16/10/2011 Scrum V

At the end of the world. Wales's dreams of making it to the top have

come it to an end, in controversy. Now France and the All Blacks will

fight for the ultimate prize. Wales have to pick themselves up after

the nightmare of Eden Park. dream became reality. That dream

was taken from us. Unfortunately we have lost by a point, which is a

bitter pill to swallow. Good evening. Welcome to Scrum V. France

in the final but the game will be remembered for that read card.

There has been a massive reaction. Francois Pienaar said it killed the

game. England's Mark Cueto said the referee had a shocker. Ladies and

gentlemen, please welcome Gareth Edwards, Tom Shanklin, Josh Lewsey

and Casey Jones. Welcome to the programme. There is

only one place to start. Was it in red card? The question is, what is

the rule? It is very easy to belittle the referee for his

decision. Personally I think it did ruin the game. But later on the

Welsh could have gone and one the game. It is not the only issue to

discuss. The question is, what is the law? It has been a director of

further 18 months there. -- directed. If that is law, it is

hard to swallow. But the referee's job is to referee the law. Where is

one of these when you needed? That went down well! -- need it. It was

a yellow card in my opinion. Sam at picks him up. It looks bad because

he has a high alcohol. He let him go. But the referee to give a red

card, it ruined the game. That is a bad interpretation. How much leeway

is there? A yellow card should be the decision. There is not much

leeway in terms of the decision. Kingsley, what do we want referees

to-do? I find this a bit hypocritical. We say we want

consistency. Then it is a World Cup semi-final and we save maybe you

should not have given a red card. My instant reaction was he can get

sent off for that. Why? Because it is Alan role and. He sent flurry

and fruits of the in January this year in the Heineken Cup for a

similar tackle. That flashed in my mind as the French player hit the

floor. The reaction of the French did not help. For me, the referee

is too quick with his card. I thought he had been given the

yellow card. I thought he would get cited and miss the final. Then he

came across the bottom of the screen, rate card. My initial

thought was he could be red-carded. Do you think that now they did not

help the situation? No. It would not have done. A lot of referees

would have camp it down, spoken to the touch judges. Had a look at how

things were. Give themselves a bit more time to make a better decision.

But the referee would say, I have made my decision, I have seen my --

I have seen what happened. He pulled the card out in seconds.

Warren Gatland wanted the referee to discuss the situation with the

touch judges did and how early it was. What do you think? Referee's

are strong characters. -- referees. This referee has makes about

greatest decision. That is their prerogative. -- outrageous

decisions. At no time did I think it would be a red card. I thought

there was no malice. I know the person. There is no malice. I

thought it was a clumsy tackle. Nobody saw the red card. I thought

he was going for a yellow card. Having said that, and now with such

controversy and reading what the directives are, I have to admit,

the way it is, I would like to have thought differently. We have got a

World Cup coach sat next to us. was one of the World Cup coaches. I

set in a room in Auckland with all of the referee's prior to the

commencement of the tournament. -- referees. We went through the

things they would be looking at. This referee in that meeting was

seen as a major referee. He had the most to say. He is a strong

personality. I was privy to that. I have also been privy to e-mails

being sent. On 15th October this was sent to everybody. If a player

is lifted and a dropped to the ground from a height, it is a red

card offence. I have been privy to this recommendation. He knows he

has made a mistake at half-time. He would have looked at it on the

television. He is going to give Wales more penalties. Especially

the one with the Halfpenny, which could have won it. -- Leigh

Halfpenny. When you talk about directives, be Rhys no physical

problem in putting the ball into the scrum. A couple of years ago

there was a directive to the referee's that there was zero

tolerance to putting the ball in the scrum. -- referees. Where has

that gone? They pay no attention. There is plenty to talk about.

Earlier today Sam Warburton was banned for three weeks. Judicial

officer concluded the offence was mid- range. -- the judicial

officers. There were no aggravating features and compelling mitigating

features, including the player's admission, outstanding character

and disciplinary record and remorse. The suspension was reduced to three

weeks. We are naturally disappointed for Sam that he will

not be available to play on Friday. He has been an exemplary captain

for Wales. Sam would like to say a few words. Obviously I am very

disappointed. All my attention and focus will go towards supporting

the players on Friday as best I can. It is a pretty heartbreaking image.

How will he respond? I think he will be down to start with. Even if

they had made the final, he would not have played. I still cannot get

my head around him being banned for three weeks. We have seen far worse

tackles in the tournament. It seems the ire of the hour trying to stand

up for the referee and take the pressure off them. -- the

International Rugby Board are trying to stand up. He has been

praised for being a terrific servant, terrific captain, an

ambassador for Wales. That is how cruel professional sport can be?

Yes. There is macro no halfway house in these decisions. I do

nothing to lose his standing. Everybody knows this guy plays the

game in the right spirit and the right manner. Although this has

happened, and unfortunately what the attention everybody has during

the World Cup, he is going to be painted as a villain. He is

certainly not that and he never will be. I doubt very much...

Three-week ban? I have been involved with Sale Sharks. Mark

Cueto was cited 18 months ago and got a teem -- four weeks. I am

surprised it is three weeks. It is irrelevant now. It is a sad thing.

My heart is like everybody else. His family have been on the radio.

They have flown to New Zealand. We are hypocritical as well. We want

consistency but then we find ourselves saying, hang on, he's a

semi-final, maybe he could have stayed on. Being tackled like that

during the Pool games, we have seen equally bad tackles. There have

been plenty. Why had red cards not been shown? The tackles that have

happened have all been yellow. There is inconsistency between

referees. Some referees played the advantage law, some do not. If it

had been Wayne Barnes, I would have thought, I yellow-card. I know this

referee. He is black or White. should not be the only issue. Wales

should have won that game. You lost by a point with a kickable

opportunities. We will come on to that in a moment. We have been

How has Sam Warburton been? As you can imagine. --, he is absolutely

devastated. He is not a malicious player. He would never make that

tackle with malicious intent. I do not think he has ever had a red

card. Going back to the decision, to make it after 17 minutes, hugely

disappointing. I would imagine it is very difficult to put it into

words how you're feeling. Can you have a go? It is how cool

professional sport can be. You go from one of the biggest high Rhys

in my life certainly, I'm sure the whole squad, to the ultimate low.

Professional sport can be so cruel. It was not our day today. We did

have opportunities to win the game. That decision had a huge influence

on the shape of the attack, the shape of the defence, howl and

where we wanted to attack and defend. When you look back at the

tapes, we you look at those kicks and think that Wales, even though

they were down to 14, had their chances to win? Certainly. There

will be no finger-pointing in this team. You win as a squad and you

used as a squad. That is the black and white of it. How do you pick

your cells up? Because we have got pride. Even though what we have

delivered in the past five weeks, we have got a third and 4th place

play-off. We achieved third place in 1987. We want to achieve it

again. These players deserve credit. They have courage. They are top

players. Us youngsters who want to play with Wales. We have done well

on and off the pitch. We have behaved accordingly. We are not

bitter in defeat. We're proud in defeat. We go into next week as any

other Test match. It is a bit strange. Plane third and 4th place

play-off. It is not where we would like to have been. But we have come

a long way as at team. It would be great to finish it off next week by

Very moving, listening there. Wales lost by just one point. They played

three quarters of the game with 13 men and managed to stay in the game.

How did they do it? Like everyone else and stunned, our

bubble was burst by a referee. Even the statistics don't make sense.

Let's look at them more closely. It looks like Wales were successful.

What it doesn't show his possession. We were very disrupted in the scrum,

losing Jones and Warburton in the line-out and a bit redundant. Even

the statistics comparing France and It suggests the resolve of the team,

serious talent for the future. There are two individuals, Faletau

has been incredible. 69 tackles, not one missed. Halfpenny, a

revelation, fullback for the Welsh team and he was heroes, they were

Lose your captain is one thing, losing your seven is another. How

bad is that? There are a lot of it on controllable for Wales, losing

Priestland before the game was a blow. It happens. Losing Adams,

another massive blow. We are still in the game. The message at half-

time I'm sure would have been, OK, it was very close at that time, get

hold of possession, keep hold of possession, keep playing with a

positive attitude. It changes your structures. You're a man short on

the first ruck, from the first phase, etc. France played a very

dangerous game yesterday. I have watched Toulouse on a Thursday

night and they were not glamourous. Pride -- tried 20 drop goals, they

will try to win the game and go home. That is what they tried to do

the second half, yesterday. They sort, Wales, you come and beat us.

They nearly came unstuck. It is the biggest thing for me, we could have

won the game. I don't want the incident... They should have won it.

Ultimately you have got, I was gutted for a Sam Warburton, a

fantastic at that -- ambassador for Wales and rugby, the way they have

come together on the field. Wales have the third place play-off but

they should be in the final. With New Zealand the best team in the

world, in this competition. The sad thing is this team and country is

too good to win -- to focus on one event. You should have wised up --

you should have won the game. You had five or six drop goal

opportunities. That will haunt Stephen Jones, another fine --

fantastic guy of Welsh rugby but if that was Wilkinson, that would be

Wales in the World Cup final and that is the sad reality. That is

top-level sport. You can argue had it not been for Jonny Wilkinson,

they would not have won the World Cup and Wales in this World Cup

have not taken at chances at crucial moments. We did not take

them against South Africa but saying that we might not have

reached a semi-final, have we? You're right, we had five or six

opportunities to win the game. We played better rugby. We score tries.

France did not. Mike scored a fantastic try. At that stage I

thought, here we go, we're going to do this and there were

opportunities. Unfortunately we could not take them. The sending

off does change again totally. We were not able to run it, we could

not go through set phases because we were a man short. The key was to

play it down with Stephen Jones and try to make the French make a

mistake. Going through the Sunday papers, everybody praising Toby

Faletau. He has come of age. Beyond belief, I have watched him come

through in the last few years playing for the Dragons. He has

matured, he has become an immense player virtually overnight. I don't

know what they did in Poland but I'm putting my name down...!

LAUGHTER AND APPLAUSE. There's another unsung hero, Huw Bennett?

Yes, he has stepped in, he will kill me, he is one of my mates, he

has done a fantastic game. When we lost some, I was set pieces have

been great throughout. He is a vital cog, that position is crucial.

Every one of them, every one of them. Whatever happened yesterday

nobody is going to come home and lose any respect as long as we

followed it through into the game against Australia. Let's finish

strong. I agreed, being in New Zealand, we are the most respected

country in the tournament at the moment, was New Zealand, and we

need -- we need to come through with that respect that we have

learned. And beyond? And beyond. You have some Burton, what will

happen to him, they have been ambassadors on and off the field.

They should be in the dressing room, I'm getting emotional because I

have put myself in there, you make of out which of the run say we have

to challenge ourselves, week-in, week-out, on and off the field for

the next four years, and if they do that and everybody has a

responsibility, the press, the public, these guys I young fella

has and the amount of adulation you can get, the press coverage, you

end up losing your mind. You can see what has happened to Henson.

These are world class players and if you keep it together, you could

be here in four years as world champions. As disappointed as I was

yesterday that was the one bright light. I could not wait for

Australia in December, I thought of this side continues on this path we

have got exciting times in front of us. A OK, thank you very much

indeed. Plenty more to come. Wales have won more game left in the

rugby World Cup and it is the bronze final. There is going to be

a lot of pride at stake, you know, the Welsh guys haven't been in

their semi-final for ages and I think they would like to prove they

could have knocked over the Wallabies are and that was the way

the draw worked out, so it's going to be a great game. For me it is

one of those games, it is slightly more free. The rugby, there is less

pressure on the teams. But first, let's see how Eddie Butler's des

went yesterday, when Wales took on Hello, mother ship. This is the man

at the end of the world calling for stoppages Auckland, it is the

biggest day in Welsh rugby history. It is the semi-final of the World

Cup. Wales against France. I want to show you something. You see that

down there? About there. That is where Manu Tuilagi dreamt of the

ferry! -- jumped. Killing Time is a theme, nine o'clock kick-off

tonight. What to do on such a day? Only an America's Cup boat, look at

this! The I was going to do something strange, a little bit of

training. Sorry, Jamie, I can't hear you. Sorry, that is a horrible

picture. Then I thought, no, let's get out there. This is a great

voyage into the unknown, so here we go. This is it for Wales, this is

where they can make history, as long as they can overcome the

French tonight, the most unpredictable of all sides in world

A bit upset at the moment. Gutted. One out of seven kicks. Playing

with 14 players, we did well, but you have to make conversions, you

have to kick your penalties and on You know the feeling that somebody

turned the light of from rugby it this evening. This was one of it --

this was going to be one of the great games, fantastic theatre,

everybody in Auckland was willing this to be one of the most

magnificent occasions, New Zealand seeing the World Cup but it was

ruined. Fans tackled well, their line-out was good, you can take all

that but if that was a red card offence then there is something

wrong with this sport. Especially what we have to win the line-out

according to the letter of the law, the referee was right, it wasn't

right in the context of what this World Cup is all about. Some were

but -- Sam Warburton a dirty player? Hardly. The lights went out

Eddie Butler, like many others, very, very down. I know Amman very

happy. Thanks, Jason. On a weekend of Welsh agony here's the Kiwi to

Congratulations first. New Zealand are in the final. What is the

atmosphere like over there? Buzzing. There is a genuine sense of relief

at the moment. The a Australians are not worth anything. We are at

the other side and the All Blacks are back to the rugby World Cup

final. The only thing that is wrong with the whole situation is that we

will not see Wales there and to me, to my personal belief, this is a

travesty. A what is the general feeling out there in New Zealand

about the fact that Wales are not in the final and the Welsh game,

what happened? The sense is basically one of absolute relief

because we are pretty sure we would slam them, we weren't too sure

about -- we are sure we can slam the French, we were not sure about

the Welsh. We watched the Welsh game and as soon as the red card

came out the guts fell out of the whole night for us. They had have

been tremendous, Wales, and the All Blacks if they had played like that,

we have got no worries. We are winning against the wrong team.

is your favourite team, France? yes, I love the French, I really

love them. All I can say is if New Zealand don't beat the French I

will be out there putting my joke He is the real star of the Rugby

World Cup. It is a repeat of the 1980s seven final. Can the French

cause an upset? No. Next question. I think he's Zealand there was

class. You saw them this morning against Australian, the intensity

of the play in the game. You said beforehand a few weeks ago, you

have an Asian, 20 years of frustration built up -- a nation.

The earthquake there last year, this country needs it. You have

seen this whole country livings through those players at the moment.

They will wipe the floor. It is the All Blacks to lose and Richard

McCaw was outstanding this morning? A yes, we said that from the

beginning of the tournament. This has been New Zealand's to lose. It

is in their own back yard. Will the pressure tell on them? It has not

shown so far. They had a workman like shift this morning against

Australia. No fancy stuff. Just did the basics right and proper. They

enjoyed it as well. They look as though they are under pressure, of

course they are, but they are enjoying it. They have the right

balance. The backs are LED well, kicking his goals. Cruden, he gets

the ball and should sit along. Outside him there are 14 class

players. That is the only slight weakness, without Kata they haven't

got the world-class kicker. -- cart. That is the only chance France have

but I think New Zealand will win. The French have fallen out again,

parodied. Lievremont asked them not to go out and they went out. He

called them spoiled brats in his press conference. Yes, he has

reported them as going out and told the world. Last week it was half

tongue-in-cheek, this week he is mad, a genius, or both. His way to

get the best out of the team is to get them to hate him as much as

possible. A works for you? I can't say that. I don't understand him,

really. He criticises his players Graham Henry, history will judge

him on this game? Definitely. It is dangerous to say that France are so

bad. One friend of mine did the double down there in 1984. I know

some Kiwis. Secretly they did not want to play France. We enjoyed

Graham Henry when he was here. Pen consecutive victories. -- 10. He

said up a good situation for Welsh rugby. He gave also good work load,

put a good shift in. Welsh rugby has got a lot to be grateful for.

You could argue are two teams left in the tournament... They will

obviously be worried about France but I cannot see them losing.

France have probably been one of the poorest nations so far and they

still have reached the final. If Wales are not going to win, Wales -

- New Zealand is deserve to. They have been the best team in the last

10 years. It is about time that they won it.

Now we look ahead to Wales against Australia.

I have been flicking through the laws of the Rugby Union are looking

for some crumbs of comfort and there are none to be had. The final

bitter irony? Guess he they have got to demonstrate the signals of

referee's? Miss you're Alain Rolland. -- Mr Alain Rolland. I'm

joined by Bobby Skinstad. Give me an assessment of yesterday's semi-

final. It was always going to be difficult for Wales. They had such

a good performance against Ireland. The Frenchies are sold predictable.

I felt they were the favourites. Their defence have been outstanding.

The one thing that has stood out is the management of their own game.

They have played their own way. They have but have tried to

kowtowed to other styles. They had that as an advantage. That dreadful

incident with Warburton... One of those unfortunate things that

rocked the boat. They showed real guts to stay in it. Alain Rolland,

with the law, he made the right decision, didn't the? I would love

to say that he didn't. But unfortunately, to the letter of the

law, it is a red card offence. If you're in the situation where

you're in charge of the tackle, which he clearly was, he could have

driven him back several yards. He did not need to lift him. He could

have made bestowed over the ball. As he has already done in this

tournament. I think it was maybe just the heat of the moment.

Probably the smaller man, maybe his legs flicked up quicker than normal.

I do not think he needed to lift him off the ground. He had won the

contact. We have a third and 4th place play-off. Do you even care

who wins it? I think there will be a lot of pride at stake. The Welsh

guys have not been in a semi-final for ages. They would like to prove

they could have knocked over the Wallabies had that been away the

draw worked out. It will be a great game. It is slightly more free.

There is less pressure on the teams. We may see some of running rugby.

The Welsh back line have proved themselves. It should be a mouth-

watering game. I feel a little bit better. We have got Australia next

week. Let Kaouch up with Mr Tim Horan and see what he has to say. -

- catch up. We have got the bronze medal game, the game nobody really

cares about. Can you be bothered to give a prediction? I think the

Welsh and Wallabies will change their side. The next five Test

matches for the Wallabies will be against the Welsh. Replay third and

4th place play-off, we play you in December, and then we play three

Test matches in June next year. is like an Ashes series! Yes! It is

a hard game to get up for, the third and 4th place play-off. You

have to finish the World Cup. Both teams disappointed. But give them

another three or four days and they will get up for the game. We will

meet up one day. Go and have that Pierre!

Good to hear from Tim Horan. Who will make the Wales team were the

third and 4th plays play-off? -- for the third and 4th plays play-

off? Hit the professional coach of the

Wales team is anything to go by in this World Cup, why Gatland will

want to finish third. He will want his first 15 starting. The backs

pick themselves. Rhys Priestland will come back into 12 -- 10. They

will need a platform up front. Craig Mitchell will come in instead

of Alun-Wyn Jones. He could do very well against Australia. Ryan Jones

came in at six, and Dan Lydiate been in the all-important job that

a Sam Warburton has done. It is interesting, the cities did --

statistics of both teams are well matched. A very exciting game in

prospect. Turnovers for Australia, 25. Who was responsible for that?

David Pocock. They call it the battle of the heads. Getting low

over the ball to force penalties or when possession. David Pocock is a

great exponent of this game. He is everywhere. They have also got

stars behind. The Welsh team will respect Australia. James O'Connor,

one of the best runners in world rugby. If he gets possession, he

will cause problems. Wales have beaten so Mola, they have beaten

Ireland. They have both beaten Australia in the last two months.

There is no reason we cannot beat Australia, as long as we keep the

standards high. Wales have to win. What you think of the reshuffle?

is as good as we got. Sam is a massive loss. You need a good back

row to compete against the David Pocock. He was fantastic this

morning. A one-man wrecking wishing. The Wales back five, just give it

to him! He got away with so much this morning. Dan Lydiate can do a

great job at number seven. It will be nice to see a Ryan back. I am

sure he is desperate for a chance after losing his place. Let's win

this game. Play the way we have been playing. There is as seven out

there at the moment. He is working for television? It would be

unbelievable for him. Martyn Williams. I think his arm should be

all right. It will be now! Strap that up, send his boots out and it

would be brilliant. He has probably taken his boot, hasn't he? I do not

know. They are disappointed after yesterday. They had a nice day

today. They have been to the Vineyard first some wine tasting. I

would be over the moon if Martin got his 100 Kapo. Stockline 99 caps

has been horrible for him. -- he has been stuck on 99 caps.

Horan talk about the Bronze Final. Fans, players, pundits, nobody

really cares. Rob Howley talked about how they have to win it

because they are a proud once. How did they pick themselves up?

Australia played today. They threw the kitchen sink at New Zealand.

Wales will feel aggrieved. There is a lot of hurt. Emotionally they

will have more going into the game than Australia. For them I think it

is a case of putting the ghost to bed. The third-place play-off is

not everything. The biggest test is how they stay together for the next

four years. If you keep these young guys together, you should go one

better next time. You got close to Australia, didn't you? Yes, we got

close. You can do a job on the Australian front five. Quade Cooper

defence. Moving Ashley-Cooper from centre to fullback, he is the best

centre. If Kurtley Beale comes back next week, it will be at different

game. Put Quade Cooper under pressure. We have got the players

to do that. We can get the ball. With the front five we will be

dominant. We can win that game. are earning your money tonight as a

coach. How do you pick those players up? How will it they pick

themselves up for what is a meaningless game? I think Josh

Totts done it. They want to leave the tournament with the respect. Do

not leave it by a damp squib. The shackles are off. They have not got

as much pressure. We all feel that we have been done an injustice.

Let's use that. Let's use anything. Show everybody that we have lost no

credit. We have beaten Australia and we lost a game that really was

possibly down to a refereeing decision. Gareth, an opportunity to

claim a sudden hemisphere scalp? Without doubt. The players will

feel that somebody has had it in for them. What a great opportunity.

They have another shot at playing a top team and showing the world that

we deserve to be in the final. It is making a statement. This is a

mental thing as much as a physical thing. In 1999 we got pulled out of

South Africa -- by South Africa and it changed our focus. We knew we

had to be the Southern hemisphere teams regularly. Where better to

start? I really hope he sticks with the team that has been playing well.

The coaching has been fantastic. Let's hope they can keep it

together for one week. Keep the core of the team. If necessary,

give some guys who have been on the touch line and have worked hard,

their chance. Not one necessary changes. The core side and give a

few good caps two guys who deserve it. History is repeating itself in

--. In 1987 Wales met Australia for third place. A veteran of that team

is here tonight. Yes, I am delighted to welcome Paul

Thorburn. Let us remind ourselves Robert Jones... The Welsh drive on.

Apology for the loss of subtitles for 66 seconds

Michael Lynagh has got the drop is all over. -- that brings the

Brilliant stuff. What are your personal memories of that game?

guys have been talking about the emotion. It is very difficult for

the players to pick themselves up. We had lost to New Zealand but we

were not expected to win. We wanted to put right the score line, 49-six

was us hammering. Australia were devastated not getting to the final

and losing to France and they don't think they were up for the game.

You have to try to salvage something. Once you get over the

emotion you will pick yourself up and getting to it. When you put

that kick overcome or was going through your mind? I think I was

thinking of the flight home! It had been a long six or seven weeks,

injuries, emotion. We salvage something, that was important. The

young guys would have been feeling badly done by yesterday but they

have to start winning against the Southern hemisphere. How important

for Wales to finish on a high? Massively important. They need to

pick the same team, I would buy the injuries and Sam Warburton. Let's

get a win. Australia won this as much as anything because they are

hurting of the fact we to keep talking about 1987. They will be up

for it on the day. No one wants to lose. The player who was sent off

went on very physical and emotional, so when it comes to the crunch it

is 15 against 15. Let's hope we get Good to see you, Paul. A date for

your diaries. We will be here next Friday on Scrum V on BBC Two Wales

at 7pm, looking back up the entire rugby World Cup campaign from a

Welsh perspective. It has been an unbelievable week, to be a Welsh

man. Who would have thought 65,000 people crammed into the Millennium

Stadium to watch the game on television? The Welsh flag flying

above Downing Street, they managed to persuade Mr Cameron to do that,

Mr Cameron sending good luck messages and the Mayor of London

ringing Adam Jones. Exactly, that sums it up. It is marvellous. It

has been a great message about Welsh rugby. You know there is no

doubt that over the last few years outstanding worldwide, the

standings, we have been let down as far as 7th orate, 9th, now we are

at the top five without question. That was standing in world rugby

has been reinstated and it has been thrilled to hear people from New

Zealand, ringing me up regularly, saying how much they enjoy that

boys playing. More importantly, how they have enjoyed the conduct of

the boys and the way in which they have got involved with the local

people and everybody and been part of the whole thing. So it has made

me feel very proud Welshman. Also these boys have united a nation?

Yes, they have, it has been fantastic. They want to go out on a

high. They have lots of youngsters like Rhys Priestland, the ball back

row, George North, players that you would not be sure how they would

react to play at a high class level and they have been outstanding. It

stands us in good stead for the Six Nations next year, where I think we

can go and win a Grand Slam again. There is something special about

this squad. Well said, ladies and gentlemen, please thank Gareth

Edwards, Kingsley Jones, Josh Lewsey and Tom Shanklin. The Rugby

World Cup dream ended yesterday but for the fans out there and the

65,000 fans to clamp -- crammed into the Millennium Stadium your

support was felt 12,000 miles away. Obviously a lot of fans back home