08/02/2013 Sport Wales

After that opening Six Nations defeat to Ireland, next up is the

unpredictable French here in Paris, smarting from their hammer failed

Italian job. Beware the wounded The first try of the Six Nations

2013 scored by Ireland. O'Driscoll, the game is over by the closest of

Comes back in from the wing and Wales get the try they wanted.

Playing France will be quite special and hopefully we can stick

We've been dealing with the disappointment of not winning the

first game and we have to turn it around and win this weekend. It is

Stay with us. We have all the build up here from the French capital and

plenty more besides on tonight's Sport Wales.

Coming up: We have news from both camps ahead

of the clash at the Stade de France. Plus we get Mark Williams' take on

the state of Welsh snooker. We start with rugby and the fall-

out from their opening Six Nations. It's eight defeats on the bounce

now and the pressure is growing on Rob Howley. Gareth Rhys Owen takes

a look at how the defending champions plan on turning things

around. It is hugely disappointing.

Fantastic footballing skills. He scores. You can't give

international sides 20 points. Brian O'Driscoll in international

rugby. We will never give up. has been another week of soul-

searching for the nation that Fifth has kidnapped -- the 5th -- the 5th

significant -- successive Welsh defeat is a record. Rob Howley is

keen to forget it. I hate losing. It is frustrating when you have

better players. That is the frustration. I think that

international rugby is about winning and losing. It is about

winning and we have lost. Ultimately it is tough. No one

probably says it is easy and I think that I hope that at some

stage we can win and it will start this weekend. Another injury

prevents Sam Warburton be leading the side out in Paris and he is

replaced by Ryan Jones two parachutes into skipper the side.

This week is about getting our house in order. What happened last

week will have no bearing on what happens this weekend. The Six

Nations is about one game at a time. It is about the and now. We have to

deal with the disappointment of not winning the first game and turn it

around and win this weekend. It is one of three changes to the pack.

The man everyone has been calling for finally gets the chance to

impress, wearing number seven. will just try and play one game. We

know what from sunlight and the way that Italy played against them last

week. We have obviously got to go there and go there with nothing to

fear and play some good rugby. It is about trying to make that Jersey

yours. It is about trying to do well for the team and ensuring we

get this with. We are all expecting to win. We want to win. Without a

doubt that is what we are going to go there to do. Before French-based

players have been asked for their input this week and there most

vocal of them almost exactly what to expect on Saturday. It will be

very difficult but we have to get up for it again and bang up for it,

even more up for them we were last weekend. I will play my best and we

will all, especially up front, their forwards are pretty good.

Playing France will require special for me and to play an international

game over in France and hopefully we can stick it to the French. We

have to be confident. We have to go to France expecting to win and

hoping to win and I think if we produce our best stuff for 80

minutes we can do that. The first objective is to eradicate the

errors made against Ireland. One man has been in the centre of the

criticism. I have had a order my career really. People criticising.

I work hard and I will keep working on it. It is probably part of the

game that is not my strongest but I am doing everything I can to make

sure of that to do a of a standard that is international standard

really. Obviously it is amplified by the way they were passing on

Saturday. I am the first one to criticise myself but I will just

get on with my job. John was the first person to put his hand up and

that is what you want from players, to take the accountability. Yes, I

played poorly and I made more errors in a game than I normally do

but he put his hand up. You want a honesty and freed her from players.

Eight years have passed since the last Parisian win in 2005 and both

sides will have a point to prove, having lost in the opening event.

There is no doubt that they will be smarting slightly from the weekend.

They will be a disappointed team and France in Paris is a tough

encounter at the best of times. We have to be prepared for that

backlash. We have to turn around with a win this weekend. I am

joined now by the legendary Pierre de Brazil a, so good to see it.

After last weekend's defeat who was under the most pressure? I think

there is a lot of pressure for the two coaches. It is not the same

pressure because we play in Paris and France, after the defeat in

Rome last weekend, it was a surprise. Wales played very good

rugby, two years ago and during the World Cup last year for the Grand

Slam. I think they can play a big games and I think that tomorrow

they do not play under pressure of the results after eight defeats.

One more or one less, you understand that. The contest is

different for them but I think it is a lot of pressure. I am glad to

be in the stands and not playing. Changes in the Welsh back row. Sam

Warburton is injured. Ryan Jones is in as captain. Who will win the

battle of the breakdown? How will they fare against the French?

have the same problem in France, we have changed also with the new

captain. It is a pity to have an injured player like Sam Warburton

but to have the position between Sam Warburton and a do so to one --

do so twice, it is difficult. Welsh rugby fans clearly enjoy

coming to Paris as well. It is time now to take a look back at the

archive. A Welsh magic moment here in Paris now. The year 1999, the

coach Graham Henry and Wales hadn't We'll be hearing from the French

camp later in the programme, but first we turn to football and

Cardiff City hope to take another step towards promotion this weekend.

After signing another goalscorer, do they have the final piece of the

jigsaw? Ian Hunt's been finding out What an impression that was against

Leeds last weekend, no wonder the manager has a smile on his face.

is nice to stop well when you come to when you club so why was

delighted to get on that score. dad will be proud as well, fat up

in the stand. My dad and all of his mates are all at Leeds fans so it

was a bit of a strange one. They nearly got thrown out of the box

was celebrating when I look scored but it was brilliant to have my

family there as well. Do you find that you do have to make a big

impression now over the remaining games in the Championship to prove

that if Cardiff go up, you're the man to lead the line in the Premier

League? I don't think so really. The team is in its physician

already. I have only been here one game so it is nothing to do with me

where they are in the Lee. I think for me, I just want to be part of

something good, part of a good team. I want to score a few gulls along

the way and I will be delighted about that. Your motivation for

coming to Cardiff. He would not have dropped down from the Premier

League unless you thought it was pretty certain that Cardiff were

going up. For me to go to another Premier League team it would have

probably been a team that was struggling. I have been injured for

some time and I would have had to be a match fit straight away. I

have come here and they have a lot of strikers here so they can afford

to lead being slowly. I can look after my knee as good as I can get

thinners and up to speed for the rest of the six months before we

have to end the season well. Frazier Campbell's career started

back Manchester United and he went on loan to Antwerp, Hull and Spurs.

Now he is on to a club No. 6. Do you feel that you need to put down

some roots and settle down and stay somewhere for a bit of time? Yes,

that was my initial thinking when I moved to Sunderland. The injuries

put me back a bit so hopefully this one can be the same kind of

mentality, that is my mentality, to do well here and help Cardiff be a

real force. The last year my brother was on X factor and he did

really well. He finished about eight. They have just released

their first song on the charts. spoke to him and he said you are

not really musical, you hang around the gripper little bits... Not

really quite good enough to join it. Yes, one of the lads was a bit six

a one-time I put myself forward to fill in the early recovered. -- but

he recovered. Ten points clear at the top of the Championship now,

can anyone catch Cardiff? It is possible. There is always a shock

result. You have always got to keep focus and concentrate on what

you're doing well and try and keep doing it. Another three points do

you think this weekend? Would you expect another three.? Every

weekend we hope for three points but obviously you go there and try

and win the game. We just do what we do best. You will hope to make a

fairly similar impact to what you do that leaves. Yes, if I can come

on and score a win again that would More Welsh football on the BBC this

weekend as Football Focus are live from the Liberty. That is before

Swansea against QPR. And interviews within Michu and Michael Laudrup.

Time for another Welsh magic moment in Paris. The year 1975 and a young

tight-head prop from Pontypool will never believe it. They will

never believe it in Pontypool. This was his moment of glory. Some good

handling they are. What a moment in A another great moment from Paris

there, but we head back home to Wales as, next week, the Welsh Open

snooker gets underway in Newport. We send Lisa Rogers to meet the

last home-grown winner, a player who last year considered quitting

the sport he loves. Winning 18 ranked tournaments of

places Mark Williams 5th on the all-time list. Direct with his play

and direct with his mouth. playing today, and I will admit to

myself, I was not happy. LAUGHTER. He used the good Welsh

term meaning he was nervous. Mark Williams says he may give up

the sport. I never actually said that. I was

doing an interview in the press room. I was a little bit

disappointed after losing. One of the journalists asked what I was

going to do. My friend, Stephen Hendry, walked in. I said I should

maybe retire like him. Everyone started laughing. The next day, I

am getting telephone calls asking about my announcement that I would

retire. Well, I did, but not in that way. You were just mucking

around? Yes. What has happened? do not know. In practice, it is

good, but in the last four or five tournaments I have played in, I

cannot believe how badly. In every one of the match. I did not show

any kind of form. It is really frustrating. Perhaps it is

confidence. How much of it do you think is in your head? It is one of

those games you have to think you can do it, but it just falls apart

if you do not. I think a lot of it is in your head, and perhaps that

is what has let me down. frustration with his game also

showed when he was less than complimentary about the Crucible

Theatre, the scene of his two world title wins. The most relaxed man in

the Crucible Theatre, or so it seems, but inside, he will be

absolutely delighted. Former world circa number one, Mark Williams,

has been fined for two derogatory comments he made it on Twitter.

got your wrist slapped for the Twitter situation. What can you

tell me about that? Not a lot, really. I said something about the

Crucible, which anyone who knows me knows was meant as a bit of fun. I

think it just blew all out of proportion. I will never be

mentioning anything bad about them again. His two wins and the Welsh

Open and the only successors for a player from the host nation since

it began. Next week, how do you think you'll

do? Hopefully, well. I have not done their well for the last few

years. I was always out in the first couple of rounds. Along with

Matthew and Ryan, but hopefully one of us can have a good run. We

should be getting to the latter stages. It would be a shame that we

cannot get there. There is a good crowd. Everyone likes someone else

to get through to the latter stages, but we just have not been doing it.

Hopefully, one of us can do it. I love playing Newport, it is a great

venue and about time I did something.

Paris is always a little bit special for Welsh Rugby fans. In

2005, they witnessed a little nugget of pure gold that paved the

way for the first Grand Slam in 27 almost up there.

Williams, to Rhys Williams. And that is some start to the second

half for Wales. Taking it quickly.

It doesn't matter. It does not matter that it has gone backwards.

He has won it for Wales and the We heard from the Welsh camp, but

what about the French? They entered the tournaments as joint favourites

and were expected to roll over the Azzurri last weekend. But since

when has the Six Nations at the gone to a script?

Unbeaten in the autumn, France travelled to Rome last week

brimming with confidence, then this They know all about the concept of

boom-and-bust. I Grand Slam followed by a slump. But the French

and equally as maddening. From confident to ship was and flaky.

The only consistent thing is their inconsistency and no one seems to

know why that is the case. Not a criticism of the French. They are

like Roman martyrs. The work of -- they were called that in one

newspaper. To lose twice against Italy has been hard to swallow for

the French Rugby public. This one to the legend has played in Wales

and France. He is now a resident for is the name -- Parisian and is

uniquely placed to look at this. What about the French? We talk

about how you never need to know what they will do. But it proves to

be true. It is difficult to say, I have been tried to put my finger on

it for two seasons. My club, we have won two games away from home

in two seasons. I think we are close to none defeated at home. I

do not know what it is about the French mentality. But they are

definitely very vulnerable a way from home. This week is going to be

a big challenge. One time you do not want to play a French team is

at home after they have lost. It is going to be a hard match for Wales.

How do you go about recovering from eight defeats in a row? That is

bound to have an impact on your mental situation. How do you

recover that in a short time? difficult to do. You cannot bring

confidence overnight. I am sure they are still sticking together.

There is a game plan that has worked for the last couple of years.

But maybe people are starting to work them out. Maybe some

individuals are not taking the right options, which is a

confidence thing. A very structured game plan relies on individuals.

But your team confidence can then be affected if you do not take the

right options. That seems to be a problem for them. This is where the

French plot trained for battle. It is a huge complex with a

residential block, several pitches and a media centre. But many

players told me they are not fans of the place and the fact it is

separated from the outside world. Were you as baffled as we all wear

with the difference of Wales and the first half then in the second

half against Wales? -- against Ireland? Yes. They were controlling

the ball, very clinical. They were very impressive at times. The Welsh

team created a lot of opportunity. But they were like us, against

Italy, we created a lot but did not finish enough. It is all confidence.

If we are confident, we play better. And we feel better. But if you are

feeling down because of the results, and I am sure they will be better

than the future. But hopefully not against us. France have made just

two changes to their side that lost One clear makes his first start for

three years. -- one player. Hopefully this will make a

difference. One player is used for Toulon and is very difficult to

tackle, so it will be good to have him. Full of Andrew kept his side

up until the small hours painstakingly analysing what went

wrong. -- Philippe Saint-Andre. He is not wanting a repeat performance.

We have lots of problems, we lost 16 balls in the contact area.

expression was wounded animals and it is going to be about two teams

who are hurting. Both now need to bounce back and show that they can

produce 80 minutes of Rugby, which I do not think either France or

Wales dead at the weekend. thing I have noticed playing in

France is a big emphasis on a scrum of time. That is a big opportunity

from the start for the Welsh to set their mark. If that first one is

lost, that is a big thing for them. It will be a good time for Wales to

step up unsure what the about. -- and to show what they are about.

Welcome back to Pierre Berbizier. The press went mad with that defeat.

What went wrong for France? Italian team played very well. But

we forgot to play last weekend. So the first thing we want to see

tomorrow, and Eugene what enthusiasm -- a new team with

enthusiasm and involvement. We did not have that last weekend in Rome.

Which French team will turn up? Why are the friends so unpredictable?

Because we are Latin. We thought we would win against Italy last week.

And a war mentality and spirit, we know we can beat all the teams, but

sometimes, there is a danger, because we do not prepare and

probably, sometimes, we are arrogant and so, in Rugby,

simplicity and the solution. -- simplicity is the solution.

changes in the French team. And the big man in the centre. What does

his selection tell us about the way France will play? We know the

French team need some consistency on the middle field to have the

link between the movement. The French team in need one to play and

one to field. Give me a score? friends. Tell me, Wales or finance?

France. -- Wales or France? Thank you very much. Thank you for

joining us on Sport Wales. That is it for this evening. Have a good

game. We are back next week at 9pm. We shall have the build up to the

Cup for one cap final between Swansea and Bradford. Until then,

we leave you with a moment from 1971. -- Capital One Cup final. We