02/11/2012 Sport Wales

Good evening. We have all the big interviews,

preview and reaction on tonight's Coming up:

We've got football covered as we speak to Swansea City boss Michael

Laudrup, Cardiff City's Matthew Connolly and Tommy Smith, and one

of Wales's most decorated ever international footballers, Jayne

And a year on, we catch up with BBC Wales Sports Personality, Chaz

Davies. Plus after a dazzling career at

Wigan, rugby league legend Billy Boston opens up about his one

In my heart I wanted to play for Cardiff, because I was born there,

but they didn't want to know. We start with Swansea City as they

get ready to welcome Premier League leaders Chelsea to the Liberty

tomorrow in what has been another Despite defensive heroics, Swansea

City return from a visit to the champions empty handed and with the

knowledge they will be without their keeper for at least a month

following a groin injury. Next day, Chelsea found themselves at the

centre of another storm. After their first league defeat of the

season at home to Manchester United. Referee Mark Clattenburg was

reported to the FA for alleged use of a -- in appropriate language to

Chelsea players, and the row has rumbled on all week.

Do I think ultimately we have to try and block as much as we can,

block this situation out, and just focus and Channel our energy on

what matters to us as players and coaching staff when we get onto the

pitch on a Saturday afternoon. If I say, come on referee, he is

allowed to say something back to me, but this is a limit. If it is abuse,

There are some words you can't say, obviously we have to deal with that.

From what I can see and feel with my group of players, once we get on

to the training pitch, they are fully focused on training and

getting ready for the game, so I really hope it won't affect us at

all. I after a disappointing weekend,

fortunes were reversed for both clubs in the Capital One Cup on

Wednesday, Chelsea gaining revenge over Manchester United in a nine

goal thriller. I think it was a great win for us,

it's -- for the spirit of the group as well. Winning is always a good

factor for the team and the group. He it was also a very good night

for Swansea City manager Michael Laudrup, who got one over on his

predecessor Brendan Rodgers with a 3-10 -- win over Liverpool at

Anfield. I think we played well. Sometimes

playing the ball around and sometimes fantastic counter-attack.

The second goal was a great counter attack as well, could pass, Finnish

and the most important thing always was -- as always was the

performance in general. A it is back to the Premiership

tomorrow as both sides go head-to- head at the Liberty stadium, and Di

Matteo will be mindful of Swansea's good home record so far and the

impressive draw last January. They still have the same philosophy,

keeping a lot of possession. I think they are more cynical now

compared to La -- the last couple of seasons when they lost

possession but didn't really creates many chances. They are a

little bit more, they go forward quicker and score a few more goals

than they did in the past, at least in the early stages of the season,

so that has changed in the Swansea team.

After facing Manchester City's star-studded line-up last weekend,

is it another at -- it is another opportunity for the Swans to test

themselves against the best in the Premier League.

It is difficult, but you can compare it to the game against man

City. We know how Juan Mata is playing, and the thing is to stop

them. You can't stop players like that for 90 minutes, they were

always do things because they have so much quality. It is the same

with Carlos Tevez or Samir Nasri, and it will be the same on Saturday.

My bladder's mind is already on the following game, a way at

Southampton. -- Michael Laudrup's mind.

I know we will perform well. I don't know if it is enough to get

points. I am much more concerned about the Southampton game, because

after three big games, yes, then we have to pay Southampton away. I am

much more concerned about that game. And we will look ahead to Swansea

City against Chelsea very shortly, but now I am joined by former Wales

international Nathan Blake. Thanks for joining us.

Thank you. We will start with the issue that won't go away, Mark

Clattenburg, the referee embroiled in allegations. What have you made

of it all? Well, it is difficult to say, it is difficult to pass

judgment on that referee, on Mark Clattenburg, as far as races and is

concerned, because we don't know what has been said yet, and to what

has been said is confirmed by a statement from either the referees

or the FA, whoever, it is impossible to pass judgment. With

the John Terry case and other cases, I think they have been fairly

straightforward, but this case, they say it is picked up by Mike or

there is recorded evidence, but until we hear it we can't hear any

way it -- one way or another. Football is coming second. It is

the Premier League, for me at the moment there are brilliant matches

going on, but on the periphery it seems to be about races and all

referees and decisions -- about races them. With goal line

technology, it is everything but the game, which is disappointing.

On to actual football, and the game this weekend, Swansea City against

Chelsea, how much will Swans fans and the Swansea team itself be

buoyed by that result at Anfield? They should go into the game

against Chelsea on cloud nine, really. That was a fantastic result,

going to Anfield and turning them over in their own patch. Can they

beat Chelsea? Yes, they beat man City last season and they have that

style of football, they have adopted a style of football that

Chelsea now play, so there is no reason why they can't get a result

against Chelsea. On the day, Swansea City are a match for

anybody. We will talk Cardiff City very soon.

Stay with us. But last weekend, at the Wales rugby league team played

England in Wrexham, and watching from the stands was one of the true

greats of the game, Billy Boston. More from Nathan later on in the

programme. Now, when the Wales rugby league

team took on England in Wrexham last weekend, watching on from the

stands was one of the true greats of the game - Billy Boston. Born in

Cardiff, Boston made his name in the north of England with Wigan.

And he's just been named as one of the greatest black athletes of all

time, along with the likes of Mohammed Ali and Pele.

The dream was to play rugby union for Cardiff, but the call from his

Instead, he made his name in rugby league with Wigan. Pace and power,

a winger who wrapped up 478 tries for Wigan and 31 caps for Great

Britain. As he suggested in the past, did raise your prejudice in

the 1950s deprive the union game of his talent? -- racial prejudice.

my heart I want to play for Cardiff because I was born there, but for

some reason they didn't want to know. There is a difference in

playing been a coloured fellow to be in white. If you can play, it

doesn't matter what colour you are. I wanted to play desperately for

Cardiff, but it didn't happen. Because of the colour of your skin?

I don't know, I don't think so. you have suggested in books written

since then that that was the reason, prejudice. Why? Most of the

coloured People living Cardiff. I don't know, I just might not have

been good enough. From Tiger Bay as one of 11 children to Wigan, where

his feats put him among us the greatest ever list of black

athletes, with superstars like Jesse Owens and Pele for company.

We never saw Pele or any of them. But we happily in the flesh, that

is the difference. Was it number seven? He is number one to us! He

is fantastic. If you go abroad on holiday and turn the body while

from Wigan, you are either known for being applied eater or Billy

Boston. He is a legend. Playing for Wigan was fantastic. They were good

to me. Nothing has changed, everyone knows who you are.

played here for a hell of a long time, and I enjoyed every minute.

What does it mean to be labelled alongside Muhammad Ali and Jesse

Owens? It is fantastic. It is mental. Muhammad Ali, it is

From one Wigan legend to another, Shaun Edwards says Boston's

recognition is rare but well deserved. Unbelievably successful

career up in Wigan, and to be recognised on the world stage for

any form of rugby, league or union, is quite unusual, and it shows what

high regard Billy is held in in sporting terms. Even current Wigan

stars like some Tomkins are inst -- enthralled to a man who played in

six Challenge Cup finals. He is a legend in Wigan. Certainly rugby

fans know what he did not only for our club but Great Britain as well.

He had everything as a player, and still enjoys coming and praising

the players, telling us how much better we are then he was, but I

don't think that's too true. the stats are incredible, 31 games

for Great Britain, 478 tries for Wigan, a record that still stands,

probably never will be broken. What stands out for you amongst all

that? Wigan put me on the wing, and it changed me. I found freedom and

I enjoyed it. One chapter in a book describes you as combining the

power of Martin Offiah and the guile of Gerald Davies. You have

everything, didn't you? I trained at Catterick in the Army then I

came to Wigan, and I and the train twice a week, I couldn't believe it.

And yet, you have said that he would have given up everything you

achieved in rugby league just to win one cap for Wales at rugby

union. I only turn to rugby league because I couldn't make it in rugby

union, and I wanted to play for Cardiff, which I didn't achieve. I

wanted to play for Wales, which I didn't achieve. I am just proud to

have played for Wigan. For all those years? Yes, and being a

Welshman. And I loved it, I loved every minute, every second. You

can't do any better. Last year, motorcyclist Chaz Davies

was crowned Welsh Sports Personality of the Year. This week,

Sport Wales caught up with him at the end of another eventful season

on the track. After winning the World Super Sport

championship last year, Chaz Davies may be inevitable step up to a

higher-profile world of Superbike racing, and after a season of mixed

fortunes, how does the 25-year-old Hereford based right to reflect on

the last year? It has been a year since he won the

title on this beast and BBC Sports personality of the year in Wales.

What has the year been like? It has been great, coming of the year like

2011 it has been hard to beat, but it is all about going after the

next challenge and that what -- but that is what I had been working

towards in 2012, and I am getting there, so on the whole a good year.

The step up in terms of superbikes compared to what you are doing

before, the profile is huge, what is the action like? It is a lot

different in Super sport. I definitely expected it, it was no

surprise to me. At the start of the year it was really challenging with

injuries and a lot of bad luck, but in the end, I said as long as we

get there at the end of the season then that is all I need to do.

Davies had the worst possible start to his season, crashing and

breaking his waist in the first race in Australia, but he put that

behind him to achieve three podium finishes and a first championship

victory at the Nuremberg chat -- track in Germany. You when you

first racing superbikes, what does it feel like? It is hard to explain,

it is on a par with winning the championship last year. Winning one

Superbike race, it is really hard to explain, because the funny thing

is in racing, some of the days where it doesn't feel fast, but

when you are going fast... It is one of them days, you are just in

the zone, everything is happening like clockwork, you don't feel like

you are pushing, I wasn't out of breath either. It is hard to

explain the feeling when you cross the line, it is difficult to

explain that, but we need to make those days have been more

consistently. The physical side is something people probably don't

think about. What is your training regime, --?? York art pushing

between 150-170 kilograms. I try to balance the the thing in training.

Mr cycling, because it is low impact for us. The speeds you are

going at during races, what speeds were top these days? These days, a

Superbike will put out 210 miles an hour. You can get 210 depending on

the circumstances. This year I got 209, so it is up there, you know

you're doing it, and they are powerful bikes. Did you get the

fear factor at all or can you switch that off? With experience

you can switch it off. It is something that comes with

experience and confidence in what you can do and what your limits are.

You can still get caught out, as I found dead this year, and pretty

much you find that out every year. I think it keeps you... A big crash

York this the doing something right, because BMW are with you next

season, how did that come about -- you're doing something right.

another big step for me, it is going to be very interesting.

Something I'm looking forward to. What are your aims for next year?

Realistically, I'd like to be in the top five of the championship.

I'm not going to say I'd like to win it, but the top five would be

good progression. I want to win a few races. We'll see. There are

always some unexpected things which car-park. -- crop up. Back to

football now, and to one of Wales' most decorated footballers ever,

who this month decided to call time on her international career with 61

caps and 19 goals to her name. Cathy Williams went along to find

out what next for Arsenal Ladies midfielder Jayne Ludlow. Arsenal

player Jayne Ludlow has announced her retirement. It is not fair on

the girls if they turn up and I know when they fit. It is

heartbreaking because it has been my life for the last 16 or 17 years.

It has been a great ride all the way through, but time is catching

up with me. Unfortunately for Jayne Ludlow, her last appearance would

not be happy one, as Wales would fail to reach the play-offs. It was

always going to be a case of me hanging my boots up, but I would

have loved to have continued and get to the finals before I retired.

It wasn't to be, but hopefully those younger players will come

through and I rate our team of more now than in the past. 149 counts,

Jayne Ludlow walked out on her country after a disagreement with

her then coaching team. I'm not proud of what they did. But there

was only one reason why reacted like faded. Purely because I was

fed up with the set-up -- like I did. What the coaches had been

asked to do probably wasn't best for the girls. It was a decision I

to Conner as captain that I could sacrifice myself for the good of

the girls coming through -- I took on. I -- despite travelling the

world with Arsenal and Wales, getting a game wasn't always that

easy. Until she convinced them that she was good enough for the team.

Back then it was unheard of, a girl playing for the team. Then I would

kick the ball round the park. was your idol? In football,

probably Mark Hughes. For me, as a 12-year-old kid, I just wanted to

be on that part. He is one thing I never actually achieve. -- it is

one thing. I kind of look back and I am frustrated, but I have played

in many different venues around the world which makes up for that.

London Olympics has undoubtedly raised the profile of women's

football in Britain, and despite the opening fixture being played in

Cardiff, the Team GB manager did not include any Northern Irish or

Welsh players. I was disappointed with the fact that the people

running it with the English coaches. The English manager, the English

coaches, the English medical staff. Power you ever going to have a team

picked in an unbiased situation, when the English have just picked

their team? I feel really sad for the Welsh girls who didn't get an

opportunity to play in the finals. As her playing career winds down,

Jayne Ludlow continues in a role as a physiotherapist. But could we see

a return to the Welsh setting in a coaching or managerial capacity?

the moment, I work with 17-19-year- old girls, which I really enjoy. If

I could be of help to the national I'm not sad that I'm coming to the

end of my career. I've enjoyed every minute of it. I would like to

carry on for the next few years, but it's not really going to happen.

So for me, it is about future challenges the way from playing,

but still being involved in the Jayne Ludlow, we salute you.

Staying with football, and Cardiff City are on a big run. Undefeated

at home, they're top of the championship. Lisa Rogers catches

up with two squad members to talk Two new and very welcome additions

to the Cardiff City set up after Tommy Smith and Matthew Connolly.

Both players went to promotion in the Premiership. But when the

manager Mark Hughes arrived, both were sidelined, and now they're

hoping to do it all again with Cardiff City. It must be

frustrating for you having been promoted with QPR and then finding

yourself no longer playing for the Premiership? It is my job to get in

the team of the Premier League, up and to prove I can play at that

level. It is up to whoever the manager is at the time. If he

doesn't feel and that level, that's fine. But other Premier League can

I understand that standard is high. -- At the Premier League. Very

frustrating. It really is. Looking back, you get caught up in what

happens. He signed about five players, brought in a few of his

own players, and of course Healey's in December just in time for Mark

Hughes to comment. -- he leaves. Suddenly, to crops of different

players coming in. It was frustrating -- two crops.

Particularly at my age, early thirties, I don't want to sit on

the bench and work my way into a team. I get really frustrated not

playing. It was tough. Last season I was on loan at Reading, and Mark

Hughes said, let's just see how you do. I thought I did well. They did

offer me a contract, but obviously I have signed a lot of other

players -- they have signed a lot of other players, so it's difficult

to get in that team. I needed to play a whole season full of games

at my age. And Tommy would have been no stranger to his new manager,

with Malcolm McKay having been both his team-mate and gaffer at Watford.

Off the pitch, he was a big joker and was a very loud presence in the

dressing room. Being a manager, he has had to step back. We have to

have a different approach. You can't get to Paris with players. It

didn't surprise me at the way he did things -- you can't get too

friendly. Hat -- how you fitting end as a person, are you joking

around? No, I'm quite shy. But the lads bring you are to be shy.

was your initiation? I went a bit cold school and sang, let it be. I

thought the staff would like it more than the lads. Can you sing

yet now? No, absolutely no chance. It is the most nerve-wracking thing

ever. What was your initiation song? I sang a song by Joshua

callous and. No way are you getting me to sing that. They continued

their impressive run last Saturday with a win over Burnley. It leaves

them three points clear at the top of the championship ahead of this

week's game against Bolton. Might this be the season you get

promoted? I think it's about time. I don't see why not. And we play

well when we at home. We just got to keep doing that. I certainly

think we are in a great position. We want to get promoted, and that

is the aim, but that is a long way off. A maiden, Cardiff City.. With

the new boys. Yes, they've done brilliantly. Connolly is coming in

the depends very well. I would expect Cardiff to be there this

season. Can you believe for staff they have had it for the season?

can, because as soon as we got into a rhythm, I felt they would be

there, tops real for. It has proved to be the case. They're playing

extremely well. -- top three or four. The biggest thing for me,

they have changed their manager, which tends to mean that the team

has an uplift, and Cardiff being the next team to go, they are

disappointed in a way, but it should make for a cracking game.

Promotion? I think it is too early to talk talking about a promotion.

There's no reason you can't fill confident, but keep that in house.

They have as good a chance as anybody, because they're playing so

well, but it is a long season. We are only 10 weeks into it, really.

So if Cardiff are where there are now all round there in February,

March, then we can start getting excited. Nathan Blake, thank you

very much for joining us. That's all for this evening. Join us next