22/01/2016 Sport Wales

On tonight's show, Jonathan Davies meets Rob Howley ahead of the Six

Nations. After the last two world cups, Wales have gone on to win the

championship, so no pressure really. It would be good if it happens

again. We look at Cardiff City and ask - why do the fans seem unhappy

with the club? I just think that people don't feel that the passion

is necessarily there and that Russell Slayed almost embodied that.

Newport County in the FA Cup and local boy cheering them on.

Tonight's game against Blackburn Rovers will be the biggest match

they'll have had in 30 years. It's all about Rio for our Paralympians

and Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson is our guide. I'm proud of Welsh

athletes who show the other home nations how good we are. Win, win

gold. British cycling's Mastermind shares his psyche. Commitment time

minus distraction gives performance. They've got the talent. First up

tonight it's rugby. Only two weeks to go now until the start of the Six

Nations. So what are Wales' chance that's year? We sent Jonathan Davies

for a catch up with Rob Howley. COMMENTATOR: Support outside him.

He's on his own. What a repot by Wales! That is a superb individual

try. How's things then, Rob? It's come

round very quickly, hasn't it, like just a couple of weeks ago, seems

World Cup been and gone now Six Nations. How was the World Cup

experience for you? Obviously, it's enjoyable. I'd never been through a

campaign quite like it before. The last eight years, you know, the

time, how quickly it's gone, you go into Rugby World Cup and I think as

a coaching team, pretty much as a squad as well, to have the injuries,

which we did, at the times that happened as well, we all know that

sport can be cruel, but we didn't know it was that cruel. We pretty

much knew as a coaching team that ultimately we were all going to be

judged on that Wales-England game which has been built up for the last

two years. The biggest ever game I think for Wales. That night was

extraordinary. Before the game, I think it was the one place you

wanted to be, whether you were a player, supporter, or even a coach.

Yeah. Ultimately, you knew in 80 minutes destiny was going to be at

the fate of your hands really.. Biggest disappointment I had was

looking at the way we performed against Australia and there was that

eight-and-a-half minutes, where we had 15 against 13 and you know,

obviously Attacking coach, what was it like for you, and what's your

attacking philosophy for Wales? I think you take the 56 minutes to 69

minutes - Remember that, do you? I'll take it to my grave with me, I

can assure you. I suppose and the pressure, having that ability to

think at that moment in times and having clarity. Our attacking

philosophy hasn't changed over the last eight years. I think that the

key part of any attacking philosophy is determined on your personnel

available. We talk about creating mismatches, look, we want to kick to

ability to change positions in the back three, which then will earn the

right to play a bit wider. The object is to try and get in the

outside channels, as often as possible. You want your numbers on

the ball as often as possible. That creates the two on ones, three on

twos in the outside channels and the ability to execute under pressure

with 70,000 people watching. Interesting stat for you, after the

last two World Cups, the seasons after, Wales have gone on to win the

championship. So no pressure really. No. It would be good if that happens

again. Are you happy with the squad that's been assembled? If you look

at the age profile of the squad as well, this squad has been pretty

much together for nearly eight years. I think majority of them will

go on to the next Rugby World Cup 2019 as well. In terms of continuity

in selection in the squad, I think the players know what we're about as

coaches and we know pretty much a lot about the players. The

preparation in international rugby is key. The two weeks or probably

the week leading up to the game, because the first week now players

are going back and playing, so the week of Test... It's not like a

Monday, Wednesday when we used to play. ?13 a mile. That's changed,

it's 40 now I think! The preparation time is key. It's going to be really

interesting. You've got England with Eddie Jones at the helm. I think

they are favourite, I think that's right. The strength of players and

quality of players they've got I don't disagree but England should

probably start favourites every year in terms of strength and depth that

they have and their selection pool is far greater being probably equals

France, possibly. I think we've always performed well in the Six

Nations. Over the last eight years, the one thing which we haven't been

sometimes very good at is starting. That is a challenge. We're going

first up to Ireland. We went there in Rugby World Cup. We look forward

to playing Ireland. That's your focus now. Absolutely. If we can

start well against Ireland, we have got Scotland. They're like 16-1,

aren't they? They played well in the World Cup. There's no doubt Ven

Cotter has been a huge influence. They should have beaten Australia.

Scotland, Murrayfield, Six Nations, they will be looking forward to

that. We welcome Scotland at home then. Always good games, they are.

Always high-scoring games. They've got the capacity to play really well

against you in an open-style game. The Six Nations, the first game.

What's Gats like to work for? You've been with him a long time now. The

one thing is trust. He wants players and coaches to challenge him and ask

questions, because he'll certainly come back and challenge you. I was

fortunate late in my career to go to London Wasps. I learned more under

Warren. We should cut that out! Are you still enjoying it? You've still

got your hair, just. Bit grey. We're both getting like that. We're at an

age where I'm just happy it's grey and I've still got it. We're not

Dying it, are we. I'm grateful I've got a head ever hair. Rob, thanks

for sparing the time. Good luck, mate. Good to see you again. Cheers,

mate. That was really interesting to catch up with my old mate Rob. Very

interesting conversation. I think that they're looking forward to the

Six Nations. They've got players coming back from injury, which gives

them better balance and more of an attacking threat. As usual, you just

focus on the first game. First game - Ireland. If they win that,

Scotland home. France home. They'll have a great chance of winning the

championships. So, as everyone else in the home nations, really excited

and now looking forward to the Six Nations. Tara.

So, Swansea City have a new head coach. But some Cardiff City fans

would like to see a new man take charge of their team as well. But is

Russell Slade doing such a bad job? We look at some of the issues

affecting the club on and off the field.

The football club at the heart of its community, a place to forget

about stress at work or at home. A place to be entertained, to dream,

to reminisce, to worship new heroes. For many Cardiff fans, though, it

doesn't quite feel like it should, they don't find it entertaining.

They're not enjoying themselves any more. Thousands are staying away and

those who do still go, well it's like a marriage or a love affair

that's going through a very rocky patch. Loads of Cardiff City

customers are very depressed. Compared to the glory days, in the

Premiership a couple of years ago. We're 3-0 up, we're drawing. 2-0 up,

we're drawing. That's not good enough. If you love something, you

love it for life. I've loved Cardiff City all my life. But it is harder

to carry out that relationship with the way things are at the moment.

Cardiff are only five points off the play-off places, yet the owner

Vincent Tan is rarely seen at games these days. Russell Slade is

criticised for his tactics, his playing style, the signings he's

made even the body language. We don't have out-and-out goal scorers,

that's an issue. Yet we have a good, strong defensive team. I just that I

that people don't feel that the passion is necessarily there and

that Russell Slade almost embodies that lack of passion. He's never

been the supporters' choice. I think the man and what he's got has done

remarkably well. I expected him to have a relegation battle, not a

play-off battle. Everybody slaughters Russell Slade. I think

that's completely out of order, because he's been asked to did a job

of work under certain circumstances. He's doing. It he's saving the club

money. Vincent Tan is the issue. Vincent Tan and the running of the

football club, I don't feel Cardiff City at the moment,

behind-the-scenes, really have that drive and determination to want to

get back to the highest level. Sometimes you've got to tell the

fans the truth, what your ambitions are, which direction you want to go

in. If they know the truth, then they've got a choice then. Either to

back it or leave it. And they are voting with their feet.

The average gate in Cardiff's one year in the Premier League was

27,500. Still healthy at just over 21,000 last season. But this year,

down to 14,500 so far. One way to get people pouring back through the

turnstiles and off their seats is of course exciting new signings,

someone to bang in the goals. Then last week, the transfer embargo

emposed for alleged breach of financial fair play rules is not

going to help much. There is a total bar on paying any kind of fee to

bring a player in, where that's a permanent transfer fee or a loan

fee. If you bring someone in, there is a cap which says you can't pay

more than the equivalent of 600,000 a year to the player you're bringing

in. So on loan with no fee. I still think they are sadly lacking in

football knowledge at board level, which leads them into problems like

FFP. If they'd have sought specialist advice before putting

those accounts in, they'd have had a better idea whether they were

compliant or not. We invited the club to put their viewpoint across.

They declined to be interviewed. They said in a statement last week

that they had taken expert vice and thought they had complied with the

league's financial fair play rules. It's understood they will post a

profit for the first time in several years when their latest annual

accounts are published. Though they are still heavily in debt to their

Malaysian owner. How much money do you believe they still owe to

Vincent Tan? I believe, I mean, the figure in the last set of accounts

which we've got, which goes back to May 2014, was over 130 million.

We're told, I was told by the board that Vincent Tan has written off

some of his debt. I believe the amount was reported at 13 million in

the year for the accounts we're waiting for and also converted

another three million of debt into shares. So that debt should be

coming down. But the figure will still be substantially over ?100

million. While it remains as a debt, there remains a significant risk to

the club. If you take the money out of it, Cardiff City's lost its soul

as a club. Because of what's going on, the negatives, Malky Makay, the

situation, blue to red. Ole Gunner Solsjar coming in. All the millions

that he's had, most probably to be paid off, Vincent Tan has said one

thing: I'm trying to save all that money now that I've paid out.

As ever, it's what happens on the pitch that matters most to fans.

Some have already delivered their verdict on manager and players. For

others, well the jury will indeed remain out until the summer.

# Last Monday night Newport County played their rearranged FA Cup tie

championship side Blackburn Rovers, and this was the first time since

1986 that they had got this far in the competition. Local boy Christian

Malcolm went along to support them. Newport. This is where I was born

and bred. Football was my first love, I got into athletics when

Irish anger. -- I got into athletics when I was younger. It is great to

see you put in the third round of the FA Cup, and a night's game

against Blackburn will be the biggest match they have had in 30

years. One of the few clubs which are owned by the fans, how is that

working out? Very good. In October we raised around quarter of the

medium to take over the club, and we spent a lot of time with our

supporters and they dug deep -- quarter of a million. We were able

to take a controlling influence on the club and we have been running it

accordingly. What does it mean to the club, tonight? The third round

in the FA Cup is the best date of the football calendar, it's a free

match for the players, they can share what they can do in front of

TV, and financially it is a great thing for us. How big a night is

this four-year? It is a massive night, the first time in 30 years

that we have reached this stage, since we played at Sunderland in

1986. -- is this for you? Predictions? 1-0. Too? Us. I am with

one of the finest buyers to come out of Newport, Nathan Blake. --

players. I think it will be a difficult game for both parties, the

pitch will be a level, if you like. If they can get themselves a goal,

that will lift the crowd and I can see Newport getting a couple of

goals, definitely. Newport visual hometown club, you played for

Blackburn Rovers, as well. -- is your hometown club. It is nice to be

the guest of honour, and it is nice to see two teams playing each other

in my hometown and I can come watch the game. I can have some free food.

LAUGHTER COMMENTATOR: Marshall, the right

back, that is a great run, down he goes, is that a penalty? Yes, it is.

No way. It is a fine penalty kick from Marshall. Blackburn have taken

the lead. It is a red card. That is

astonishing. That must be for the challenge, and all of a sudden

Newport County have a one-man advantage. See you later. Snapshot.

Oh! What a goal from Mark Byrne. It has been a good game so far, both

teams going at it. Even Stevens, I said Newport would score, so fingers

crossed they can get the winner and go through. COMMENTATOR: Right

footed cross. And that is 2-1! Teasing cross. Over the bar. Oh!

I know, I know. I feel your pain. You know, you want that dream, that

glory and the fourth round, and a bit more money. But our priority now

is safety in the league and to get ourselves say. I wish you all the

best. -- safe. Cheers. Last week we looked ahead to a huge

summer of sport by profiling some of the Welsh hopefuls heading to the

Rio Olympics as part of Team GB. This week we are looking ahead to

the Paralympics, and who better to guide us than our very own

Paralympic legend Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson? I'm really excited

about Rio, it will be huge, a beach party. There is part of me that

still wants London to be known as the best Olympic Games ever, but Rio

needs to step up for the Paralympic movement to move forward. How is Rio

set up for the Paralympics? What is it looking like? It will be OK, it

will be finished and ready, there are some tensions around facilities

being ready, and the water quality, for rowing and canoeing and the

triathlon, and to be honest, we were worried about Athens, but the

quality of competition was fantastic. What I can't get any

feeling for, how many people are going to come and watch, and that

will make the difference, that is what made the difference in London,

the stadiums were full and that makes a difference for the athletes

competing. This is a big opportunity for the team, plenty of expectation

in terms of winning medals, if we win the same, we will be one of the

only countries which has done that, and this is a chance to show the

world, that the British team are an amazing Paralympic team. In terms of

Welsh success, can this group of athletes live up to what happened in

London? There has always been a big expectation for the Welsh athletes

in terms of punching above their weight, and how many get to

represent the British team, in London it was 25% of the gold

medals, I was proud of that. That is added pressure on them, but also

that can be very motivating for them to want to do really well. Who is

coming home with a medal? Hollie Arnold, I've known her since she was

on the junior talent programme, even when she was 14 she had more

confidence than I did when I was 25, which is amazing. She has had a few

ups and downs and has now come back and she was amazing last year, she

was looking like an incredible javelin thrower. For me to watch her

and to see the way she threw, it was, OK, she can do this, she can

win gold. Alan Sean Davis, how will he be feeling? Exciting, a huge

amount of pressure, I've seen him develop over the years, I remember

when he was a kid, he was skinny. The confidence he got from London,

that has set him on a new level. He will feel the responsibility of

being one of the best-known, not just Welsh but British athletes, he

will see himself as a poster boy, in terms of young athletes looking up

to him. That is why he's an amazing team captain, he has time for many

of the athletes and he knows what it is like to be young on the team and

to have these aspirations. Easy our main hope for a gold medal? -- is

he. Yes, not just in terms of winning goal, but the way that he

wins, do not just sit on his laurels, and to be better in Rio

than he was in London, and that's a tough decision for any athlete, but

it shows how important it is, that he wins and wins well in Rio. What

about Olivia Green, the bundle of joy? I have never seen her anything

but really happy all the time, and this is great to see, she loves

athletics so much. She has had a tough time in sport, as well.

Looking at Long jump, sprinting, but I see her come into her own when she

is part of the relay, she is the glue for the team. Plenty of

pressure. Yes, but they need her in the team. As part of her category,

she competes, and she needs to be there, she can be the one to help

them deliver a gold medal. I love watching the relay, it is such a

dramatic event, it in terms of whether they get the baton around,

especially athletes with cerebral palsy. Whether she wins or loses,

she comes off, she is smiling and happy, and that is quite infectious

for the rest of the team. Tanni, what would you say to the Welsh

contingent ahead of the Olympics? Enjoy it, have an amazing time, I

hope Rio brings everything you want and try to win gold, because I'm

proud of the Welsh athletes who show the other home nations how good we

are. No pressure, but please win, lots. If I was to ask you, who is

Wales's most successful coach or manager in the last decade, who

would you say? Warren Gatland, Chris Coleman? What about a Welshman from

North Wales who is a legend in his sport? He is in Spain preparing for

another big year and we have been finding out the secret of his

success. It is Team Sky's said Dave Brailsford. -- Sir. Determined,

organised, obsessed. Dave Brailsford, away from home, plotting

another relentless year. I don't get much of a winter break, we are there

until the end of the season, the racing season, I was over 200 days

on the road, that was quite a lot. You come back, you take stock, you

try to review, you review this season and do that while it is fresh

in our minds, reflective practice is when you take the time to reflect

and that is when you are going to learn. I try to learn in October,

November, and then we are back here again. Marginal gains, Dave

Brailsford's mantra, tiny improvements multiplied equals

significant gains, nothing is left to chance. We come here all the way

through December, January, and it is like a drop in centre, as well. You

look at the group dynamic, and you look at the people, you think, what

have we got as a group and what is going to move them forward? What you

do know, a team is in a constant state of flux, the dynamic changes

all the time, and unless you spend the time thinking about the group

you have got there is no way you will decide about the best

intervention to move that group forward. Take the copy and paste

kind of thing, from last year, that will not work on and that is lazy.

Dave Brailsford is a winner, but it is not he who wins, he guides,

motivates. They come to the start of the season and they will have the

hunger for the next year, the desire, and some of them will be

really hungry, and some of them, you think, OK... Every rider has a

hunger index and I try to work out where they are in terms of their

desire for next season and we monitor that quite carefully, we

have got commitments I must, as well as performance -- we have got

commitment times. You talk about them and you talk with them, and off

we go. Last year, Durant Thomas was elevated to the elite, but our Team

Sky is -- Geraint John must was elevated to the elite, but at Team

Sky he is still behind the main man, Chris Froome. The issue,

potentially, defending my Tour de France title again on the cards, and

it will not be an easy season, that is for certain -- this year. He won

the Tour de France and he would like to win that again, and he has the

Olympics. Is up for it, it is exciting for him. The -- Geraint

John the Thomas eventually win the Tour de France? -- good he

eventually win the Tour de France? I hope so. He has the headache of

getting up to the level of Chris, but this is a big year for him, very

exciting, we are right behind him, supporting him. The plan is set,

from here on till October, there will be no respite. -- on till. I

feel really up for it, the most for a long time, I don't know why, but I

love what I do, I guess. And that is it for this week, we back at nine

o'clock next Friday, but from the Sport Wales team, have a good

weekend. On your marks, get set...

Bake for Sport Relief. sift and whip their way through

the Bake Off tent... Burnt on the outside

and doughy in the middle. Look at his little legs.

THEY LAUGH I got a Hollywood handshake.

I'm this happy.