Episode 15 Scrum V

As the race for the Pro 12 play- offs entering a critical stage we

will bring you the drama, the triumphs, and the disasters from

round 15. He played a starring role in that memorable win in Paris, Dan

Biggar tell us what the number ten shirt means to him. It is a special

Jersey and something that is very special to me, so, if I can hold on

to it for as long as possible, that would be a dream., So Wales Six

Nationss is back on track, we look at head to their next opponents in

the eternal city, and they may be without their Starman. And we catch

up with a Pro 12's fastest prop rev ev -- Bev to talk about that try

and how it has gone with his team- mates I said good luck for the game

and he texted back saying cheer, he said, played well, I said, good try,

never speak about it again. So it is one of those things. Good

evening and welcome to Scrum V. The Six Nationss maybe taking a break

but the prost is in full steam. Back for his Japanese sojourn is

Shane William Rob jons and Jonathan Davies, we will catch up with them

in a moment. We will start with last night's crucial match between

The Scarlets prepared for this match in a slightly unusual manner.

They spent a week at Blue stone park in Pembrokeshire, flinging

themselves after cliffs into the freezing waters below. It was in

the name of team bonding. Coping up morale up during a period when the

stars are away and resources are stretched. Josh Turnbull and Liam

Williams bolstered the home side who were looking to complete the

double over Munster. The visitors has Ronan O'Gara and okal lan in

their ranks, the winners would their ranks, the winners would

break back into the top four ch the has missed twice. And Williams...

Is perfect with his first attempt. possession so far in the first half.

That was a potential hospital pass across. The Scarlets are penalised.

You can hear what the fans think of this. This is the yeest of the

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three attempts. Finally, he get Scarlets get the penalty again.

This would be the perfect tonic as half-time approaches. He need to

give it some welly, he has done that and that is an excellent kick

field waiting defensively so they because they know, the home side

have defended bravely, and it is another penalty. There is an

advantage coming again for the Scarlets. They might as well throw

and Sherry for one fraction oaf a second thought he might have a 80

yard run to the try line. But crowd are happy. Williams is happy.

course are down to 14 men, for infringements at the tackle area.

Goes for the snap drop goal. Good stuff by the outside half. He is

having another excellent match for the Scarlets. There is the

instruction by the referee for that ball to be released to Munster, who

keep possession. They will keep knocking on the Scarlets's door.

They look to sweep it wide. The try is inevitable but it is only a

is inevitable but it is only a consolation.. Has been a tough come

of months but now we are seeing reward and it is great for the

players, encouraging signs from some positions are playing with

confidence, we are starting to get results again., So great win for

the Scarlet, the first time ever they have done the double over

Munster, they won at Musgrave park in November. Impressive stuff last

night. Yes, solid defensively they were good ch any result against

Munster is very good. The double, it is special. So it keeps their

momentum going. Rob, no try last night, but plenty of enterprise

from the Scarlets. They did. They threw the ball round very well in

fairness. A lot of young player, a lot of talented young player, they

tried to play with ambition, but I think the foundations of that

success were based obviously on their defensive work. I think if

you look at O'Gara, he is never going to cause much of a threat.

They done their homework, they leelsed that. They were passive in

terms of defensive work. They stayed off and pushed across,

although you know, Munster, as we can see, you know got the ball wide,

they had little room to play. There were Flynn of numbers, and again,

we see in the second type, Phil John lays off. The line is there,

numbers come out, and when they had to be, they wereing a si. They got

turn over. We see this Snyman, what a great defensive game. He comes

through, the pressure is there, again, the tackle is made. Gareth

Maule on this occasion, they set the line is there, and again,

Snyman comes through, and then it is all about pressure. Murphy,

Turnbull, you know, they all came through and exerted pressure, and

although they didn't cross the whitewash, they didn't get a try,

they reo e-- deserved that win. Great kicking by well yams but it

was the defence that won them the game. Shane, crucially for the

scarlet, they were fifth and six, Scarlets and Munster, they denied

Munster a loosing bonus point. That could prove crucial at the end of

the season. A big win against a big team. I thought it was it was

mature performance. Williams had a great game, coaled it well. It's a

win they needed. Perfect time to get a performance like that and

needs to be happy with the performance of the young guys.

talk about young guy, Owen Williams, a fairly cool head, only 20. There

were a number of individuals that shone last night. Yes, one in

particular, I was delighted to see him back, it is Gareth Owen, he has

played a couple of times for the Scarlets. 11 appearances in total I

think. I thought he was very good yesterday. He is a very good

footballer, he missed the entire season because of injury, he is a

big man, strong, he is only 23 so he has a lot of rugby left in him.

Great skills there, the inside ball to Fenby, but it is twoe things

here one he is a good player. It is great he is having opportunity and

secondly, he has had a tough old time over the last couple of years

and to see him playing as well is fantastic news for... Needs to play

consistently. He has been in an out and sometimes it come os to a stage

in a career I have to make one position my own, maybe this is the

time for him to do it on the defence side, it is OK holding that

defensive live line but when you play against better side like

Ulster and Leinster, that line has to be more aggressive, they get

over the gain line you are on the back foot. They have to variety

defence. A great win for the Scarlets and some pleasing news,

preespleepsing to come back from -- Rees priest land hoping to come

back. His place has gone to Dan Biggar, he was the architect of

that match winning try in Paris he is the latest to try and make that

fabled number ten Jersey his own. Well, Dan Biggar, a few days have

past since that epic win in Paris how is the mood? The mood is pretty

good, you know, it helps coming in on Monday after you have won a game,

where we are under no illusions the performance was perfect but people

have said, saying they are fed up of Wales playing well and losing by

one point, it was all about the win and the boys are delighteded with

it. For you, you are no stranger to the Wales' camp but in terms of the

Six Nationss this was your bow, how has that differed in terms of

experience from playing for Wales in other games? Everything is more

scrutinising, you are looked upon a lot more, it is the best tournament

in the world, in my opinion and a lot of people's opinion, it is

multiplied. You are in a goldfish bowl in Wales anyway but during Six

Nations period it is magnified. Every mistake is scrutinised. You

could could done 100 good things but people pick out the one or two

bad thing, the fans are great. The fans in Paris on Saturday was

incredible, and helped us. You have coveted this number ten shirt for

some time, before the tournament began, there was a lot of column

inches about whether it would be you or James Hook. What is your

relationship like with James? We saw you embracing after the final

whistle. Hookey, you can't meet many better blokes, and I think the

way he has been with congratulating me on getting the shirtd and being

as professional as he has been, is, you know, is a real positive. It is

something I enjoy the rivalry. I am sure he does the same of. I ethink

we bring the best out of each other. People looking at it probably see

James Hook as the maverick and you as more the pragmatist, is that

fair? Yes, I think so, I agree with that. I think in terms of natural

talent, hookey is far and above me, he has got so much skill, he can

play, probably put him up blindside flanker and he would have a

circumstances seven out of ten game. Yeah, look, each is to their own, I

think, but, I think on Saturday, it was a type of game which just

needed a bit of control, and, and less errors sort of thing, so, I

was happy with managing to steer it in the end to a victory, hopefully

I can push on and show a bit more against Italy and Scotland, and

England. I have heard on the grapevine you are obsessive when it

comes to sporbgts you will watch anything, and you will analyse it

to the smallest degree. I like football. I watch a lot of football,

a lot of tennis, golf, which the missus is going crazy in the house

when the sport is on, but, in all honesty I, if there was football or

rugby on I would watch the football because you get rugby day in, day

out, if you are an accountant the last thing they want to do is look

at fig yours look over the tax system. So it is nice to relax and

sometimes the rugby commentators have things to say about you as

well, so it isifies to back away from that as well. Over the past,

you have been accused of being arrogant and full of it, and

strange accusation have come your way whenever I have met you you

have struck me as humble and down- to-earth. Are you a different

player on the pitch to off? I think South Yorkshire if you have watched

Real Madrid where rodge doe said people don't know you for a person,

all they see is what they see on a Saturday afternoon or Friday night

on the pitch, and people who know you, they will back you up and

think you are a half decent person, and that is, that is really what

matter, it is the people that are close do you whose opinion matter.

You smind a while ago, an interview a while ago your ambition was to be

the best rugby player in the world, what is your ambition now? Nothing

has changed. It is pointless aiming for anything lower. I am by far

nowhere near the best rugby player in the world at the minute, but you

know, if you don't aim, if you don't aim high, there is no point

in being here, so I have a lot to learn and by far nowhere near the

perfect article. But hopefully if can I can keep improving, training

hard, hopefully I can get somewhere You know him well, this label of

arrogant, it seems at odds with the guy, it is he different off the

pitch? He is a very arrogant player and there is nothing wrong with

that, they are the best players. He is the top guy off the field, you

can see from the interview he is an easy fight to get on with. He has

had a difficult job to do, the most important job in the rugby team. He

is coming into a team that are under pressure, haven't won for a

long time and he has done the job. Be used to call him a rhino skin,

nothing really bothers him. He has been playing great for the Ospreys

this year, his best year so far, and he will only get better.

said it is the most important Jersey in the team, particularly in

Wales. You have warned that Jersey with distinction, how do you think

he has gone? I think he has gone extremely well. He has always been

confident and you have have to have a bit of arrogance to play number

ten, because you have to bossed the game. At times, he is petulant,

throwing his arms in the air, having a tantrum and that is what

people pick up on. I know plenty of players who off the pitch are real

gentleman and on the pitch, they will wreck your head off. It is the

same thing, he looks arrogant and cocky, but he is a lovely guy and

you have to have that edge on the field. He is in a difficult

position, do you go with James Hook or Biggar? You know which each one

offers. I think because he has stayed in Wales, may be that has

given him the edge a bit, he has seen more of him and he wanted

control at Number Ten to win games. He did exceptionally well in Paris

and I think he will be given the opportunity. When he came in before,

he was thrown in on a Friday night against Fiji with a number of

changes and you cannot mould a side together in one evening, so I think

he has done exceptionally well. think that interview was a very

mature interview and I think he came across as a different man to

what people's perception of him has been. I think going back to that

point, and one of one to make, he has been given this opportunity

against Ireland and knows he has had for the rest of the season

probably, and knowing that in the back of your mind, that you can go

out there and have time on your hands to develop and grow into this

position, it will make him that much better. The it will make him a

better player, because he knows that if it doesn't matter if he

doesn't play well, James Hook is there to come on and that is what

you need, competition for places, so you are on top of your game all

the time. Moving on to Wales in general. Shame, I guess that if

there are many experts out in Japan you can watch, but what have you

made of Wales's campaign so far? They started poorly, it was a first

for half against Ireland -- a poor first half against Ireland. It was

a mature second half and even though they didn't win, the pride

they showed gave me hope. It wasn't the prettiest of games against

France but they did what they had to do, just win and win a plea and

quite a mature performance. The defence was amazing. -- When a peer.

At times, it did look as though they were forcing things a little

bit but they did exactly what they have to do and that was to get a

big win in a tough place to go and play. I guess that is the hallmark

of a losing side, if you are forcing things that you are afraid

to try things. How do you think it will have affected their

conference? Firstly, going to France and if you are World Cup

winners, whatever, going to France is the brilliant. I am delighted

that they have won four Rob Howley and for the playing members,

because if you are on the back of a run like that, it is the confidence.

Unless you have played at a high level, the journalists and

everything, the fans, unless you have experienced it, confidence is

unbelievable and playing to win and pains not to lose, it is a

different psychological position to be in. -- playing enough to lose.

When they were 10 points in front, you could fill the surge of

confidence coming through. That win was so important, and all of those

games they have lost, they should have won. They should have beaten

Australia, they could have beaten Argentina and Samoa. May be the one

they won is the one they should and, New Zealand. The difference between

winning and losing last week hopefully will give them the

confidence back and I am confident they will beat Italy. It will be

tough but I am confident they will win and they will beat Scotland.

Dan Biggar, as we have seen, is the incumbent for Wales at the moment.

We saw a man of the match performance from Alan Williams for

the Scarlets last night and if there was any doubt that production

was slowing down at the Welsh by half factory, they were scotched on

half factory, they were scotched on Friday -- fly half.

Friday -- fly half. The Blues travelled to Edinburgh

seeking revenge after losing the reverse picture in September. The

visitors up against an Edinburgh side low on confidence after four

could be on here. Rees catch-all the Blues. It is a penalty for the

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eventually comes and Edinburgh are right back in this one -- wiggles

Blues. Yes, it is a penalty and Rhys Patchell will have another

shot at goal. Easy for him. 12 minutes left and the Blues take the

I think the Blues have got the ball. Yes, they have. Pretorius clears

the ball, relief for the Blues. And the ball, relief for the Blues. And

Edinburgh's woes continue. So a solid win on the road for the

Blues and the Jonathon, a third man of the match performance for Greece

of the match performance for Greece of the match performance for Greece

patch will on this programme -- Rhys Patchell.

Yes, he is developing very well. He runs the game very well, he will

make the right decisions but after a 1520 minutes, he will go a while

-- 415-20 minutes. He will learn, don't push him too hard.

Back to the action, and though she may have seemed on Friday night,

the Dragons has suffered an absolute nightmare at Rodney Parade.

We will review that in a few moments, but first, let's see how

bench last week, Captain Alun Wyn Jones making his first start since

November for the Ospreys. Encouraging start for his region

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that is good enough for me, and the bringing it back. Morgan. No

problem for the fly half, as good but the team hat on it for Connacht.

bottom at Rodney Parade on Friday night. Dragons captain Lewis Evans

was looking to lead his side to a first victory over the Warriors

since September 2010. But Glasgow, with four consecutive wins to their

name, I arrive in confident mood. - Bennett who waltzes over, easy as

you like. There is a good variety about Glasgow's game at the moment.

Keeping the Dragons defence Dragons have conceded again just

tackling in the Dragons defence, and Taylor Paris gets his first

touch of the evening and Glasgow are coming thick and fast and as

easy as you like and Tim Simpson Josh drier springs up half a dozen.

It is a hammering now for the And Scott White. Has he got there?

It looks like he has. It is embarrassing. You can't hide away

from that fact, we were very embarrassed by that and I am

embarrassed that it was my team out there. It is embarrassing and it is

there. It is embarrassing and it is not acceptable and the standard you

try and set your team in training and in preparation for this match

needed to be delivered. We looked like we have no understanding of

what we were trying to do, their collective unity or effort. It was

massively disappointing. Will you be considering opposition after a

defeat like that? Look, I have come from a professional playing

background and I have got to fight, it is all I am thinking about, to

First the rest of the weekend Ulster, Glasgow and Leinster remain

in the top three, the Scarlets leap frog the Ospreys into fourth, the

Blues stay in seventh and only Zebre are keeping the Dragons off

the foot of the table. Round two of the Swalec cup. Here

And a quick congratulations as well to Matthew Jacobs who has been

voted this month's principality Premiership player of the month.

Well done to him. On to the Dragons game. As you say, they were

describing it as an embarassment. It is the worst defeat in Pro 12

history for a Welsh region. You were kpwhen Tait og than game. It

was a horror show. The number of times the guys said embarrassing.

They were right. It went from bad They were right. It went from bad

to worse. In attack they were poor. They lost possession. Lots of

mistake, some of these sum it in in terms of the clips. Poor vision,

dephenomenon sievely they were awful. The coach -- defensively.

You can't take away from the fact that there might have been systems

but one or one tackle, the application of the players to make

a tacking was so poor, and towards a tacking was so poor, and towards

the end was non-existent. I think it got from bad to worse. I have

never seen a Dragons side fall apart the way they did. People talk

about going to Rodney Parade. It will be tough, competitive. You are

up against a side that will never say die. For the first time I saw a

side fall apart and not want to play, really. I feel sorry for

Darren Edwards and the whole coaching team. The players have to

take huge responsibility for that. How they bounce back, I don't know.

Huge responsibility on the shoulder of the player, where should the

blame lie largely, the players or the coaching staff or is this a

wider malaise? It is is a difficult one, I think on that performance,

even has to hold their hand up, whether, you know, they worked hard

in the training session, leading up to it, we won't know. Ultimately it

comes down to players to give that performance, and you know, it is a

professional sport, it is your job, and if you give up, in any other

job, most likely you would have a P45 and you are gone. And it does

give ammunition to people who say that there are only enough good

players for three regions in Wales. If that is the case, right, those

players will be looking for work next year, that is the sad thing,

unless, OK, sometimes you know you are not as good as some sides, but

collectively you put the effort in and you work hard and I think that

is what has happened in a lot of the times in the Dragon, and in

Rodney maybe for whatever reason, good times have sides have come and

they have beaten the Ospreys and Scarlets on numerous occasion,

maybe on paper they are not the better side. On Friday, I wasn't

there, I have looked at it on tape. It looks worse on tape because you

know what is going to happen next. It is, and the players have really

got to have a look at themselves, and it, as I said, next year, if

they are back doing proper job, because at the moment, professional

sportsmen, you know it is is a privileged position, if you roll

over and let them Tickle your belly, you have had it. Was shouldn't take

too much away from Glasgow. They are the form side in the league.

But they have 19 players in the Scotland squad, some of them were

back, the Dragons only have two player in the Welsh squad. They

were better equipped to win that game. They should have been. They

were playing at home. Certainly seem prepared. They started pretty

well, but to me, when they came out second half they had given up. They

were a side that wasn't, you are down by 20 points doesn't mean the

game is over. You could see in their eye, as soon as they came out

in the second half, they did want to know. I think, you know, I think

the Glasgow team just fed off that. They started throwing the ball

round from everywhere, playing with a smile on their face and scored

great tries in the end. I think you can't allow to be doing that with a

team like Glasgow, who are one of the form teams in the league.

nightmare for the Dragons and a dispointing result for the Ospreys.

It was a far cry from last week when they won on the road in

Belfast. The man who scored the winning try will be dining out on

that for many years to come. Know what the guys are like, they won't

what the guys are like, they won't let me live it down. That is is a

gooth good break. One more, Ryan Bevington to the line. The minute I

mention something about the try I will get rinsed by the players and

the guys. What a try for the the guys. What a try for the

There is nobody bigger on the team I texted him the night before the

game as you do to two of the boys, he said cheer, played well. I said,

good try, never speak about it again! So, it is one of those

things. Is that the first time you have scored a try of a similar ilk?

No, I did score one many years years ago, under 19s. Very similar,

same spot. Ball well taken. Ryan Bevington, can he go all the way?

Yes he can. We celebrate the tries because it is not often we see a

prop galloping away for 40, 50, 60 yards. You are one of those players

that enjoys that aspect of the game? Yes, I think everybody has

different fortes, and I do like to try and run round and get my hands

on the ball. But you priority is scrummaging. Yes, the fist thing

you look at scrummaging, everybody knows those are the tick boxes you

have to get. After that anything else is a bonus. How it is going

with the Welsh squad? I am enjoying it. It is is a good atmosphere, the

boys are positive, after the win on the weekend, and they are looking

forward to the next two game, they are a good bunch of boy, a lot of

good friend. It is good. Watching somebody like Tipuric, I gives you

confidence, he has been on the fringe, a dozen or so cap, but

getting one opportunity and he can establish his place. That is what

it is like. If you put pressure on players they will keep performing

but all it say takes as this these levels, an injury and you are in. I

was fortunate to break in. Then straight after that Gethin had his

calf injury so I got brought in as well, and that is part of the

injuries and the game, so hope any I will keep playing as I am and

keep holding hand up. You have Edinburgh coming up this week,

tough ask? Yes, it is will be a tough game, you know what they are

like, they throw it round and everybody does their homework on

them knows what to expect. Lynne Jones was involved with the Ospreys

when your coming through, even suggesting that perhaps you are an

outside bet for the Lion. Yes, I had a few messages say he was

complimentary about myself. Am not sure about that. That is every

player's what theys a pier to and what they want to reach, but I will

have to wait and see. 6 -- aspire to. So a big game coming up for the

Osprey, it is live on Friday, fanned you are a member of the

armed forces you can get in free as part of their heroes day. There is

a double bill on Friday we will show the under 20s the for an

appetiser. After that defeat to Ireland the trip to Rome was

looming like a dark cloud on the horzorpbgs but after the dust

settled -- dust settled the mood has switched to one of optimism. We

have slipped up on a couple of occasion s in Rome in the past,

what can bects this time round? Expect. What happened to the plucky

losers? Any doubts as to Italy's place at the top table of Europe in

rugby were truly dispelled on the opening weekend of this years

campaign as the French came and stuck in Rome for a second

successive time. -- came unstuck. Here in Wales we are already too

aware of the dangers of taking the relative newcomers for granted.

Steve Hansen's men arrived with one 100% record against the Italians.

They left humiliated. With one man bearing the brund of the backlash.

Four years later, and the nation had a new villain. Referee Chris

White learning the lessons of failing to synchronise watches and

Wales have won in Rome. In fact the record stand at four Six Nations

wins from six. And Italy, so impressive against the French, look

distinctively average against Scotland a week later. But Saturday,

we will see a new chapter in the saga as the battle moves to a new

arena. Well some news today, Parisse was sent off on the weekend

for allegedly insulting the referee, now, he will have a hearing this

week, but the news is he could be suspended for the Wales game, the

maximum penty is a year if he is found guilty for offending the

referee, or insulting the referee. That is a massive blow nor Italy.

It is great news for us! He is Italy. I can't remember seeing

Parisse have a bad game for Italy. He influences the players round him.

World class player, and, you know, he we will be having our fingers

crossed all week. It's a tough place to play, after the

performance and the win out in France, Wales would have wanted a

home game, but certainly, we can go out there and win, especially with

Parisse out. It is important to guard against complacency, Italy,

well beaten by Scotland in Murrayfield, but perhaps the score

line flattered Scotland. They are a different proposition in Rome.

are. They were fantastic against France. France have shown they are

not the side we expected them to be. The talisman looks like he will be

missing but they have good player, one thing about the Italian side,

if you look up front they are all ball carrier, they are aggressive.

They have more dimension, they are shaer, they will look to bounce

back. They have had the beating of tpwhaels the past. This is a huge

game for them. But no doubt in my mind we have the cape bill

capability of going and getting success. You said they were going

to win, why? Nay have their confidence back after the wifpblt

you don't become a bad side overnight. The Conference is back

and I hope -- confidence is back, I hope they will play play confidence.

I am confident they would beat Italy, and if they started well,

quite convincingly. But the Italians might play, with Parisse