22/02/2013 Sport Wales

After seeing off the French in Paris, next stop it's the Stadio

Olimpico. Can Wales make it two wins back-to-back? Welcome to Rome.

Here at Wembley, Swansea City take on Bradford City, hoping for a free

Apology for the loss of subtitles for 63 seconds

action packed Sport Wales ahead! Coming up tonight: It's the big one,

the League Cup Final at Wembley and the countdown begins for Swansea

versus Bradford. Even though we are favourites, we

won't be taking this lightly. Joy in Paris, but can Wales build

on it in Rome? We have to go white and replicate the character that we

have shown. We need to be accurate and have visit him.

Plus we take a look back at Gavin But first, a very warm welcome from

a very chilly Wembley Stadium. It's almost a home-from-home for Welsh

clubs these days. 12 months after Cardiff City, we are here they are

getting ready for Swansea City's arrival. Extrodinary to think that

the Swans are 90 minutes from some major silverware, just 10 years

after they almost went out of the Football League. Well, Simon Davies

has been talking to one man who's been there through the highs and

It is a goal for Swansea City! Swansea City ahead in the semi-

final! Swansea City have done it! They have never had a night like

this, but they have never had a team like this. For Leon Britton,

winning the Cup would be a world away from what happened in 2003.

Swansea's City will stay in the Football League! I am very proud of

that day. Things would have been so enjoy a everyone. You do grow as a

person. More experienced as a player, as well. I hope that

experience will cut when it comes to a major cup final, like the one

against Bradford. It was a great day, winning promotion to the

Premier League. A lot of dreams were achieved that day. A lot of

the squad had not played in the top flight. Beating Reading in Wembley

against 90,000, it is a day you will remember for the rest of your

life. Alan Tait was also in that Swansea side 10 years ago. He has

made few appearances in the Premier League, but Leon Britton continued

to be a focal point. They pass the ball and move. They passed away out

of triangles. Leon Britton, pass, pass, pass. Absolutely breathtaking

to watch when it works. When Brendan Rogers left for Liverpool,

there was feared that the incoming manager would struggle to keep them

in the Premier League. A everyone was naturally worried when Brendan

left. He did such a fantastic job in the two years he was here. Four

or five first-team regulars left I think there was so worried that

we would struggle this year, but Michael Laudrup has coming, settled

in straight away. He seemed to keep on improving things. We're in the

top half of the Premier League and we have reached her first final. We

beat QPR in the first game of the season 5-0! Victory over Bradford

City would see them playing in Europe for the first time since

1991. Swansea are now labelled with the unfamiliar tag of being the

bookie's choice. We are massive favourites. Bradford have beaten

three Premier League teams, and did it over two games against Aston

Villa. That is no luck. They deserve to be in the final. We will

not be taking this lightly. After being with his club for almost the

whole of the decade, Swansea has become more than just a club that

gave him his chance. I had the six months at Manchester United, and I

realised just how much I missed this club. I call it home. I'm from

London, but this is where my home is. My wife is from Swansea, and a

insurer will step ending here after football, as well.

We have come inside to the tunnel area. That is the Swansea City

dressing room. These are the men here hoping to make history for

Swansea on Sunday. We saw Leon Britton. He symbolises the

extraordinary progress they have made. He has seen the highs and

lows of. You can give someone like him enough credit. He had to change

position completely. Now he is a defensive midfield player. His role

in the team is vital. He breaks things up and the middle of the

park, never gives the ball away. Michael Laudrup, if he wins the

club on Sunday, other clubs might be looking at him. I totally agree.

The work he has done in a short period of time is quite remarkable.

I heard some work today that another club but where All Whites

in Spain, they are looking for a manager in the summer! 72 % of fans

of Real Madrid once Michael Laudrup. With the big wide open space of

Wembley suit Swansea? Yes, absolutely. The passing game may

like to play, three forward- thinking midfielders, the speed and

the movement will be too much for Bradford. Big selection dilemma is

what he does in defence. Chico Floris was ruled out yesterday. He

would you pick, Gary Monk or Barkley? They both have good cases.

I look at the experience of Gary Monk. He has a good partnership

with Ashley Williams. Thank you very much for the moment. There

will be more from us later in the programme.

Here in Rome, it has been a relatively calm build-up to

tomorrow's game. Rob Howley took the unusual step of naming his side

a week early, keeping faith with the same 15 that defeated France,

The run of eight successive defeats has ended. Third victory in Paris

was a significant chapter in the Ryan Jones story. Parachuted in to

inspire the rest of his team-mates, Sam Warburton pass make injury pain

was the game for Ryan Jones. are so focused about junior role

within the team. The challenge for me is to get that right. The

captaincy will take care of itself. That was his 30th game as captain.

It seems he has lost none of the leadership qualities that led Wales

to the 2008 Grand Slam. It wasn't down to anything I said or did! It

was about us going out there as a team. And you can't afford a

hangover from the last week, the month before or whatever. What

happened against arrogance had no relevance to what happened against

France. Key is a natural leader. He is comfortable with the captain

His words mean a lot. He is 100 % for the jersey. Against France he

was unbelievable. As is said to him before the game last week, I know

you can lead and motivate, what you need to do is apply both and make

sure does actions are better than the words. He did that against

France and as a result he captains against Italy. Sam Warburton will

be on the bench. International rugby is about being strong off the

bench and having that impact. Having Sam Warburton and Alun Wyn

Jones on the bench gives sough -- gives us an added incentive and

strength. Italy's talismanic Sergio Parisse misses out altogether

having been sent off for his club. He is world class, there was no

doubt. He has stood the test of time. That is testament to great

player, as well. He adds value to what it to the do. I don't think

there will do much different you without him, but when you have

world-class players and the system, he adds value with his skill set,

his experience. He knows what it takes to win. Pitt is a shame that

he will be there! He won't be missed too much! Adam Jones has

conceded more penalties than any other player in the Six Nations

this year. Six indiscretions hint that than issue with the Welsh

scrum. As a cripple for words, we need to address an issue in the

scrum. The first two performances haven't been were we would have

liked them to have been. I am not saying this surface was to blame,

but that did play a part in it. Quickly a perception can build and

a reputation from and at the moment it is not favourable towards the

Welsh scrum. Weeks to change that as soon as possible. Italy stumbled

badly in Scotland a fortnight ago, but a week earlier they were

magnificent against the French. Will's lost 2 from 66 Nations

matches at the Stadio Ligoniel. This year the battle moves to the

70,000 capacity Stadio Olimpico. This weekend will be a huge

challenge. A big, big arena. Arguably, the most physical in the

championship. We have got to be aware of that. One game does not

make a good team. We have to go white and replicates the character

and resilience that we showed. We want to go out and play some rugby

and we have to be accurate and have discipline. If we have got that, we

will have a good idea of who will Nothing says Rome like the Coliseum.

One win does not make a great team, but he certainly decided to show

great confidence in the team. great confidence in the team.

I don't think it comes as a sheet surprise. The players showed the

dedication and commitment that was needed to fight it out in a tough

match in Paris. No one expected that team to come so quickly, but I

don't think it is an advantage for Italy to know who our starting 15

is 10 days before we played. If Wales play well and get the basics

right, a bit more confidence and fluidity in the pattern that we

know they all do, I think it is fine. Concentrate on ourselves,

worry less about Italy, show a reward for those guys and then,

obviously, what he has done with this announcement is to squash any

speculation about whether Warburton's should get back in.

Those things that have dominated the media agenda have disappeared

straight away. A good stroke by Rob Howley.

Ryan Jones remains the captaincy and his pleas that Sergio Parisse

will be playing as well. Personally I like to watch Parisse

play. He is world class, the only world-class player that Italy has.

He has flair in a side that is well coached and well organised. You

need someone like Parisse so from respective full point of view, it

is a blow. Parisse is such an important player and it is hard to

over-emphasise how tactically aware he is. In the last 20 minutes, when

they are hacked ahead and me to stay ahead, it is Parisse who has

been the leader. He is not there and I don't know when they look

around the changing room he will do that for them.

Wales have some unhappy memories, where will they be targeting to win

this? I think it will be too good for

them across the board. Let's not pretend that Wales are playing

wonderful rugby and will push Italy aside. Although Italy were beaten

well by Scotland, at home they will be confident and tough to break

down. They are international rugby players, well organised and it will

take time. If we get ahead early, I think it could break up. On the

whole, I think that Wales will be too strong, to organise than

overpower them. One eye on the championship still?

It is on. To do that we need to score points.

Time for the crystal ball, what is your prediction? I think Wales will

win by about seven. I think it will rain, so that will make it tight.

Here's hoping that is not the kiss of death. Thank you very much.

From the Eternal City to Atlantic City and on Saturday night, Gavin

Rees lost in his bid to become a to wait world champion. He was up

against the rising star, Aegean Broner and our cameras went along

for the ride. I can't imagine my life about

boxing. I started when I was nine so it has been my life since I was

a little kid. A natural thing. Why are you a boxer?

Because I'm not a footballer or a model. Something easy, nothing hard,

I guess. He has been in America five weeks,

he has three daughters at home and a girlfriend. It was hard for him

at times, but this was the light at the end of the tunnel, so to speak.

Am sure it will be worth it. Professional record, 37 victories,

only one defeat, 19 knockouts, one, three, 4.5. From Cincinnati Ohio,

the reigning lightweight champion of the world, or atrium, the

problem, Broner. -- Adrien. Normally I would shake hands and

the best man wins. You have to play up to the crowd. He has a lot of

one-liners. Did you say anything to him? I congratulated him.

He is two or three years younger than me. We weren't that far apart.

He is a nice boy with fire in his belly. Very confident in his own

ability in whichever fight he goes into. He is one of the funniest

people I have ever come across. He makes everyone laugh without

meaning to. Biggest night of my life, to be honest. Pound-for-pound

top fighters in the world. If I win this fight, I'll be the top light

weight in the world. It is massive. Everything leading to this fight.

24 hours, hanging about, really. Doing nothing. The last few hours

have gone really slow, to be honest. Like a caged little animal bursting

to get out. Pretty boring, but it is fight day so I want to get on

with it and start fighting. He can throw punches in

combinations. It is a style that is very hard to beat, but he also has

punch power, a great jab and a solid chin.

It is such a big fight for me, the biggest of my career. I started

getting ready for this six weeks ago. My heart has been pounding

away from six weeks before. A lot of pressure, a lot of nerves. It is

the top of the game. I don't show it, but a lot of the time I am more

nervous than the fighters. With Gavin, I will be very nervous. I

care for the fighters at the end of the day and this is a brutal game.

It is a one-man sport. Not just the one man's sport where you on

knocking a ball about, one mistake Doesn't matter to me if I was here

on my own. I am going him and I will blank it all out, to be honest.

Focused. Just me and him. In America, Newport, doesn't matter.

It is weird, there are thousands of people and sometimes they put one

little thing in your head. Sometimes I hear my dad's voice.

He is obviously a very talented kid. It was terrible. No movement and

then I was stunned. He was a world- class opponent and that is the

reason why. He will be another world champion

some day. He is tougher than a stake that has been cooked for too

long. My career isn't over by a long shot.

People can judge for themselves. I don't need anyone with me, just

Welcome back to Wembley Stadium where Swansea City players hope to

make this walk into the Royal Box and get their hands on this thing,

the Capital One Cup on Sunday. The Bradford players will have other

ideas, of course. Earlier I caught up with their manager and captain,

a man who began his professional career at Swansea and has been a

key figure as Bradford have beaten three Premier League sides on their

road to Wembley. Don't be fooled by the quiet

cobbled streets, the serene the sloping landscape. There has been a

Corner, head it in! Bradford City 3, Aston Villa 1. The graveyard of

League Cup ambition for Arsenal and Aston Villa after Bradford had won

at Wigan. At the heart of it, Gary Jones, the claret and am the

captain. Apparently you owe it all to

Swansea? I did begin their, yes. I think I

got sacked after six months, nine months, something like that.

Something ridiculous like that. I think Alan Cork took over. I'm not

sure what happened that season, to be fair, but I wasn't there that

long. I got shipped off to Rochdale. I am grateful to them.

The before Swansea, you started in North Wales, didn't you? A young

Scouser going across to North Wales, what was life like there?

A lot of travelling, I can tell you that. Some long journeys?

Yes, long journeys. It was a good ground, to be fair. You'd have to

start somewhere and that was my ground. I think am the person I am

today because I had that ground. Now at the age of 135, well Jones

be blessed are the cut final? Perhaps the tie will be settled by

more prosaic, old-fashioned virtues. They are good Premiership team and

we are fully aware of that. We also know they will have a lot of

possession in the game. They have 65% of possession, so we have to be

patient and disciplined. Equally I have players that can cause some

problems. We know Swansea have conceded goals from set plays this

season, so that is one aspect of our game.

If you beat Wigan, Arsenal, Aston Villa, so why not Swansea? Exactly.

Just roll it off the tongue there, like. Like it happens every day.

Has it sunk in? I don't think it has. I think it will sink in when

we are at Wembley and see all the supporters. We need to be at our

best. You never know. Never say best. You never know. Never say

never in football. Iwan Roberts, you can see what it

Iwan Roberts, you can see what it means to somebody like Gary Jones.

He would not have been expecting to captain his side at Wembley.

He probably thought they is like this had passed him by. He is 35

now coming to the end of his playing days, but he is the heart

and soul of this side. He has great delivery. Bradford rely heavily on

corners and free-kicks, so he will have a vital game to play on Sunday

if Bradford close -- caused a massive upset by beating Swansea.

What Bradford have done is extraordinary, isn't it? It is

unbelievable. It is a fairy-tale. They have beaten three Premier

League sides, but I think it comes to an end on Sunday. There can't

see them beat Swansea. Where will the game be won and lost? Who are

the key men? If you look at Bradford, you look at their forward

options. They have Wells, Heinz, handsome. All capable of scoring

goals, but I do think that Wells is their main the scorer with 18 goals

this season. You have the goalkeeper, in my opinion one of

the best goalkeepers outside the Premier League.

We shouldn't forget that Wrexham could be here later in the season,

they lead 3-1 in the first leg of the semi-final. They have done

enough? You would think so. Two-goal

advantage. They have not lost for 13 games. To come away from the

racecourse last week with a tall goal cushion, you would expect them

to go through. As for Sunday, you seem to have written Bradford off.

What will be the score? I think it will be a comfortable afternoon as

long as they prepare themselves properly and a professional. I

think it will be three-0. Thank you for your company. Enjoy the match.

It is live on BBC rails and BBC Radio Cumbria. From us here at

Wembley Stadium, it is goodbye for now.

That is it for this week. We are back a day early next week on