11/02/2016 Sport Wales

Coming up: after the draw in Dublin, Wales will hope to get back to

winning ways against the Scots. If you go into a game against Scotland,

you think you will have to be there to win the game and you will come up

short. Can Robert Croft get Glamorgan back on song? I will be

trying to achieve more as a coach. Christian Malcolm catches up with an

old friend. It was fantastic and something I will always look back

on, one of the highlights of my career. Welcome to the programme,

that was a stormy old week. Wild weather in Wales and pretty eventful

in Dublin as well. Brutal and compromising, but who really wants a

draw? No Grand Slam, notable crown on the cards, but the championship

is still very much on. -- Triple Crown. For more than two years his

has been one of the first names on the team sheet, but after Saturday's

early exit it was feared that Dan Biggar would not get better. But his

powers of recovery have astonished everyone. After the game we spoke to

the medics who thought that the injury was a five-week injury, but

the scan came back clear and he has worked really hard. He has made a

pretty miraculous recovery. It is a timely boost for Wales and if they

need another one, how about this or statistics. Wales have never lost

when Warren Gatlin has been in charge. Their Six Nations record

under them reads six one and six lost. I would always find it tough.

The sides look more settled as we go along. They will be a tough nut to

crack. They become a difficult side to beat. If Welsh fans expect us to

roll away, it will not be, it would be a tough game. The Scots will have

tough memories of their last game, one reckless challenge ended the

game. That is a red card offence. The remaining team-mates were unable

to stop the advancing red tide. Wales crossed the line seven times

to record their biggest ever Six Nations win, but they say it will be

of little significance this weekend. It is always a close game. As I

said, we know we need to start the game in motion the better this week

after Ireland, the first 20 minutes we were half asleep. We cannot

afford to do that this week. Dan Biggar's recovery means that Warren

Gatland can have a clear side. George North will be on the wings.

Jonathan Davies wins his 50th cap and extends his record-breaking

championship with Jamie Roberts. Gareth Roberts resumes his

partnership with Dan Biggar. Upfront, Evans is holding off the

challenge. Alun Wyn Jones is even closer to his century of caps. It is

the same with Sam Warburton remaining on the blindside and

Justin Tipuric on the other side. It will be a fast and open game. We

have a game plan and we want to play a bit more. We have said that.

Firstly we want to make sure we get in the game, get points on the

board. If it does loosen up and we are chasing tries to win the game,

that is what you have to do. It is a measure of how far Wales have come

that they are disappointed to draw in Dublin. Cast your minds back to

2013, Wales lost to Ireland on the opening weekend and still won the

tournament. The grand slam may be out of reach, but the championship

is still on. I am delighted to say that I am joined by Rhys Webb, you

were injured just before the World Cup and you are just about ready to

get back on the field. How does that feel? I am excited, it is like

starting school again. It has been a long five months, but the last two

or three weeks I have been ready, but I just needed to touch up on

some other skills, the fitness and feeling good, feeling sharp, excited

to do well this weekend. Have you parked to one side your

international aspirations that the Six Nations? Yes, my focus is on the

Ospreys, I need to earn my stripes there. I have worked hard trying to

get that back. Wales draw against Ireland, no one is really satisfied

with that, looking ahead to Scotland, what will be the message

this week? The main point will be the slow start in the first half and

obviously going 30-0 down, that is pretty tough. The message is that we

need a good start, they know they cannot have a sloppy start. Just

getting off to that good start. Just playing well. Dan Biggar, somehow he

is passed fit. He is world class. The other day, he was one of the

best World Cup tens. His leadership, the way the team involves around him

really. He is a key part of the Welsh success, it is all to do with

him. Missing out on the grand slam, does that make any real difference

in terms of the team morale? It will be difficult, there are a lot of

people in the team who want to win trophies. Two trophies are gone

already, but hopefully we can still win the championship, there is no

reason why not. There are the coaching staff and the players

there, hopefully fingers crossed they can get off to a good win. Stay

there, we will catch up later. Now from the road of Wales to the red of

Liverpool and Wales has strong links to its football club, Ian Rush, Joey

Jones, Craig Bellamy and Joe Allen and now Natasha Harding!

This is Anfield, a place where plenty of Welsh heroes have made

their name. Tradition, pride, trophies, there is a weight of

history when you wear the Liverpool red. I am really excited to join

such a great club with such a great history. Meeting my new team-mates,

adding new additions, we all have bonded. I am excited, we have the

prospect of what we can achieve this year. It is not like I am going to a

low-level club, it is huge, it is probably on the same level as

Manchester city and probably has more history. The forward move to

Manchester city last March when there was a switch in the United

States that fell through, then she signed the Merseyside Giants. I was

happy, I did not plan on leaving and the opportunity came up with

Liverpool and football is a business at the end of the day and I have not

really looked back since and I'm happy that I am here now. I'm happy

it is all sorted and it is time to move on and get used to my new home.

She is a great signing for us, she has a lot of experience, technically

a very good player. Very quick and she can play numerous positions over

the top line. For us to bring in Natasha it is brilliant. This will

galvanise us to do really well and be exciting to watch and hopefully

win things. That is one of my best attributes, I am good at winning.

Halfway through their Euro 2017 qualifying campaign, Wales have four

points from four games. There is still a mathematical chance of

making it. I will always say that we can, whether we have one game left

and we need to get six points, you always get faith. We have made a bit

of a hard job of it and we all know that and Jay knows that as well, it

is down to the players. If we can start with Kazakhstan and get a

great result there, hopefully that will snowball into an effect we can

get results against Austria and Norway. We have those teams to play

at home and if we can do the right thing, take all the positives that

have been taken from other games and not concede as many goals as we did,

it is still possible. You don't have to look too far for inspiration, the

male counterparts have not qualified for a tournament in 58 years. I

think it is a great achievement from them. It is putting us on the map

and the men's team have great individuals and they know how to win

as a team and they are a great squad and that is what Chris has

implemented. That is what we are trying to inherit, we are not a team

of one or two stars, we are a team. I do not get one or two points, my

team does. If we can take all the positives than men have used, then I

hope we can do the same thing. Like Iain Russell, Dean Saunders, Craig

Bellamy, goals at Liverpool often lead to goals in the red of Wales. A

legend as a player has now been given the task of bringing the glory

days back to the Morgan. How does he plan to go about the job. Sport

Wales caught up with Robert Croft as he took training the first time as

the county 's head coach. -- for the first time.

Congratulations, how long did it take you to say yes to this one? Not

long I imagine. I did not finish the sentence! He did not finish the

sentence before I said yes. I will have it! Was this always your

ultimate goal? Did you always feel it was your destiny? I always had an

interest in becoming a coach, yes. It is a dream come true to be a

coach of Glamorgan. Did I go out and chase it, no, but it really appealed

to me. I believe everything I achieved as a player I worked hard

for and double try to do the same as a coach. It was a job that was

advertised far and wide and we had applications from far and wide, some

coaches who had been in international cricket, some in

domestic critics and we whittled it down to rob. He was the best

candidate we saw. He has been with us for a coach for four years and

shown as what he is capable of. Out on the field and now as a coach. We

know him and we know what he will expect of us. He will be putting his

stamp on things. You know these figures off by heart, 1997 the last

time you won the County Championship. How would you bring an

end to the long wait for success? Before we think of championships it

is movement from division two. There is a mission statement which is to

make Wales proud. We want to make the country proud and we want to do

it in the right way. Every time Glamorgan side goes onto the field I

want them to be fiercely competitive. When they do play, we

want to win more than we lose. Robert Croft in less than a minute,

how old are you? I am 46, not yet, 45. When did you make your Glamorgan

debut? Number of first-class wickets? 12,880! The number of

England appearances. 50 ODIs. Closed irritating team-mate? I would

probably say myself. Three words to sum up yourself. A proud, Welsh,

man. People know Croft, the player, that was a heck of a long time ago.

You mention we won in 97 and I was 27 them. I fell off that passion

when I was a player. -- I fed off. I appreciate everybody motivates

themselves and likes to go about their job slightly differently.

Sometimes less is more. Does that mean you as a coach will be more

serious? I guess when you or play a larger EU are interested in when you

perform. The captaincy taught me that everyone needs to be happy on

their own. -- when you are a player, you are interested in when you

perform. He is very firm when he needs to be. As a player that is

what you want, you want someone who will pick you up when you are down,

but also give you a kick up the backside. What you want the players

to call you these days? Crofty is fine. But all I want is respect not

just to me but players to each other. Good luck.

How would you cope when your professional sporting career is cut

short by injury? That happens to Tim Benjamin, one of the finest 400

metre runners who was 27 when he had to retire. Stu Malcolm went for a

catch up with his old Wales and Great Britain team-mate -- Christian

Malcolm. Benjamin Wednesday! He is the

Olympic champion. How has life been since he retired? A complete

journey. I look back at my career and it feels like I did not do it,

like another life. Really different, loving what I am doing now.

Completely immersed. Just as much as I was as an athlete. A lot of

athletes do not make the successful transition, some of them suffer with

depression, whether any times you thought, I wish I was still in the

sport? No. I fell out of love with competing, mainly because of the

injuries they suffered, my body could not withstand the training and

the competition. I was quite numb and I did not enjoy competing, even

at a high level. I did one European Championship brace before I retired.

Tim Benjamin, coming through superbly, superb!

I felt I was not able to fulfil my ambition through athletics. And that

was causing me to get down. The second thing is suffered from, which

I guess most athletes do, is the identity. What am I, who are my,

what I do? It was searching for what I like to call that a personal best

feeling. When you cross the line and you feel that... Nothing beats it,

you could not be happier. I had to recreate that. So I had to find

something to recreate that. I have certainly found that in what I do

now. Still got it!

I think I could probably lived more weights but in terms of power coming

he is better! Power and speed, all day. Anything

to do with endurance... What are the highs and lows of your career? The

best moment stands out as breaking 45 seconds. Is a prized myself that

season and was able to consistently run 44 seconds -- is a prized. New

territory and they made a World Championships final, fantastic.

Well done, Tim Benjamin, fifth place in the World Championships final.

Beating the Olympic champion on home soil who had not been beaten for

four years. Tim Benjamin on the near side. And

he gets that, he has beaten the Olympic champion. What do you look

forward to the most after the Olympic Games? As a British

athletics fan, I am really looking forward to having British sprinters.

I think we have awesome opportunities for British renting to

put themselves on the map. And from a Welsh perspective, is there

anybody you have an eye on? As a 400 metre runners, Sarah Davis is doing

well. I would love to see how he progresses. I am a big fan. I would

love for her to make it onto the plane. Not everybody thinks you were

born in Wales because of your accent and it has changed. But you are from

Cardiff. Yes, I am from Cardiff. You are Welsh? I am, yes. You are not

born in Southampton? No. That is a big thing for me. I am looking at

relocating back home as soon as business allows it. I want to bring

my family up in Wales. It is important to me and my wife. We are

both Welsh and we will be back. Sad news this week with the passing

of a Welsh sporting great. John Leslie was born and raised in Wales

and he started out as a PE teacher but his talent took him to the

bigger stage of them all, the Olympics. I decided to do athletics

in 1951 and 1952, worthwhile as I got a Bronze medal in Helsinki.

Almost two miles long and a lot of obstacles. It was still a great

achievement by one who only took up steeplechasing two years ago.

John Disley will be remembered for setting up the London Marathon and

last year, over 37 thousand runners finished the iconic race.

Playing for Wales must meet the proudest moment of any player's

career and it is no different for a night of the realm. So Gareth

Edwards scored one of his most iconic tries against Scotland and

his pride in the red jersey is as strong now as it was four decades

ago. It is laid back for Gareth Edwards.

Edwards over the line. Over halfway. Can he score? It would be a miracle!

He may well get to it, and he has. You cannot get anything better than

that in international rugby. To represent your country is still

one of the highlights of your career. I can well remember

listening to the radio, wonderful commentary. If Wales happens to be

losing or going behind, I would leave the room and go out to play

and kick a ball on the road outside, hoping when I got back, things would

have changed. Sometimes they did and sometimes they never did! And I

remember on the Black and wide television watching Clive Rowlands

being captain for the first time against England. Dab went to buy a

car in the Blackwood area -- my father. He arrived half an hour

later with England leading and winning so that was a huge

disappointment for my first television game! When you are young

and you see these heroes playing, eagerly the game is beyond you and

that captives beyond you. You dream about it and the desire is there to

play for Wales. And when it actually did happen, I was in college in

Cardiff and my friend and I just remembered that the team was being

announced. I said, do me a favour and drink Cardiff and find out the

team. He did that. I could see from his face, he returned with great

delight. He gave me the thumbs up, you have got in! I said, I cannot

be! I could not believe it would happen. And I made him telephoned

the club again in case it had been a mistake.

And the man playing scrum-half today for Wales, the young 19-year-old

virtuoso, Gareth Edwards from Cardiff. There is a peer of playing

and a fear of failing. The nation now rests on your shoulders -- beer.

The expectation is great. All of a sudden, I am thrust in the company

of my heroes. Guys I had been watching on the terrace five, six

years before. Am I really playing with these guys, in the Welsh team

Mr Mark but then of course you do not wish to become a one cap wonder.

And once you get your second cap, you feel even better. And the

adrenaline begins and it becomes a drug. Edwards is going! He is going

to score. Bennett. Edwards. After Lewis.

Inside the Davis. Davis... Gareth Edwards! I will never forget

the jersey being presented. I picked it up and I kissed the badge and I

put the jersey on. It was like no other jersey I had ever put on. At

the very end, they still had that feeling, the same feelings I had in

the first. It is something which is almost beyond description. To

represent your country is still one of the highlights of your career.

And all the hard work and all the dreaming has been realised. It is a

wonderful moment, just make the most of it.

Sir Gareth Edwards in red, a special feeling, do you also relates to

that? It is one of the best feelings ever, you just want to play for your

country and he scored amazing tries and I have been fortunate to score

tries for Wales and it is something hopefully I will never get up also

scored a special try against Scotland. I was on the end of a good

attack in Wales, it has Williams was up it would not be as good as Gareth

Edwards. The tri- scores for Wales, always a special moment remember the

Scotland, I remember they would be restricted after that defeat

England? Yes, very disappointed. They were favourites. They did

create a lot of chances but did not know which side England would go

out. They will be hurting. They will be geared up this weekend I'm

looking forward to Wales. A lot of the play revolves around the

skipper, number nine, Greig Laidlaw four is not what influence will he

have the threat Wales? Is a threat. The try was a soft try for Wales,,

of concentration. They need to sharpen things in defence on the

fringes. I am sure they will look forward to coming down here for the

after losing to England, they will want to get a win on the board. In

terms of that squad are so well and the fact that Warren Gatland has

never lost against Scotland, how will Wales be feeling? They will be

disappointed at this. But they were very unlucky

not to get a win. They will be hurting but excited now. They just

need to play smart and sharpen up. I am sure they will have no problem

getting a win this weekend. I did not expect you to say anything else!

I have the back of the boys, they have done so well. Nobody should

write them off. Good to see you back and fit, thank you for joining us

here. Thank you. 48 hours until the Six Nations show

rolls into Cardiff? Excited? Excited, the championship is on and

Warren Gatland has never lost against Scotland. Do not jinx it.

That is it but these are some of the great moments between Wales and

Scotland over the years,, Wales! Davies, from Browne. Beautifully

laid the Arab Edwards. Can Edwards score? -- Gareth Edwards. He may

well get to it, and he has. Jonathan Davies. There is a chance here.

Evans all the way! What a blistering run by Evans. That is a magnificent

try! Mervyn the magician could not have done it any better.

Bradley Davies. They are all there for Wales. Shane Williams has won

the most dramatic game! Jonathan Davies with the tackle. Is

that the try? Yes, it is. Under the post, he goes!