22/04/2012 Scrum V

The tension in the Pro12 is at breaking point. We have all the

action from the penultimate round. It is hotting up in the Premiership,

too. It's been a weekend of drama and a weekend of emotion as we bid

farewell to some of our most famous faces. Martyn Williams hangs up his

boots and reflects on a long and successful career. It's the 17-,

18-year-olds, they wouldn't believe some of the stories I could tell

them now. Good evening. Welcome to Scrum V. The play-off race is still

open but only just. Jonathan Davies and Kingsley Jones are here. We

will start with that crucial game tense encounter. Injuries in the

Scarlets' camp meant Stephen Jones featured at inside-centre. The

Munster forwards are keeping it they go. The chance could still be

on. The try for the Scarlets, a glorious counter-attack from the

home side. Finished off by Lamont. Zebo for the outside. The Scarlets

Apology for the loss of subtitles for 45 seconds

had defenders there in numbers. A for the referee. You may award the

try. I may award the try? That's there in numbers and Munster have

Apology for the loss of subtitles for 45 seconds

a hit. You must use your arms in a Munster's lead is ten points again.

One try would make things very interesting indeed. It could set up

a grandstand finish. Munster have looked dangerous in this second

Apology for the loss of subtitles for 45 seconds

They have the penalty. A big decision there for Stephen Jones as

not concede a penalty. Stephen Can they get a penalty from

somewhere? The match looked dead and buried. The Scarlets have to

get the ball out of there quickly otherwise the whistle will go. And

that is it. The Scarlets' hopes are very, very slim now. A tremendous

finale. It's ended in stalemate. tight games, referees will decide

There were some clear-cut penalties for being off the feet. It wasn't

refereed. I am disappointed about that. The pendulum swung back and

forth a few times during that game. Jonathan, they couldn't breach that

Munster defence? They had to win that game to give themselves any

realistic chance. I think it was a clear penalty when Matthew went

into the side of the ruck. I can agree there. The referee was flaky.

Nigel Davis was frustrated with some of those decisions. If you

look at the overall performance, we saw they had chances to win?

Scarlets are not far away. I have highlighted a few things. The first

three scrums, under pressure. Under pressure, penalty. When they do get

a platform, it's a bit sloppy. Poor The Scarlets are going backwards.

Look how far behind the game line they are. Here again, the line-out

struggled at times. This time, it is a good throw. Poor delivery. On

the back foot. And this has been their trouble. They are under the

cosh, off the top, Ben Morgan, and this is when they are at their best.

If they can get the platform to get this going, off all the set-pieces,

they are dangerous. A ball out the tackle. Here again, Shingler, he is

great at it. This is when they are at their most dangerous.

Unfortunately, they are trying to I know young Rhodri Jones has done

a great job. They haven't been able to bring experienced players off

the bench. Really, it has been their downfall. They are a top side.

All the big clubs have a very good platform. The set-piece is good.

Look at how the Ospreys are playing now, on the back of a really solid

front five. The first try was one of the best of the season. Wales

play well on the back of a good set-piece now. The line-out has

improved and the scrum has. I think most of these sides have got to

have a good front row, solid, which they play everything off. OK. Not

only were the Scarlets desperate for the win, they were also hoping

for a few favours from the other teams in the Pro12 and they nearly

received a big one from Treviso. They were playing Glasgow and they

nearly won. They were ahead with a minute to go. But this try from Van

der Merwe sealed the win and put paid to the Scarlets' hopes of a

on Friday night, McLaughlin scoring the visitors' only try. So to be

clear, Glasgow are four points That means the Scarlets have to win

against the Blues with a bonus point next week. It will be a tough

challenge now. It will be an interesting end. The Scarlets still

have a chance. They have the Blues the last game up. It will be a

challenge. The Ospreys look as if they have got it nailed on. I think

with it being in Glasgow, there is no hope. If you look at that table,

Leinster, Ospreys, Edinburgh, the Pro12 should be as competitive as

the French leagues and the English league. There is something not

right there. Whether it is qualification for Europe or not.

You can't have a side in the semi- final of the Heineken Cup

languishing at the bottom. You can see where their priorities are.

That is wrong. The Blues didn't have anything to play for today.

There was pride at stake after a turbulent few weeks at the Cardiff

City Stadium. Edinburgh were the midfield of Edinburgh. Can they

finish? Good defence by Edinburgh. It's Blues' ball. Cuthbert at close

quarters. That is Gethin Jenkins. He stays on his feet. Just short.

Wide to Williams. They have to go left. The space was out wide but

Lloyd Williams didn't need it. The themselves under pressure. They

have men spare. It is easy for Cuthbert and Edinburgh will be

Apology for the loss of subtitles for 45 seconds

stone. That is a great bit of individual skill by Leonard.

great way to round off proceedings at the Cardiff City stadium.

for fans to say goodbye to a number Well, it has been a turbulent few

weeks for the Blues, but that was a welcome victory. What do they need

to do now sustain that success? is a poor Edinburgh side a second

string side, so they were going to win. But I do feel that the two

coaches, you know they have an opportunity for whatever reason...

It's not going to happen. They have got to put a rugby director in to

give it some leadership. They are going to be short of resources. But

they need resolve and mental toughness, and get the defence

sorted. But you need direction, and a rugby director should go in. A

lot of people have gone for the job. I think Phil Davies was clearly the

favourite. They want him and he wants to go, but he has a two-year

contract in Worcester. That is a hurdle to overcome. It needs a guy

with experience to lead it from the top. And again do the rugby matters

and there is a line and the businessmen keep one side and the

rugby men the other. It is going to be a tough couple of seasons maybe

for the Blues. But you know, most of it's going to be, it's going to

be tough for most regions. A number of names have been bandied around.

We asked a man with more than a little cred in the rugby world

whether he would be interested. have a lot of respect for Cardiff

Blues and the people who run the club. I have always had a soft spot

for them. I'd love to do the job, if I can do it from here. Is it a

possibility I could be by the sea here, being involved with Cardiff

Blues? Anything's possible in the modern game. I will have to talk to

Peter Thomas about it. Is that the house they funded? I couldn't

comment. Tongue-in-cheek from Mr Henry. Is it a role you would be

interested in? Could I do it from Wales? I think as I said, any coach

with any ambition would be having one eye on that. It is a great

region and it is a massive potential. Doom and gloom about it,

but it is time for a change. It is a good time to go. The end of the

season hasn't been great. So you go in, a clean sweep and start again.

We shall wait and see what happens. One man who has not just played his

last game for the Blues, but his last game full stop, Martin

Williams has hung up his boots for good. We will look back on a long

the tries and everyone remembers you for it. That second half

changed a lot of our lives. Not only as rugby players, but off the

field. It was coming home from Paris, we thought we could win the

Paris, we thought we could win the It was derby night on Friday as The

Ospreys welcomed the Dragons. The reception at the Liberty Stadium.

At the other end of his career, 17- year-old Hallam Amos made his first

It is Amos who has to do the last line of defending and again The

Ospreys couldn't get the ball clear. Isaacs is the scrum half who has

Apology for the loss of subtitles for 45 seconds

been concerted to centre. He halfway. Failing to stay on their

feet. The angle, just pushing the kick over 50 metres. A good strike

by Robling. That's a belter. The Dragons get the most important

Bishop. But again just short. Around the blind side and Jones

claims the try. Everybody looking open. And the touch judge is happy

and Ryan Jones gets the try, just when the Ospreys were brought down.

The old head snuck over on the blind side. Evans going backwards.

And it is all getting very uncomfortable. Get it wide! It is

that. Defending two Ospreys backs. He does enough to allow them to

arrive. No arms in that tackle. Just straight across the legs with

out. Yellow card was not enough. They weren't going to stay in that

Apology for the loss of subtitles for 45 seconds

and the Dragons aren't done yet. into the final minute. The Ospreys'

dominance at scrum time gets them a can't believe it! You could not

script it! He did it in his final international for Wales against

Australia and he's possibly done it again in his final game at the

Liberty. It could not have had a better ending for Shane Williams

and the Ospreys. Fabulous! Not only did Shane Williams have the last

word in terms of try-scoring, he has the last kick as well and just

for good measure puts over the conversion. Has a smile like a

Cheshire cat, and why not? Because the icing on the cake has come via

the icing on the cake has come via Shane Williams.

Shane, who writes the script? don't know what it is about the the

last game, I don't seem to play well. But a fantastic game. They

well. But a fantastic game. They made it tough and what a crowd.

Here are the weekend's other results. Scarlets still could

overhaul Glasgow and make the top He did it against Australia and he

did it again against Dragons. can't say any more good things

about him. People are getting fed up! I think he mentioned a

gentlemen's agreement. Maybe they left him on the inside to score. I

don't think it should be his last game. He has got to play in the

semi-final and the way they're playing, they're playing with a

smile on their face, the front five is awesome and he should play. He

adds something to them. I do think that the way they're playing with

the dominant front five and the back rows, they could trouble

Leinster. I can see Leinster/Ospreys in the final.

They're playing with a big smile and confidence in their game. That

is the point, Leinster are favourites, but The Ospreys, that

is four in a row and they're looking promising. We spoke about

the battle of back rows and it was incredible. The effect he had on

the game. Four Dragons players just to shift him. He is the best over

to shift him. He is the best over the ball. What it does, the Dragons

have lost their attacking pack and Evans comes in with a good tackle.

First man over. He does well and now all the Dragons' attacking play

has gone. We see young Robling, he has all his team in front of him

and he has no option but to kick the ball. And this is just text

book. This what is he has been doing all season. Through the

middle, take the space. Turn over for The Ospreys and they're away.

He is immense. Some amount of work he is doing, you look and think why

are the Dragons doing that? They are all playing well. Edinburgh

What he does, when he does it, he goes in and does that, you have to

commit more to the ruck and then you have got more defenders than

attackers. It is difficult when it is a one-man wrecking machine

slowing things down. Now to the Premiership where things are

getting tight at the top. Aberavon It is the last weekend of the

season and a win for Aberavon would guarantee a top three finish and a

Cross Quays are playing for pride and giving a number of youngsters a

run-out. But they have got two Cup hand side. Chris Lewis - inside

goes Lewis - a hand-off and that is the first try for the Wizards after

two minutes. Chris Lewis is in. A lovely side-step from Chris Lewis.

There is the bonus point try and we have barely played 20 minutes.

Marcus Johnstone is over for Cross Keys and Keys are on the board.

That is a super individual try by the scrum half. Bags of possession

in this second half again. John Phillips spots a little gap. Gets a

reception committee of three. Drive. You must have been pleased

with the wind but it is still tied to the top. Our job was to win the

game. All credit to Cross Keys, I wish them all the best at the end

of the week. We have to keep our fingers crossed that we win the

play-offs. There were a few soft tries in the end. Was your fork is

perhaps today on the Cup on Friday night? It has to be, really. We

rested some boys but we have some real promising players who played

today. Despite that huge result, After three World Cups, three Lions

tours and 99 caps, Martyn Williams has finally hung up his boots. The

legend has called time on his career. I caught up with him for a

cup of coffee and a look back on a career which has spanned three

decades. When you have been doing something as long as I have, it's a

strange feeling to think, come He was a world-class player. A

highly respected guy. Apart from being a world-class rugby player,

The only player I have asked to swap jerseys with is Martyn. When

Martyn Williams played well, all the teams that he played for played

well. He will be remembered as one of the great players of all time.

He was a tough number seven. World- Let me take you back to the

beginning of your career and Pontypridd! I can't remember that

long! You are one of the few players still playing who has

straddled that amateur-professional divide. You must have seen some

enormous changes? The 17-, 18-year- olds, if they had the eye-opener

that I did, they wouldn't believe some of the stories I could tell

them now. My introduction in '94 was an away trip with Pontypridd,

being handed a can of Heineken on the bus and we had a game the next

day. That is how Pontypridd did things then. Any initiation

ceremonies? Nothing I could mention on camera! There were some fun

times. After Pontypridd you moved on to Cardiff, which was seen as a

controversial decision, given the rivalries between these two sides.

What do you remember? I remember breathing a huge sigh of relief

when Jenkins signed as well. It was a tough move. I changed my mind two

or three times. It was a bigger decision for me to travel 12 miles

down the road than it was for him to travel 12,000. It was tough. I

felt at that stage of my career it was something I needed to do if I

was going to improve and move on. I wanted to give it a go and,

fortunately, it worked out well. Is there a highlight, or a period

you look back on as being the best period? '05 is up there for me as a

player, the 2005 Grand Slam. We didn't know what success was like

in a Welsh jersey. It was a group of players who had been through

Wales' worst run, losing ten games in a row. And to win the first

Grand Slam in 28 years, you realise how special that was. It was a real

special moment. From a personal point of view, I remember the

French game. It was a classic. I didn't play that well. You score

the tries and everybody remembers you for it. They are still going!

We had a shock in the first half. The second half probably changed

our lives. It was coming home from Paris that we thought we could win

the whole thing. The way it turned round, going up to Murrayfield the

week after, putting on an unbelievable game up there and

finishing off with Ireland at home was the stuff dreams are made of.

For that group of players, who hadn't experienced anything like

that, it was a special time. proud were you to be a Lion? A

proud Welshman. Is the Lions another notch? It is. The day you

get your first Lions call-up, for me, was the proudest moment you

have as a rugby player. Your first Welsh cap is great. It is what you

achieve. But you never think you are good enough for the Lions. When

you get the call and you see your name is on there with Martin

Johnson, Keith Wood, you think, "How daunting is that?" Some of the

boys would get in next year. There would be a lot of Welsh players

going on their first Lions tour. It is one of the best days of their

life when they hear that announcement. You have represented

Wales on the world stage against the other top teams. How does that

differ from a Lions' tour? World Cups I have been involved

with haven't been that successful. 2007 was very tough, losing to Fiji.

It was one of the darkest times in a Welsh jersey. There is huge

expectation on a Welsh side. You retired after that. Then Warren

Gatland talked you back into playing for Wales, presumably a

decision which was a wise one? Looking back. It was a difficult

one at the time. You never want to go back on your word. When I got

the phone call prior to the 2008 Six Nations it was to finish the

season off. It does seem strange to retire. He said, "Why don't you

come back for the Six Nations and be on your way after that?" The

rest is history. We went on to win the Grand Slam. It was one of the

best decisions I ever made. French game was the deciding game?

Martyn Williams dragged out of retirement and here he is - a

second Grand Slam for Wales! It was a nice moment to score the try at

home and clinching it, knowing you had won a Grand Slam again. When

you get a chance to reflect, any major regrets? Not practising my

kicking before the semi-final of the Heineken Cup! Yeah, I don't

really go along with people saying they have no regrets, everybody has

got regrets. I made a lot of mistakes and wish I had done a few

things differently. In saying that, I can't complain. I have lasted a

long time and loved every minute of it. We are quite proud of the fact

we have won a European competition. We have been in the top four over

the last few years. I am sure with the players, Sam Warburton, it is

still a strong group and the future looks good. You are Wales' most

capped forward, on 99. I know the next question! Will that rankle you

didn't get the hundred? I would have loved to have got one more.

But sport can be cruel at times. Is your glass half-full or half-empty?

There's a lot worse things in life can happen to you than 99 caps. In

years to come, I am sure I will wake up thinking, "I wish I had one

more." The big question is: what is next? I will take the summer off. I

will try and enjoy, spend as much time as I can focusing on the

family and then it is the real world. I have been doing financial

advising for the last few years with a company in Cardiff.

Hopefully, still involved with the Blues next year. I have been there

since the start. I would love to help out in some shape or form.

Hopefully, we can sort something out. It's been a pleasure watching

you over the years. Whatever you do next, we wish you every success.

Martyn Williams, top player and top bloke. We sent a tweet asking if he

was the best seven ever to play for Wales. There was a flood of replies,

all of them saying emphatically, yes, he was. Do you go along with

that? Shane Williams and Martyn Williams, if you are picking a

world all-time Welsh 15, those two would be in it. I think coming from

where he's come from and playing for Ponty and having a crossover

from the amateur days. The footballing ability put him in good

stead, but he is knocking on a bit now because he played with me in

the World Sevens in Dubai. He was very young then. I saw the

potential. What he had was a rugby brain. He wasn't the quickest. He

wasn't the biggest. What he had was a rugby brain that put him in

places where he knew the ball would be. You can't coach that sometimes.

It is a natural player. He's been fantastic. I think he's a great

bloke. The Blues will get him involved. They have to. He's that

type of bloke that if any problems arise, you can send him in and he

will iron it all out. A top bloke. You started your international

career at the same time? Something I am proud of. I kept Martyn out of

the Welsh team. He was 12! He was 15 years old at the time - you

pinched my punchline! I played with him in his first game of senior

rugby against South Wales Police and I was in the changing room with

him and we were looking to see who was going to play six or seven, and

he did. A few years later we played for Wales together at six and seven.

He has had hardship in his life. He is one of the top people in the

game. I coached the Barbarians in 2011/12. Martyn Williams was the

same then. He really is a great ambassador for the game and needs

to stay involved with the Blues and Wales. The chances are he will stay

involved with the Blues in a team manager capacity, perhaps. He has a

lot to bring to that organisation? Yes. Look at the experience he has

got. A lot of these youngsters, he's coped with the press, the

media, that's changed. These youngsters are cocooned. Martyn has

been through it. I think there will be a lot of people out there - I

know he's got a job already. Also, he is going to do the bike ride,

the charity bike ride with myself in September. Looking forward to

that. It will be a laugh - and Shane is. He has to keep his

fitness up and he has to put that suntan cream on. He doesn't want to

get burnt. I'm hoping to get him a job on Fridays, Saturdays and

Sundays. He took my place off me and he is pretty good here! Let's

hope he works Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays so he doesn't take

another job off me! Whether he wants to go back and put a

tracksuit on, I'm not sure. He has been doing it for so long. He's

given so much to the game. It's taken so much time from him. He can

sit down, assess what he wants to do and do whatever is best for