:00:24. > :00:28.Good evening from a wintery Blackpool as they prepare to
:00:28. > :00:35.welcome top of the table, Cardiff City to the seaside. More on that,
:00:35. > :00:41.plus plenty of big names on tonight's Sport Wales: We analyse
:00:41. > :00:44.the unique talents of Welsh wonders, Gareth Bale and Ryan Giggs with the
:00:44. > :00:48.help of David Ginola and Bryan Robson. He will be an outstanding
:00:48. > :00:53.player over the next few years. Whether he gets to achieve what
:00:53. > :01:02.Ryan has achieved, I'm not so sure that will happen. We meet the five
:01:02. > :01:07.new faces in Wales' Six Nations squad. Sport Wales profiles ironman
:01:07. > :01:12.World Championship, Leanda Cave. We will start with football and the
:01:12. > :01:16.meeting of two of the greatest players Welsh football has ever
:01:16. > :01:23.known as Gareth Bale and Spurs face Ryan Giggs and Manchester United on
:01:23. > :01:33.Sunday. How do the talents of these two superstars actually compare?
:01:33. > :01:34.
:01:34. > :01:44.Who is the best? Ian Hunt has the verdict of two top-flight legends.
:01:44. > :01:46.
:01:46. > :01:54.COMMENTATOR: Gareth Bale! What a The left-footed Giggs. Oh,
:01:54. > :02:00.brilliant! The living legend, the legend in the making. Analysed for
:02:01. > :02:07.us by a man who saw, first-hand, Giggs emerge and enthrall at United.
:02:07. > :02:14.This is Robson. A time to control it, picks his place. A man who knew
:02:14. > :02:20.a thing or two himself about extravagant wing play. COMMENTATOR:
:02:20. > :02:29.It's Ginola. 2-0. Gareth Bale, fantastic subject. Gareth is in the
:02:29. > :02:34.process of becoming one of the greatest and sometimes you see the
:02:34. > :02:39.Messi and Ronaldo. When you watch Gareth Bale you always ask yourself
:02:39. > :02:43.- what happen next? That's the good things about the game. He's not
:02:43. > :02:48.what you're going to expect. Knowing that you don't know what
:02:48. > :02:53.he's going to do. If there was one person who somebody said, could you
:02:53. > :02:57.sign tomorrow, I would say, well, I wouldn't mind, that the moment in
:02:57. > :03:02.time, bringing Gareth Bale and Ronaldo into Manchester United
:03:02. > :03:06.again. And put them into this team that we've got at the moment. He is
:03:06. > :03:11.going to be an outstanding player over the next few years. Whether he
:03:11. > :03:18.actually gets to achieve what Ryan's achieved, I'm not so sure
:03:18. > :03:22.that will happen. Just count the trophies, Giggs more than 30
:03:22. > :03:26.winners' medals. Bale, nothing to show for all the talent. Consider
:03:26. > :03:32.their strengths, how similar are they? I think Gareth Bale is
:03:32. > :03:37.probably stronger as a person, physically stronger. He's an
:03:37. > :03:43.athlete. An athlete in all a different way. Strong legs,
:03:43. > :03:46.stronger on the upper body. He's... I think he's quicker, probably
:03:46. > :03:53.quicker. I think he's got also this ability to be a creator. He's not
:03:54. > :04:01.only a winger, he's not only... I think Gareth Bale is... Has got
:04:01. > :04:05.this talent to play in any position on the football pitch. I'm too sure
:04:05. > :04:09.whether he has the same stamina that Ryan has got. His balance,
:04:09. > :04:14.when he attacks people, he can go on the inside, he can go on the
:04:14. > :04:19.outside. He has a great left foot. Delivers a great ball. He can score
:04:19. > :04:25.a goal from distance. Those are all the attributes that Ryan has got.
:04:25. > :04:30.The only one which I would put a question mark against is, does he
:04:30. > :04:35.have the real strong mentality that Ryan had to progress to be a great
:04:35. > :04:41.player for 15, 20 years? Bale the shy teenage played for Southampton
:04:41. > :04:46.at 16 before Spurs. The youngest ever Wales international at the
:04:46. > :04:50.same age. The street wise 23-year- old raging against those who claim
:04:50. > :04:56.he doesn't always play fair. COMMENTATOR: Another yellow card
:04:56. > :05:02.for a dive. People say I'm diving. If you get contact, it's not a dive.
:05:02. > :05:07.Referees have to look closer and see the contact. Has Giggs changed
:05:07. > :05:10.from the shy lad protected fiercely by Sir Alex? My family keep my feet
:05:10. > :05:19.on their ground. I have a lot of family in Cardiff. Yeah, I come
:05:19. > :05:22.home, you know, try to tell my mum I scored a goal tonight. She just
:05:22. > :05:27.says "wash the dishes," or something like that. In the early
:05:27. > :05:30.day fs we had a Christmas party, Giggs was dancing on the table. He
:05:30. > :05:37.was always the one who liked to have a laugh, a joke around the
:05:37. > :05:42.place. The one thing that Ryan learnt very early in his life was,
:05:42. > :05:49.don't publicise exactly what you are like. When the cameras and the
:05:49. > :05:53.public were about, then Ryan would calm everything down and not be,
:05:54. > :05:57.sort of, that bubbly sort of person. He would be the quiet one. Still
:05:57. > :06:04.playing, a little less these days, still scoring. He may be offered
:06:04. > :06:08.another year at United, taking him beyond his 40th birthday. The
:06:08. > :06:12.noises won't go away that Real Madrid and Barcelona want Gareth
:06:13. > :06:17.Bale? Gareth Bale moving from the Premier League no, way! I wish not.
:06:17. > :06:22.The English Premier League have, you know, worked so hard in the
:06:22. > :06:27.last 20 years to be one of the best, if not the best league in the world.
:06:28. > :06:33.So, if you got great talents, you have to keep them. I'm sure that
:06:33. > :06:37.the boss will offer Ryan another contract. I mean, I go in and watch
:06:37. > :06:42.training every now and again much I go to all the matches. Just
:06:42. > :06:52.watching him, the way he trains and dedicates himself to football, I
:06:52. > :07:01.
:07:01. > :07:06.don't think he will have any Spurs always had flare players and
:07:06. > :07:11.players who can entertain people. Gar Seth one of them. I'm sure the
:07:11. > :07:17.Spurs fans are pleased to have a player like Gareth. If you are
:07:17. > :07:22.going to ask me who is the best, I have to go for Ryan. Just in what
:07:22. > :07:29.he has done. If Gareth Bale can prove me wrong in 10 years' time.
:07:29. > :07:32.Good luck to the lad. He will have to be some player! I have come in
:07:32. > :07:37.from the cold. I'm joined by a Champions League winner with
:07:37. > :07:45.Liverpool. He is a German international, he is also the last
:07:45. > :07:52.man to score at the Old Wembley. He happens to have caused a stir on
:07:52. > :07:57.Twitter this week. Dietmar Hamann, good to have you on the programme.
:07:57. > :08:00.If we look to the game on Sunday, Giggs, Bale, you have played
:08:01. > :08:07.against both of them, we start with Giggs, how good is he and what
:08:07. > :08:10.makes him special? Well, it's unheard of that a player is 39 now,
:08:10. > :08:15.I think, Ferguson came out this week saying he has another year in
:08:16. > :08:19.him. For a player, for an out field player to play to that age is
:08:19. > :08:25.unheard of. The new Welsh superstar, if we can call him that, is Gareth
:08:25. > :08:29.Bale. You played against him, how good is he and can he be as good as
:08:29. > :08:34.Giggs, can he be better maybe? Ability wise, no reason to believe
:08:34. > :08:38.he can't get near to Ryan Giggs' qualities. He is an exceptional
:08:39. > :08:44.talent. He is blessed with electric pace. He has a great left foot on
:08:44. > :08:49.him. You know, his control, you know, when he takes on people he is
:08:49. > :08:56.dynamic. He has got everything a left-sided player needs. At some
:08:56. > :09:00.stage he probably has to move. You play football to win trophies. He
:09:00. > :09:04.won't have that opportunity at Spurs, I feel. If he wants to win
:09:04. > :09:09.the League he probably has to move at some stage. I will take you back
:09:09. > :09:15.to the start of the week. You have been busy and causing headlines.
:09:15. > :09:18.Twitter. It seems it's a dangerous tool. Yourself and Joey Barton have
:09:18. > :09:25.had words. For those of us not, perhaps, familiar with what has
:09:25. > :09:31.been going on, what happened? How did it all start? Now, it just all
:09:31. > :09:38.started with Joey posting a tweet about transfer activity between QPR
:09:38. > :09:42.and Newcastle, I just felt that, you know, being a QPR player still
:09:42. > :09:48.that he maybe shouldn't get involved in these things because he
:09:48. > :09:54.is still a QPR player. That's how it all started. It got a bit out of
:09:54. > :10:00.hand. Got quite hurtful, didn't it? Yeah. From his side more than mine!
:10:00. > :10:06.I tried to keep my composure. It's a powerful fool. -- tool. Once you
:10:06. > :10:11.say it in there people got in more trouble lately the people went to
:10:11. > :10:16.jail for what they said on social networking sites. You have to be
:10:16. > :10:24.aware of that. You know, he took it a bit too far. Took it a step too
:10:24. > :10:28.far. He phoned me the day after, or two-days after. I spoke to him. He
:10:28. > :10:35.apologised and make a public apology yesterday. For me, matter
:10:35. > :10:41.is closed. Thank you. We turn our attention to rugby now. Wales'
:10:41. > :10:45.interim coach, Rob Howley named his 35 squad for the RBS Six Nations
:10:45. > :10:53.tournament which starts in just over two weeks' time. Amongst the
:10:54. > :10:57.names, five uncapped players. Sport Wales went to meet them.
:10:57. > :11:03.# You can be the greatest # You can be the best
:11:03. > :11:07.# You can be the King Kong banging on your chest
:11:07. > :11:11.# You can throw your hands up # You can move a mountain
:11:11. > :11:16.# You can break rocks # You could be the master
:11:16. > :11:21.# Don't wait for luck... # With so many players injured there are five
:11:21. > :11:26.new faces in the squad. All are keen to take their chance. I try
:11:26. > :11:30.hard at anything I do, to be honest. It's all about the experience.
:11:30. > :11:35.First callup. Don't really know what to expect. I'm not here for
:11:35. > :11:40.the ride really, I want to get game time. Hopefully, I can put my name
:11:40. > :11:44.out there and show what I can do. The hard work only starts now. For
:11:44. > :11:50.me, personally, I need to make sure I push whoever is in front of me as
:11:50. > :11:56.hard as I kfplt it's about Wales doing well. I will put the work in.
:11:56. > :12:03.If the coach think I am fit and I put the work in, they will pick me.
:12:03. > :12:08.Eli Walker could be pushing for a red shirt? Definitely. I will see
:12:08. > :12:12.how it goes. When I get into training I have to work hard and do
:12:12. > :12:21.everything to the best of my ability and hopefully that will
:12:21. > :12:26.take me through. A Welshman with a keyy twist and the other born and
:12:26. > :12:32.bred in South Africa. I have been in the UK for seven years. This is
:12:32. > :12:36.my home now. I have a small family back in South Africa. It's not a
:12:36. > :12:41.place I would like to go back to. was born in Bridgend and went to
:12:41. > :12:47.New Zealand for two years, two seasons and came back and handed my
:12:47. > :12:51.CV out and ended upped in the Blues Academy and I went from. There I'm
:12:51. > :12:56.a proud Welshman. Hopefully, I can show it in the Six Nations. Andrew
:12:56. > :13:01.Coombs can add versatility in the absence of many first-choice
:13:01. > :13:11.players. He has shown for the Dragons. James King could go to the
:13:11. > :13:11.
:13:11. > :13:17.I will try what I have been doing this season, keep my head down, try
:13:17. > :13:21.and work as hard as I can, proof I am capable of playing at that level.
:13:21. > :13:28.While you most most things about the star players here are a couple
:13:28. > :13:37.of things you will not know about the new faces. I breed cats, they
:13:37. > :13:42.are quite pushy, bushy-tailed, quite big. Bigger than most Docks.
:13:42. > :13:48.I saw some blood dripping down, the physio told me I needed to go off
:13:48. > :13:54.and they said I needed to go for surgery. He was still attached to
:13:54. > :13:59.the bottom. 90% was taken off. The doctor said it would be all right
:14:00. > :14:06.because the blood vessels were still attached. I can make fire out
:14:06. > :14:12.of wood with note that cheese. cousins are doing their thing in
:14:12. > :14:17.football, amazing talent. Back to football. Cardiff City are
:14:17. > :14:22.away here at Blackpool tomorrow with Malky Mackay's side eight
:14:22. > :14:27.points clear at the top of the championship. We sent police to
:14:27. > :14:37.Rogers for a catch up with Mark Hudson to gauge the mood -- Lisa
:14:37. > :14:39.
:14:39. > :14:47.A things are looking rather good. Since I last spoke to you things
:14:47. > :14:54.have gone well. A bit of a dip in the season when we last spoke, but
:14:54. > :15:01.we answer to that well. A great Christmas period, that has put us
:15:01. > :15:06.in the position we are in at the moment. We have been in good
:15:06. > :15:10.positions before, we know it is not done yet, 19 games, the next three
:15:10. > :15:19.Orrell way, they are all tough grounds. Another block of games we
:15:19. > :15:26.need to put some results together. They stayed top of the table.
:15:26. > :15:34.the last seven seasons the team have been top now, they go on to be
:15:34. > :15:38.promoted. I hope we are the 8th in eight seasons. It is difficult to
:15:38. > :15:44.get excited because you know you have got so many tough games to go.
:15:44. > :15:47.We have seen teams go on runs before and come from a position
:15:47. > :15:54.where you think they are not going to make it and then have a great
:15:54. > :15:58.run. We don't want to slip up. There are a lot of experienced
:15:59. > :16:05.players who have seen things like that happened so we will continue
:16:05. > :16:12.with their homework and trying to drive each other on. Do you get the
:16:12. > :16:17.things with strikers and defenders? I will not tell you. Sometimes,
:16:17. > :16:24.depends who you play. What is the worst thing that has been said?
:16:24. > :16:27.don't think you can repeat that on a camera. Going into the crash at
:16:27. > :16:34.Blackpool they are eight points clear of hole at the top of the
:16:34. > :16:41.championship. Blackpool are in 15th. We are properly expected to be them.
:16:41. > :16:48.The pitch isn't great, if it goes ahead it will be pretty tough.
:16:48. > :16:53.Every time we have been there it has always been a tough game,
:16:53. > :16:57.whoever is in charge. Sometimes if they have not got a manager may be
:16:57. > :17:03.their number two is in charge, things can go for them so we have
:17:03. > :17:09.got to go there, be at full tilt to win the Games and that is the same
:17:09. > :17:13.as any other. Cardiff City, eight points clear at the top of the
:17:13. > :17:18.championship, what have you made of their season? They have done ever
:17:18. > :17:22.so well. They have got a golden opportunity to get out the
:17:22. > :17:26.championship which they did not manage in recent years. I did think
:17:26. > :17:32.they will get a better chance than this year. Is there a danger, with
:17:32. > :17:36.that success, other clubs will come knocking? If you were Malky Mackay
:17:37. > :17:41.it would you stay with Cardiff if a big club came knocking? He is in a
:17:41. > :17:47.big club now, if they were to get out of the championship there will
:17:47. > :17:50.be funds available to strengthen the team and turn Cardiff into a
:17:50. > :17:58.good Premier League club. And not sure whether he would be tempted to
:17:58. > :18:02.go, because he has found the right club, done very well. If he takes
:18:02. > :18:07.them back into the Premier League I did think he will be leaving, you
:18:07. > :18:12.never know what happens in a few years' time. How important is away
:18:12. > :18:18.form going to be because they have oppressed -- impressed at home? How
:18:18. > :18:25.will they do away against Blackpool? Blackpool have problems
:18:25. > :18:31.of their own, dropping a manager, not been on the best of runs. If
:18:31. > :18:37.they keep that home form I think they look very likely to get into
:18:37. > :18:42.the Premier League. We will be back very stroke -- surely. With a Grand
:18:42. > :18:49.Slam, the Olympics, and there Paralympics in 20121 Welsh athlete
:18:49. > :18:53.may have slipped under the radar -- 2012, one Welsh athlete. Leanda
:18:53. > :18:59.Cave was nominated for the Sports personality of the year after her
:18:59. > :19:03.double success in the iron and triathlons circuit. -- Ironman
:19:03. > :19:08.triathlon the circuit. Distance is no obstacle for Leanda
:19:08. > :19:14.Cave. The English-born Australian bred, as -- Arizona resident
:19:14. > :19:18.compete for Wales backs to a Welsh- born mother. She has won at four
:19:18. > :19:23.world triathlon titles over four different distances. Last year she
:19:23. > :19:29.won the World half Ironman and full Ironman titles, the latter
:19:29. > :19:34.involving a 2.4 miles when, 112 mile bike ride and 26.2 mile run.
:19:34. > :19:38.Something I have been striving to win for several years. I said back
:19:38. > :19:48.in 2007 when I raced by first Ironman in Hawaii I would win this
:19:48. > :19:49.
:19:49. > :19:56.one day. I felt the words just bit me, I was never able -- I was never
:19:56. > :20:03.able to get there. Is being on top of the page and worth all that?
:20:03. > :20:09.is. I never really, until you win, you could recognise it and for me I
:20:09. > :20:15.always wanted to win Hawaii, not because of all the glory or the
:20:15. > :20:22.bonuses, the extra stuff, I just wanted to win. Winning the World
:20:22. > :20:25.Championships, I didn't get this recognition. Neither with the
:20:25. > :20:31.Commonwealth Games. I have gone through all these other great
:20:31. > :20:35.achievement, now I have finally been recognised. You first came to
:20:35. > :20:42.people's attention 11 years ago at the Commonwealth Games. I cannot
:20:42. > :20:48.believe it was that long ago. I don't feel like it is 10 or 11
:20:48. > :20:56.years ago I achieve this result but that is where I started. I had big
:20:56. > :21:00.dreams come the big goals to go to the Olympics. I fell short.
:21:00. > :21:04.world champion at Leanda Cave is the triathlon champion of the world.
:21:04. > :21:11.There is still a part of me that wants to go back to the Olympic
:21:11. > :21:18.distance, to take that box. That is still a child could dream. If I
:21:18. > :21:23.never make it I think I have fulfilled a different level of
:21:23. > :21:31.success. At can be proud of that when I retire. The Commonwealth
:21:31. > :21:36.Games coming up, yourself, Helen Jenkins, that would be a good team
:21:37. > :21:45.to have in Glasgow. I would be definitely be up for that. That
:21:45. > :21:49.might be my entry, seeing if I want to go back to ITU or not. I have
:21:49. > :21:54.had the experience. Young athletes look up to you as a guide or a role
:21:55. > :22:01.model. Gage had to do it right. Even if I am not the fastest
:22:01. > :22:06.athlete out there I will have value for the team. There is a lot of
:22:06. > :22:11.criticism about me and where I live, I represent Great Britain, Wales,
:22:11. > :22:17.yet I don't live here, but at the same time when I win a race
:22:17. > :22:23.everybody wants to claim that me. I want to say I am British. It is the
:22:23. > :22:27.fact I'd trained in the States has enabled me to achieve that result.
:22:27. > :22:32.2013 will see her trying to replicate last year sticking to the
:22:32. > :22:35.longer distances. I will focus later in the season on my big goals.
:22:35. > :22:40.That is what happened the last year. The first half of the year was a
:22:41. > :22:47.bit of a mess, then I picked it up towards the end and tunnel vision,
:22:47. > :22:51.got the job done in the training. Back to football and Swansea City
:22:51. > :22:56.might be out of the FA Cup, but they are still looking to make the
:22:56. > :23:01.League Cup final for the first time ever. In a moment we will hear from
:23:01. > :23:05.their new signing Roland Lamah but here is a reminder of what has
:23:05. > :23:15.already been a dramatic start to the new year.
:23:15. > :23:15.
:23:15. > :23:24.This was the night Swansea fans Swansea City ahead in the semi-
:23:24. > :23:31.final. A bad mistake now, a great chance for two-0. What a sensation
:23:31. > :23:36.here at Stamford Bridge. He has doubled Swansea's lead. A scoreless
:23:36. > :23:46.draw at Everton must have seemed a little dry up by comparison. Back
:23:46. > :23:46.
:23:47. > :23:56.to London on Wednesday, no heroics He scores far Arsenal, he has
:23:57. > :23:57.
:23:57. > :24:07.Back to Premier League business, they could be a day before Roland
:24:07. > :24:08.
:24:08. > :24:13.Lamah, the Belgian international signed this week on line.
:24:13. > :24:21.TRANSLATION: I am happy to come to Swansea because it is a good club.
:24:21. > :24:27.They are a club that played really good football. From me the fans can
:24:27. > :24:37.expect to see an energetic and explosive player. On the front foot,
:24:37. > :24:40.
:24:40. > :24:43.all of the time. I hope they will get to know me very quickly. The
:24:43. > :24:51.Premier League is a good competition, followed everywhere
:24:51. > :24:57.across the world. It is an energetic competition, which
:24:57. > :25:01.matches my football style. I am very eager to get going. Michael
:25:01. > :25:07.Laudrup is a legend, so it is with great pleasure I am coming here to
:25:07. > :25:17.play for him. I remember him when he was a player. He was a great
:25:17. > :25:17.
:25:17. > :25:22.footballer. I am looking forward to Tomorrow at Swansea could face a
:25:22. > :25:28.man that they are reportedly keen to sign, with talk of an initial
:25:28. > :25:38.bid being rejected for Stoke. His possible arrival could hinge on
:25:38. > :25:44.whether Danny Graham is a lout took leave. -- is allowed. They sit one.
:25:44. > :25:48.At one place better off than Stoke. There's take a look at Swansea City.
:25:48. > :25:53.They lost midweek against Arsenal in the FA Cup, but going well in
:25:53. > :25:58.the league. They are still keen to make the final of the League Cup.
:25:58. > :26:01.Have they surprised you? With Michael Laudrup coming in, I'm
:26:01. > :26:07.not surprised how well they're doing, but I didn't really expect
:26:07. > :26:17.it, he brought a few players from Spain in, they hit the ground
:26:17. > :26:17.
:26:17. > :26:21.running. Ashley Williams, a big player for them to stop to achieve
:26:21. > :26:26.the first final in a long time and go to Wembley in the League Cup
:26:26. > :26:31.final, possibly against a League Two side, there would be a fairy-
:26:31. > :26:35.tale story to win a trophy in his first season in charge.
:26:35. > :26:39.Michael Laudrup, without success comes a lot of interest, I guess.
:26:39. > :26:43.What danger, they could lose him again at their lost Brendan Rogers.
:26:43. > :26:47.Even if he were to decide they don't think he will because I don't
:26:47. > :26:52.think he is the type of guy who would jump ship after one season.
:26:52. > :26:57.If he does decide I think they will be a number of managers wanting to
:26:57. > :27:04.come to Swansea because they see the manager has been left alone,
:27:04. > :27:08.the chairman let's him get on with it, and there is not too much
:27:08. > :27:12.distraction from the football. Stoke this weekend. How do you see
:27:13. > :27:19.it going? They have got the tools to really hurt Stoke, especially at
:27:19. > :27:24.home because they like to pass the ball. They can keep other teams off
:27:24. > :27:29.the ball and Stoke live off their set pieces. If you control the game
:27:29. > :27:33.for a large part of it I think they stand a very good chance to win.
:27:33. > :27:38.Thank you. That is it from this week. We are back at the earlier
:27:38. > :27:41.time of 7pm next Friday. This week the Olympic gold medallist and
:27:42. > :27:47.arguably the greatest sportswoman Wales has ever produced called time
:27:47. > :27:57.on her career as a professional cyclist. We leave you with some of
:27:57. > :28:33.
:28:33. > :28:43.She takes it, she is the Olympic road race champion. She has done it.
:28:43. > :28:47.