nice to be able to come into a campaign with a single focus,

to do something potentially special. Eddie Butler Cross of the

Irish Sea to get up close and personal with our Celtic cousins.

And they're expecting fireworks. Because of Warren Gatland dropping

Rina Duffer commits a fixture every fan will be looking at. And 11

months on from the Millennium massacre, the Raging Bull assesses

Anglo-Welsh relations. You look across the Welsh team and look at

the ability... You know, it's mind blowing, really.

History beckons for this Welsh side. The theatre awaits. Let battle

commence. It's not about the position in the

tournament. It's the way we're going to play in these five matches, but

definitely am confident and I think we have the weapons, and are good

enough to beat all the teams in this tournament. It's a bit up for grabs.

We think we have a side which can win. It's a massive tournament, so

while you're excited beyond the cusp of getting started, at the same

time, there's nervousness about getting started and how you continue

through it. You live it and the more you realise the size of it and how

it grows, and the psychology of the nation, all nations, really, but

certainly, for England, it's a big tournament for us.

Wales, carved themselves. -- can look after themselves. The Welsh,

the size and strength and speed of their team, they have won the last

26 Nations on merit and they are a big team. -- six Nations. Everyone

is motivated to get that three in a row. It's very special. Enormously

exciting times. Jonathan, is there anything better to get us through

the long cold winter than the six Nations? I'm looking forward to it.

A lot of politics in the last few months, so unless they're talking

about rugby... We will talk about that in a moment. It's still the

greatest tournament in world rugby, isn't it? Yes, it's going to be.

Everybody loves it. You get to travel to great places. Sometimes,

the skill level of the games aren't where we would like them in

comparison to the southern hemisphere. But you can't beat the

passion and emotion of the six Nations. The crowd and passion is

what makes it both is the envy of the rugby world, isn't it? In the

southern hemisphere, you have 95% of the crowd there. The Scots are

coming next weekend, a great chance to rub it into your neighbours. When

you have the crowds there and two society is coming together for the

bits more than just competition. I'm looking forward to it. Wish you were

still playing? Yes, as a player, these are the moments you miss. You

always want to get your pick fitness for the six Nations. Before we go

into the rugby, some big news yesterday. Wales and Lions captain

Sam Warburton has signed a central contract with the WRU. It sparked an

a lot of debate on social media. It's a good news story, isn't it?

Yes, it's good to Welsh rugby. It's opened a can of worms, really,

because the region is about to be in agreement for who the centrally

contracted player will play? Where will he play? Where will he train?

I'm not sure they have talked about that. That's going to be one thing.

Because of the relationship between the regions and the union, they

should maybe gone, a dual contract, if one player each to each region,

maybe Jones, Jonathan Davies, and Sam Robertson, something like that.

At the moment, I don't know what to expect, because he's the first one.

Who knows what's going to happen? The WRU statement said they intend

he will play for the Cardiff blues. The regions of signed an agreement

committing themselves. They won't play any centrally contracted

players. Where will that leave Sam Robertson? That's my major concern.

Like Jonathan said, it's great he to stay in Wales, but what competition

will he be in? The Aviva, and then public and the Welsh premiership.

It's a dangerous precedent. I think you are on dodgy ground when you are

cherry picking players individually. Put yourself in Justin's shoes. What

is he thinking today when it comes out of contract next year? There

will be a bidding war between the regions and the union, which leaves

a difficult place. We have all played rugby to be involved in a

team, a team environment, and that's what you miss going in and out of

training. Will Sam have one sessions with a conditioning coach? I can't

think of anything worse! Apparently, he was left no other option so I

feel for him. If he has taken abuse, his integrity is second to none, and

that's a shame. Social media allows anyone to express an opinion and he

has copped a lot of abuse for this. People say he has betrayed the

Cardiff blues. He has immense integrity. An extremely gifted

player. For people to attack him, to disgrace, is it not? It's hugely

wrong and totally out of order. As usual, these people don't set to his

face. They hide behind social media. I'm sure, this is abuse at an

extreme level, and I'm sure he will just kind of set and block it out.

He is mature enough to understand what to do. It's a strange situation

but he has done it. In Welsh rugby, it is history in the making. But I

agree with what the other players will think if they're not chosen to

get the central contract? Very dangerous, but we will see. From the

outside, as a nameless man, you hope the regions and the WRU get it

together because everybody will go, why didn't they do that in the first

place when it's all sorted out? You are used to central contracts in

Ireland. That's the way things work. Do you find it bizarre that the

situation in Wales, where it seems as though the regions and the union

are competing with each other for these players are signatures? In

Ireland, we have the four provinces and they all fed into the RFU,

basically representing the four provinces. I can't understand why

the WRU isn't an amalgamation of representing all the regions, which

should be so, for me, everybody should be working in the same way.

It seems to be personality clashes which have gone on, and I don't have

a real inside track on what is happening here. It should be worked

out that what's good for the provinces should be good for the

WRU. I know whether national side doing well, the problems it has, and

Ireland has been opposite. You back the provinces more than the national

side. They need to get the right personnel together in both sides.

They have got to work something out because someone like Sam Warburton

shouldn't be put in that situation. He's doing it for the good of Welsh

rugby. It shows great leadership he's taken a position to make sure

he stays in Wales. That's what's happening off the pitch. But there's

the small matter of a Six Nations on the horizion. Let's get the view

from inside the camp. For us, it's nice to be able to come

into a campaign with a single focus and a single focus is to do

something potentially special. It's nice to have that focus right from

the start. There's a huge amount of excitement at the moment and a huge

amount of motivation. Sean said this in a team meeting earlier this week,

setting the scene, saying, if we did win three championships in a row, we

would be the best six Nations team ever. We will be part of the

greatest team ever, over 100 years of history. That's a massive thing

to achieve. You know it is there, so you would be lying if you said it

wasn't something you are thinking about. The focus, we have to make

sure it's on each game and can't lose track of that. I don't care if

we win each Game 3-0. We just want to get into the championship. We

will make every effort to do that. Italy in Cardiff, is the best start?

It would be great. If you can get a victory against Italy, get the ball

rolling, the first game of the campaign, we have been slower than

we would have liked. We want to head the round -- ground running. If we

get caught up in what's going on behind-the-scenes, the distractions

of the so-called dispute between the region and the unions, mentally it's

going to not put us in a good place, so it's something we spoke about on

the first day. And I don't anticipate as speaking about it at

all for the remains of the tournament. One of the things I've

always found fantastic about this Welsh players, is how motivated they

are to put their jersey on and they want to play particularly at the

millennium Stadium and, for me, it's always a big boost. It makes my job

easy, as well. There's never any lack of commitment or that desire

for the players to do well. And represent Wales and do the nation

proud. It is certainly a confident camp. We

have been assessing whether they can walk the walk.

This has been one of Wales' most successful eras. Wales can boast an

impressive record with three titles, including two grand slams.

So why have they been so successful? The powerful threat of George North

and the aggressive ball carrying of Mike Phillips, the injection of Alex

Cuthbert for important tries and the goal-kicking assurance of the Lions

man of the series, Leigh Halfpenny. But this is what has really made

Wales successful, the pattern of play. They like to launch George

North, Jamie Roberts and Jonathan Davies from first phase across the

gain line. Next, they have forwards carrying

the ball. And then it is cutting the defensive line to try and expose the

backs. This is where the stealth comes in. Alex Cuthbert and George

North waiting to cut through any exposed weaknesses the defence may

have. But Wales need to be careful. In the autumn series when up against

the big guns, there were some potential weaknesses in the pattern

of play. Will England and France look to match the physicality Wales

have on the gain line? The Springboks in the autumn certainly

did. You rarely see Wales' forward carriers passing the ball. If Alun

Wyn Jones just tips the ball onto Bradley Davies, he has a chance to

run at the South African Number ten but he gets manhandled instead. And

what is plan B? When the pattern does not work, Mike Phillips starts

to carry, what do they do next? They often lose their shape. We can see

14 Wales players in a short area and the defensive line is organised.

Will Ireland, France, Italy, Scotland, England have the smartness

of the Australians? They hold up the big ball-carriers. We have seen

Ireland doing this. And will Chris Robertshaw and cold take a leaf out

of my Cooper 's book. Stealing the ball and creating quick ball to

attack from. My question tonight is the Wales need to adapt style or

will it be the seem again? Do Wales need to evolve to keep

winning? They will be exactly the same way. We had been playing this

-- saying this since Warren Gatland came on board. It has not changed

since he was the coach of Wasps. It is all about physicality and

discipline. It is all well and good knowing what is coming but unable to

stop it is another thing. Over the last four or five years, the other

Six Nations sides have struggled with that. It will be much the same

players. We still have Leigh Halfpenny kicking the goals. I think

they need to change things to beat the seven M is the size but to beat

the Six Nations teams, I think it will be exactly the same -- southern

hemisphere sides. Do you prefer knowing what is

coming? Is a game plan that went all the way back to Ireland when I was

playing under him. If you can stop Wales at the gain line, knock them

back, windy conditions, you can stop the Welsh machine. One area they

need to improve is some of the decision-making. But the other thing

is up front as well. I think the front five, Adam Jones is such an

important player. When he does not say, that is when Wales struggle

upfront. That is an important area to target. It is the collisions that

we have been worried about. I think Wales have an affair, enough

firepower to steam over every team and a bit more finesse and they will

be tough to beat. Rugby is all about winning. If you win the game playing

a style in which you do, you are used to it, carry on doing it. Wales

competing contestable kicks has not been great. If they do that correct,

they will get even more territory. Leigh Halfpenny will knock them

over. As irresistible as it is, you know what is coming, to stop it is

very difficult. I like it, I would not change it. If you look at New

Zealand and South Africa, they have a plan a and a plan B. Especially

New Zealand. But is why they are the best in the world. We did the

analysis after the South African game and I spoke to Robert Howley

and they encourage them to play with headset. They just need a little

pass. Attacking the stand-off. I think they can improve just buy one

little pass again. Looking up, seeing what is in front of them.

They do not have to bash it all the time. The World Cup is in a couple

of years and if we are going to be G-7 hemisphere, now is the time to

add those little things. -- if we are going to be the southern

hemisphere. It is a golden generation of backs.

Add to that, Jonathan Davies, he has a little bit of X factor. You know

what is coming from Jamie Roberts. You know what Alex Cuthbert is

doing. If you add a couple of extra passes, Leigh Halfpenny, changing

direction, he can see everything from the back, there is a little bit

more there. They have a lot of confidence from the Lions tour. I

think now they are capable of playing a lot wetter by just

adapting -- a lot better. Leigh Halfpenny can do more attacking

wise. Using George North and Alex Cuthbert a bit more. They are

absolutely terrible to stop. And then that little pass with the

forwards. If they are going over the gain line. There is no plan B. Play

to what you have got. That's where they do not have the -- that is

where they do have the advantage over the other nations. England do

not exactly know what they are doing. We saved every year about

France. Bash we say it every year. The outside defence can get broken

up quite a bit. I think that is one area they need to work on. They can

create space, taking people out of line. A lot of Welsh players and

Irish players on that Lions tour. Will fatigue come into this? I am

not so sure. France have one every Six Nations post the Lions in the

professional era. I do not think they will be tired. A lot of them

have had breaks, some injuries, which can be a blessing in disguise.

The conditioning staff and the management team knowing that the

what it takes to get the boys in peak condition. The under 20s kick

off their campaign next Friday against Italy. We will have action

from that game and we will be following the women as well.

The under 20s not only reached the World Cup finals after beating the

likes of South Africa and Argentina, but won their first 46-nation

matches before being picked up the post by series winners England. This

year 's squad certainly have a tough act to follow. We have a lot of new

boys coming up. It is a challenge for them also. It is a totally

different game to underage teens. Far more intense. -- under 18 's. We

have got to set our sights on success at the end of the day. It is

vitally important we win our first game. It is crucial for us to build

any type of momentum into the next game, which is a tough game against

Ireland away. And that all-important first encounter will be played at

Colwyn Bay against Italy. It will be the third year we have been there.

Most of the games we have played, we have been successful there. The

facilities are there are fantastic. It is a great thing. The support

there is one of the best I have ever experienced. It is -- there is

nothing more than I like family good singsong. I love it. -- than a good

singsong. What can we expect from the women? With seven new players in

the squad, is the pressure on? Last year, we came really close at home

with inland and Ireland, only losing by a couple of points. Those are two

games that we have a way this year. They will be massive games. We want

to prove a point but also the home games, France at home, it will be

very interesting. They are in our World Cup group later on in the

year. The ladies are in Aberavon. This first match against Italy is a

must win. The first game at home is very important. It is important to

get off to a good start. They were very strong out in Italy last year.

That match kicks off at 1pm. We will show you the highlights. But before

that, next Friday, we will be in Colwyn Bay for the under 20s opening

Six Nations encounter. Arguably Wales' biggest game this

year is the Ireland match. There are more than a few scores to settle.

March 13, 1914, it is the eve of Wales' last international match

before the outbreak of the First World War. Ireland away. A Friday

evening in Belfast, the Welsh captain takes his team for a quiet

night out. It is showtime. The Welsh forwards are all sitting

comfortably, unchanged throughout the championship, they are a hard

lot. Scotland have been hammered in Cardiff, the Scottish captain has

said the dirty team one. France have been smashed. This pack is already

known as the terrible eight. Here they are, ready for the show, when

into the theatre steps Belfast boy and Irish pack leader Billy Tyrrell

and some of the Irish lads. They too have heard of the terrible eight.

Where is this Percy Jones, says Billy Tyrrell. It is you want me for

it tomorrow. Says Jones, I will be with you, doing the best I can. Can

anyone join in? I will be with you. There may be a scuffle right here

and now, the police may or may not have been called. But what has

happened in the theatre is the stage has been set. The match takes place

the next day, at the Balmoral Showgrounds. It is raining, the

pitches a swamp and yet, it lives up to its billing. Jones is hit with a

punch that licks his -- but makes his head rattle. Wales retaliate.

Forward on forward. On the ball, off the ball, everybody involved. The

Scottish referee just letting them get on with it. Wales scored three

tries. They win 11-3. But the feud, it's immediately forgotten. Percy

Jones is told, you are the finest Welshman I've ever come across, the

only man ever to beat me. Alvin Davis is soon on the ward

service. A doctor in the Royal Army medical Corps. Others go off to war,

too. Thy Watts will be killed in action in France in 1916.

37 years after the grudge match of 1914, the president of the Irish

Rugby football union, sits down next to Percy Jones, now a hotelier. Two

old friends watching Wales play Ireland. And so, too, today, 100

years on from 1914, there is so much which is different. Ireland will

play Wales not in Belfast but here in Dublin. Professional players one

and all. There is still the odd doctor in the game. Not so many

reverends. But there is still a grudge. A nation was scorned, they

want revenge on Warren Gatland particular, and Wales. A lot of

Irish people have enormous respect for Warren Gatland. That has been

tarnished in recent months. Dropping Brian O'Driscoll, our Barry Jones

and JP are all rolled into one, so for him to be discarded for one of

the crowning glories of his career, rankles here. There's always been a

frisson in this fixture and this has added to it. He's never been dropped

in his career and the whole nation wanted to see him bow out, his

fourth tour, on the pitch. As a winner. That rivalry between Ireland

and Wales, is going to continue for a long time, and nobody is going to

take one single step back and everything that has happened before,

the drop goals, the grand slams, the triple Crowns, they are all going to

be in their memories. No doubt about it. It's been so close, the Irish

and Welsh affairs over the last few years. It comes down to a few

points. The niggles are there and you have two get on with it. The

Mike Phillips try, I think most of all, it's just familiarity breeds

contempt as well as respect sometimes. There's still a bit of

resentment in Ireland for that we love having a chip on our shoulder,

and we will get every bit we can out of that. There needs to be focus and

discipline as well as rage. Ireland and Wales has been an eliminator,

whoever wins takes on England and France. It's been that rivalry for

years. Primarily because Warren Gatland dropping Brian O'Driscoll

for the third test, it's the fixture every Irish rugby fan has their eye

on. The grudge match of 1914 was settled with a good old-fashioned

punch-up. That can't happen now full in fact, the modern version of the

game will be decided by who keeps a cool head out there, and this whole

place is bouncing to the frenzy of the new feud.

We have to confront this head-on. Does every Irish rugby supporter

have a voodoo doll of Warren Gatland? I don't think so. I

would've picked Brian at a school for his defence in the events but

Jonathan Davies was playing better rugby, I thought, myself, and the

way he played in the third test, you have got to put away what other

colleges are you are, whatever nation you are once the Lions win

the series. By and large, most people will have taken it with a

pinch of salt. It's a great way to use it, anything we have, we will do

that. The way Ireland play in November, you need some rage. You

need a chip on your shoulder. It used to be England was the side we

always look that, the one we want to take, but now Wales are the team.

They have won the last two championships. They are the team of

the tournament and these are big dogs, and this is going to the game

of the tournament to win. Possibly the most measured response from an

Irish man I've heard. As a player, do you pay any attention to the

media? Does it rile you up? Yes, of course it does. We also the right

things leading up to it, focusing on the game, what's in the past is on

the past, but that's why we love sport for that we love the

rivalries. When you become the greatest in the world like Brian

O'Driscoll, you want to prove people wrong. Jamie he slipped feels hard

done by. I know the guys off the field get on really well. The

English, Irish, Welsh boys. It's built up over the last six years

since Warren Gatland said the Welsh boys just like the Irish more than

the English. It stirred it all up. I think it's great to have the hype

going into the game. We don't need to build up any more. Ireland,

fourth favourites according to the bookies. They have three provinces

in the courts of Europe, came within a whisker of beating the All Blacks

in the autumn. They are genuine title contenders, aren't they? You

would think so. Three home games with the championship but what every

coach has struggled with Ireland, is getting Ulster, Munster and Leinster

to act as one. We've only seen it once in 2009. Joe Schmidt seems to

be the guy to put together. I'm so there will be as much chat about the

O'Driscoll game, and why he wasn't included, if another player gets in

there. On Brian O'Driscoll, as last season. A legend of world rugby.

What a great swansong it would be a Jonathan Davies got back fit and

there was a personal deal between those two. Yes, that's what you want

to see, two best players in the northern hemisphere playing against

each other. The press really stirred up during that week. We will have a

crack as well. We will go over on Friday night and get stuck in in

Dublin. I think, if Wales win that game, they will win a championship.

That game is so important. It is massive for the Welsh, going over

there with all the fuss, O'Driscoll and everything going on. It's not

going to be easy. LAUGHTER

APPLAUSE I just think it is The game.

England have got France. That's their game. France... We will talk

about England in a moment. Sean O'Brien falls there's a slim chance

Jonathan Davies could be back. Sean O'Brien is a big injury miss for

Ireland. How much will you miss them? Who might replace him? I think

of all the players in the Irish squad. The way we play, he is the

one we will miss the most. O Brien, for what he does, he is a big

physical ball-carrier. Jo Schmidt likes to play a wide passing game

and they have got some good passes of the ball. If you don't go wide,

you don't do that. That is where O Brien will be missed for the Chris

Henry will come in. For me, I would go for Tommy O'Donnell, who is back

to fitness. He is more dynamic and can carry the ball more. Healy

coming back, as well. He will be important. We don't have enough big

ball-carrier is to bring tackles close enough. We have good guys out

wide and that's the big thing. As you mentioned early, winning those

collisions, O Brien was our man. His abilities were very important. His

size, and the way he can just stay down, very hard to move, so he will

be missed. Well, before we get to Ireland, Wales will begin their

campaign against Italy. It will be the first of Wales' three home games

against the teams in blue. One of the things which struck me about

this year 's six Nations championship is the levels of

experience of the coaches. Ironically, with their current

teams, they have relative inexperience. But Warren Gatland has

the most experience of the maul and with unprecedented success, so what

about the men at ten? It's not just Wales who have to make a decision.

Italy had this man, informed. They also have Alan. Last seen in a

Scotland shirt for the under 20s. He could be the man to take the number

ten shirt. For France, there is a freshness about the number ten

selections. They have huge responsibilities on their

shoulders. And for Scotland, big decision to go with the pragmatic

Duncan Weir, or Rory Jackson. So let's take a closer look at the

Italians. It's not quite a dad 's Army but they have an ageing squad.

They have the highest average age in this year 's six Nations

championship. What is their form like? Well, in the autumn

internationals, they lost all three of their games, conceding on average

33 points per game. Wales have won the last three encounters of the

millennium Stadium, scoring ten tries in all ten of the millennium

Stadium, scoring ten tries and Alltel accompanist prolific

backline. And so do the French, different story. They have won five

out of the last seven visits to the millennium Stadium. But they are

missing a raft of key players. And the one player they're going to miss

the most, their captain and callous man, Thierry Dusatoir. -- talisman.

And so to Scotland. They have a disastrous record against Wales in

Cardiff also losing on the last six occasions that they have travelled.

But they have two very familiar faces this time. Scott Johnson and

Jonathan Humphreys. They know Wales inside out. They will go this year

for the big ball carrying back row with the likes of Denton, Johnnie

Beattie, and Ryan Wilson. They also have one of the most important and

dangerous back three in the championship. The powerful Sean

Lamont and Stuart Hall, who can score from anywhere on the field. I

wonder if it will be done to Scotland to spoil Wales's party?

John Humphrys won't bankers for that slow motion shot of him beating a

wine gum but we said we will put it in -- thank us. They came third last

week. Will Scotland be a threat this year? I don't think they will win

the tournament, no. They have a decent pack, good back row, good

back three, and I know John O likes to play an expansive game. There

halfbacks, no creativity. Wales physically dominated them at

Murrayfield. They may sneak an upset in Murrayfield. But I ready can't

see them as contenders. Your first opponent in Dublin. A team you would

fear? The Scots and the Irish, we have slipped up many times, being

favourite against Scotland. They are a side that are very difficult

opponents, especially in wet conditions. They can play the old

traditional gamer. Their line-out is excellent. I do think they are

missing a couple of areas, control and familiarity in the backline as

well, it's not there. Held is a great attacking player full stop

it'll be the issue for Ireland. They need to hit the ground running

because I think Scotland will think it's one they can take. In the last

27 games they played away from them, they've only won two games.

Brilliant statistics. LAUGHTER

It's a team you're not going to fear because they can't run away from

home. The thing is, they don't score enough tries. A great back three,

right, that they don't create another opportunities and their

basic skills, when the opportunity comes, it's not there. If they don't

fix that, they won't win games. Their pack is good. The halfbacks,

ball-carriers, but when the opportunities come, if they don't

score enough tries, they don't put themselves in a position to win

matches, and that is their problem. Their basic skills, clinical, once

or twice in the game, it doesn't happen, and that's why they don't

win. What about France? They always seem to cash in after a Lions tour.

They are the wooden spoon holders. Nervous about that? No, the last

couple of games England played against them, home and away, they

have one. Good tries by Tom, Ben Foden, and Tuilagi. The England pack

has the measure of most sides. They are competitive, very competitive.

Owen Farrell can knock over penalties. I'm looking forward to

seeing the new centre partnership. Burrell is over six foot. I don't

think if I was an England team, I would be fearing too much the French

because they are in turmoil themselves. The French have a

chance. They have had a shocker. They have had some very young fly

halves. They always have a general at number nine. At the Number ten

should be the general. They will probably put the best centre in the

world on the wing. If he picks the right side, they will be good. They

have injuries. The best players are coming in and that will help them.

It is a problem in club rugby in France, they don't have a Number

ten. Thierry Dusatoir is very

influential. I wanted to ask you about Italy.

Yes, Parisse is unbelievable. Very physical. It is very difficult to

pick him up. He is their key man. He did not play against us last year

and they struggled. That is the problem. We are always focusing on

Parisse. When is someone ask when to come along? We know what he does.

But he cannot win the game on his own.

Very briefly, Italy, should we take that as a given? Yes.

We face England in round four this year. I do not need to remind you

that they came down the M4 last year in search of a Grand Slam. It did

not pan out as they expected. I do not need to remind Jerry that.

Last year, I adopted England and as something of an expert on them, I

have been sent over the border to meet an England legend and an old

friend of the programme. How are we doing?

Lovely to see you on home turf. Last time I saw you, you were in Cardiff.

You were very generous to us in the wake of that result last year. I

think I am a generous bloke anyway. But when I came down on the show, I

know, what was interesting when I arrived, thank you, thank you so

much for coming. Did you think I was not when to come because of the

result? But genuinely, I grew up watching the Six Nations and it is

such a fantastic competition. Having played in it, I had been on the end

of some bad ones. I have been on the end of some good ones. But being

there that day, fancy dress, you could feel the atmosphere, and as

the game was building up, one of my favourite places, the greatest place

for me to play, it is Cardiff, the Millennium Stadium. You get all that

spirit, all that emotion just pouring out of the city centre. It

comes in through the turnstiles and that stadium just comes alive. As an

advert for Six Nations rugby, northern hemisphere rugby, I do not

think I have ever seen or been to a better game. The Welsh National

Mining firm is just phenomenal. The way it is sung. -- the Welsh anthem.

It was just a privilege to have been part of it. And yes, my England were

on the end of it but as a spectacle, the play, the intensity, the

physicality, I remember one incident, Richard Hibbard, he hit

somebody, I just remember thinking, people say, I bet you wish you were

still playing, I do not. Thank you very much.

After 20 or 30 minutes, you get a feeling. Things were going quiet.

And quieter. And then you could see England getting smaller and you

could see that Welsh Dragon. If you had two bottles something up and

give a presentation to say what is rugby, there you go. Take a DVD of

that. It is the highlight of the calendar. We mentioned the

importance of the stadium. It is at Twickenham. Is it as big a factor,

the Twickenham factor, for the English? If this Welsh team plays at

the level it can, and we saw it in last year 's Six Nations against

England. They can beat anybody. I am still not sure about this in an team

yet. There is still a lot that I do not know. But Twickenham is waiting.

If we have something to get behind, we are with them and if this England

team and bottler that feeling from what happened last year, and when

that whistle Blues and England get after it, swing low will be going

round that stadium. What a beautiful thought.

That game is a little way off but if you do believe in omens, Wales have

stolen a march today. Wales death there counterparts this afternoon.

Congratulations to them. -- Deaf. Phil Vickery spoke in reverent tones

about Wales. It was of course 11 months ago the massacre at the

Millennium Stadium. Have you forgotten how you felt bad they?

This photograph should remind you. -- how bad you felt that day. It is

good to see him smiling. I am always reminded because he has

it as his picture on twitter. I spoke to Stuart Lancaster at the

launch last Wednesday, E denies they are scarred by that. Are they still

scarred? That was such a one-sided encounter. They were looking for a

Grand Slam. The next time they come to Cardiff,

they will remember it and they will feed off it and that will be the

motivation. This time, it is to condemn. -- it is Twickenham.

I remember the game in 191990, losing to Scotland, and that is the

one game that I wanted to win for the rest of my career. I believe

that the changes in the scrum rules will not allow Wales to have that

dominance. And I think they are a little more confident. Stuart

Lancaster has worked recently within the camp. We all know that it is the

quality of player on the pitch. In that sense, Wales have a consistent

side. We can pick the Wales team. We can only pick ten of England.

Plenty of Lions missing, have they got the personnel to challenge

Wales? They have the numbers. There is

better strength in depth than all the other countries. But I do feel

that international rugby is about selection. I am not sure they know

what game they want to play. With England, I am not sure what

they are trying to do. They are sticking with the tried and tested

halfbacks. They want to build those caps up for the experience for the

World Cup. But midfield, they are picking quite a quick back three.

But the balance in midfield, they do not have the distribution to utilise

the back three as well. They are picking Mike Brown at fullback. That

is the problem. If they get that right, they will be a threat, as

they showed against the all Blacks. They are capable of beating anyone.

That is what is great about this tournament. If they get the

selection right, they will be dangerous but can they get it right?

What sort of shape are they in? England will always have a good

pack, a good defence, very difficult to beat. They have tough games to

start, Paris and then Scotland. If they have two victories, they will

be confident and dangerous. But it could be the other way. I agree with

the boys, the selection is key for them.

Can we count on your support for that Wales England game? You can,

indeed. Yes, England are a very hard team to

beat. They always are, even when they are not laying well. And they

have not played that well for a few seasons. The performance against New

Zealand was good. Yes, but to beat Wales, you have to play a high tempo

game and you have to play the space, they do not have the physicality,

missing Corbisiero, these big guys. Andy Farrell at number ten, he needs

power players around him. I do not think he has the ability of Jonathan

Sexton to move a bit more quickly, take the ball to the canine, that is

the area for Wales against imminent. A Welsh victory?

Yes. We are running out of time. I was hoping to get predictions but

that will have to wait for next time. A big thanks to everyone,

Jonathan Davies, Jeremy Guscott, Paul Wallace and Martyn Williams.

Just six more sleeps to go. We are all getting very excited. We will

leave you with a special message from our friends at Briton Ferry

RFC. When the battle scars have faded and

the truth becomes a lie and the weekends smell of liniment and it

has jetted into the sky. When the rocks are well behind you and the

men that ran now walk, we all will come together to sit and drink and

talk. As you ache from knocks and tackles, you're a thoroughbred gone

lame, you ask your self a question, why on earth do you play this game?

And though your weary and aching and you feel you can tackle no more, you

look at the players around you and know what you are playing for. As

you sit and reminisce comes the most compelling feeling, that's the thing

with rugby, it'll always be the same. It is not just about the

rugby. It is the friendships you make on the way. Andy Jenks and the

songs and the laughter. And the banter at the end of the day.