18/03/2016 Sport Wales

On tonight's show, with only pride at stake for Wales, will it back at

this year's six Nations. I would like them to get the basics and the

defence right and then let see what they have been trying to do in

training on the attacking front, because we haven't seen it. Chris

Coleman names his squad for the Euro 2016 warm up games, minus Gareth

Bale. Both parties think it is the right thing. The bottom line is we

have to look at the player. And catcher if you can, we meet

triathlete Non Stanford going for gold in real. The Olympic Games is

one dream come true but to be in a position where you can consider

winning a gold medal is pretty special. -- called in Rio. Hello and

welcome to the programme. Note six Nations glory for Warren Gatland's

side. This year. Playing for second place when they play Italy tomorrow.

We will hear from the players shortly but first expert analysis on

what has gone right and wrong for Wales in this year's tournament.

Let's start with the England game last weekend. It was frustrating

stuff. I was confident we would go up there, a lot of experience there

with a relatively low young England squad and take it to them. Some of

the guys looked jaded. They had been run into the ground a little bit,

possibly. Getting the way and tear from the club, the union. I thought

some of them looked tired. The fall of 19 tackles, I think the statistic

was in the first-half, 19 tackles is not us, Wales. We knew we had a

great team, we could go there, we haven't been firing every cylinder.

When we did start playing, we started throwing the ball around,

and then three - one tries. We are in Bridgend athletic, home of Rhys

Webb, the shrine it is surrounding us, great to see him back. I thought

when he came on, he let the ball do the work. Sharp of the base. I'm a

big fan of Gareth Davies but he needed a shake up. Perhaps this will

bring out the best NN. Rhys Webb, these two jostling for position, it

is great from a Welsh perspective. And you have the change. Amos is

familiar with the surroundings. He is playing with the Dragons. He is

going to want to express himself. I want to see him with some space. I

want to see George not changing angles. Liam Williams cutting the

angles. Reading the stats on George North, he has done better than

anyone in the six Nations. Better than Mike Brown. I am a fan of Liam

Williams. He was one of the shining lights. He is foraging, he is in

there, he is aggressive. At the weekend, it looked simple.

Did you have the cat flap in your army? Was that in your army? He just

went on the outside and scored. I don't know. To be honest, that is a

skill they worked on. That is a great skill to have because it

breaks down defences. If you do get to the line, space is not basis. If

you are going on their shoulders, you can get their arms free. If

you're running into bodies, how are you going do that? That is what is

exceptional. Very much like you, we used to call you the wrecks, can you

remember? Space is not basis for me, mate. Space is not basis. You're

coming up with a new one every time, mate. What would be a good result

for Wales, Welsh perspective? That is a tough one. The whole nation,

after last weekend, they want it slain. They want 60... You could win

by 60 points and people would not be happy. Played against Italy, a draw

at the stadium, I played in a game that we lost in Italy. 2009 since

they were last whitewashed. They're coming here. It is a banana skin.

I'm confident Wales will get 40 or 50 points on the weekend. This is a

trial, really for the Test series in New Zealand. That is why I would

like to see what is on show. Get your top guns out there first. I

would have liked to have seen Matthew Morgan on the bench there.

See what he can do. Maybe the hindrance for Matthew being in that

English division, not playing against the top teams, has cost him.

It may be a different story. A player like that, an exciting

player, we need to be bringing him through, see that again. Any

opportunity to try something out in this particular game, this is the

chance. England in pole position. Do you think they are going to win the

Grand Slam? England notoriously have that game and adjournment with a

banana skin it, I wouldn't say choke, but I will. They joke. Will

they choke on this? They R.N. France's backyard, France had been

hurt by a good win by Scotland, it was a pretty impressive display. The

French will not like that. New coach there. I can see them putting on a

good show. Lovely to see you again. Hopefully we will catch up again and

talk about Welsh rugby. Pleasure. Let's get the thoughts of another

former Wales international, Jonathan Davies, welcome. Not exactly a super

Saturday grand finale as we had last year, then, for Wales. Give me your

assessment of Wales' six Nations campaign overall. Start with the

positives. I do think that set piece, they are solid. Defensively,

they are barely solid, apart from the English 70 minutes or 60 odd

minutes. I think it is very good sign, they very difficult to beat.

It has the potential to be a better side and to compete, the top three

in the world consistently. To do that, we had to adapt on the field.

For me that has been with this appointment this year will stop you

talked about it -- disappointment. We were told after the World Cup

that wheels would be a better side in the six Nations. Have they moved

on? We have has matured and he is a world-class

stand-off but now they have closed him down a little bit and he needs

to engage defenders, which creates space for his outside backs. I think

they are in a better position than they were in the World Cup, Julie

because of personnel. Wales are looking ahead to the summer tour in

New Zealand, which looking ahead to the summer tour in

We are excited about it. We have got these

We are excited about it. We have got will be tough. Two interesting

games, two tough opponents. It will be good for us. In terms of our

preparation. Your squad list, hot off the press. One name missing that

we have to talk about. Some bloke called Gareth Bale, he is not there,

tell us why. He is not ready to come and play, train every day with us as

play two games. He has had a tough couple of months at Madrid, injury

wise. It wasn't Garethmy decision, it was ours and Madrid. Both parties

think it was the right thing. The bottom line is we have to look at it

the player. His partner is due to give birth as well. Yes, she is

ready to give birth. If he was 100% fit, it would be different. Taking

everything into consideration, his family comes first. No Aaron Ramsey.

How concerned are you that he has got another soft muscle injury

playing for Arsenal? It is disappointing but there is nothing

we can do. All we can do is make sure Aaron gets what he needs. And

that he is ready going into the summer, going into the turn. A

player is as good as Aaron Ramsey, they belong Internet and the big

stage. Yet a tough time, but that can happen to anybody. Let me ask

you about your contract situation. You have been meeting with the F a W

to talk about your future, what has happened with that? Will you be

staying beyond Euro 2016? Nothing has happened, really. There was one

discussion last week. Now we have these two games coming up. You know

with these things, they will never be solved in one meeting. One

discussion is... It is not just go to happen like that. Two weeks, I

just want to concentrate on getting two performances out of our players

and learning about about one or two players that we need to know more

about. Once these two games are over, there will be another

discussion and we will take it on from there. Excitement is building

hugely, good luck for these two games. Thank you.

And we have those games covered for you right here. The friendly against

Northern Ireland and Ukraine, both live on BBC Two Wales.

It is 20 weeks until the start of the Olympics. One of written's big

medal is the Welsh athlete Non Stanford, who has booked her place

in the meat. Our correspondent met the Leeds -based athlete as she made

a rare visit home to Swansea. Non Stanford, she confirmed her

selection for Rio. What is it like having Non Stanford back home? It is

lovely because we do not get home very often. She came home for

Christmas and I guess we will not see her home until late October.

Twice a year is pretty unfair, isn't it? Now she is home, is she still

sticking to the same training regime? It'll be lighter for the

next two days, she trained very heavy before I picked up yesterday

afternoon. She has two days were it will be lighter and acting on

Saturday she is back out on the bike and putting a few more miles in.

What bring the back home to Wales? I do not get to go home very often but

one of my cousins is getting married and I thought I would take the

opportunity to come back. See all my friends and family and head back up

north before the season really gets under way. How is the training going

back up and lead? It is going well, which is nice. It has been a weird

start to the Wear. It has been a surreal, all of the culture is

holding you back and saying do not do too much too soon. I have enjoyed

it and enjoying being back into the full swing of things will stop being

allowed to train really hard and get the Albert Inn.

For us, the test event wasn't just a chance to see the cause, it was our

first selection race. Really pleased to come away with a still the

middle. Everyone who was they who will probably be there at the

Olympics, it was a real test and really exciting to see the course, I

think it will suit all the Brits, it is a tough technical bike, a sea

swim, I seem to be better swimming in the sea, as opposed to a calm

lake or river swim, and the running is pretty fast, that all suits me,

and the atmosphere is incredible, even for the test event. I think

it's good to be fantastic win the game 's land in Rio. Have you adapt,

knowing you have qualified for Rio a year out, that must be so difficult?

It was obviously incredible, and it has taken a lot of pressure off and

I'm really glad I'm not at the minute trying to qualify like the

other athletes. Helen Jenkins is trying to get the qualifying right

now, how do you fancy her chances? It's a tough task, I don't envy her

chances, she is on the Gold Coast trying to get that last spot, the

talk is of her and Joe Stimpson, it is hard to call between the two of

them, who will deliver on the day. I think Helen is more than capable of

being the third girl. I did read somewhere that you are fairly

confident on that final change, if you are in the right position, you

are confident you can go all the way. Ideal scenario when I got off

the bike is I'm in the front group and we had off on the run together,

I think we might do a bit of damage on the bike, hopefully I will be the

stronger runner off that. This time next day, what will Non Stanford be

happy with? Ivan Piris happy to be sacked with a medal around my neck,

even happier if it was gold. I think that any athlete's dream, it's

something I have drunk doesn't I was a little girl and I don't think

that's unrealistic, which is a fortunate position to be in --

something I have dreamt of since I was a little girl. To be in a

position where you could even consider winning a gold medal is

pretty special full stop I will be out there and cheering you on an

hopefully you will bring back that middle. -- that medal.

To rugby and can Wales and their Six Nations campaign with a thriller

against Italy tomorrow? Surely they can turn on the style this time.

Here we are at their very to Morgan training base. How are you feeling?

Over the moon but very disappointed about last week's performance. We

didn't come out of the blocks quick enough and gave ourselves a mountain

to climb. We know we have just got to pick ourselves up and put in a

performance on Saturday. Have you spoken about that performance? We

have had a bit of soul-searching, asking questions the did it go

wrong. We weren't at the races for whatever reason but it's gone now

and as long as we learned from it. You have to move on quickly, sport

waits for no one, and we have to put Saturday to bed. We have a chance to

finish second, supported with can't win it but we're going to go out

there and hopefully play good rugby. It's the last game for them, they

have nothing to lose, I'm sure it will be a tough first 40, hopefully

we can weather the storm. Has Sam Warburton been in touch? He has

given me a text and said well done, mate. Throughout the squad are a lot

of leaders, it makes my life quite easy. Hopefully we will put

ourselves in a good position to get the win. Any habits you will miss or

not miss? I will miss Jane's snoring! I can't really think of it

at the minute. Maybe you're looking forward to having a break from some

of! There are covered characters to stay away from! Only joking. --

couple of characters. I will come back to you!

The Wales players, obviously keen to end on a high. What do you make of

the team, four changes, Dan Lydiate as captain? A lot of them are injury

changes. The only one real change is Rhys Webb at scrum-half. I think

Gareth Davies has been unlucky, he has been a standout but

unfortunately, International rugby, you pick the best team and they

think Rhys Webb is the better player. We haven't got any players

in the centre to change, you're not going to change much with the

forwards, from the interesting one would be to put Priestland in, he

has got confidence back, he's more than attacking player then Dan

Biggar, but maybe he doesn't have the control of Dan Biggar, so it's a

no win situation, everyone expects them to put a big score on, if they

don't, everyone will be frustrated and if they do, everyone will say

they expected it. I've them to get the basics right, the defence right,

and let's see what they have been doing in the training, on the

attacking front, they looked a very good side in the last ten minutes

against England so I would like to see the same on Saturday against

Italy, and play what's in front of them. It has been a pretty abysmal

Six Nations for Italy, what would be a minimum requirement from Wales,

what's acceptable? Got to attack from the start? They put 60 on them

last year, I think 50 points would be... Would be acceptable, I think,

I forget the manner in which they play. When you see them with the

ball in hand, not floundering and not thinking what they are doing and

going through patterns, let's just hit midfield, but Liam Williams,

hitting outside the 13 channel, picking mismatches out and the

centre having go and creating opportunities, that's what I would

like to see and then the big forward platform, and a great spectacle. Out

in Paris, Orange and going to complete the Grand Slam? I think

they will be too powerful, England, think they will win the Grand Slam

but if it's a loose game, France might cause them problems but if

France to win, I think it'll be a shock. Thank you very much indeed.

That's it for the night. We're back next Thursday at 7pm to preview the

Wales football friendlies against Northern Ireland and Ukraine. Enjoy

your weekend.