29/01/2016 Sport Wales

Alternate's sure, we are gearing up for another Six Nations. The best

team will win the Six Nations. We sent Danny to London to meet James

Collins. To be involved now still at 32 and having such a successful

period and enjoying it more than I ever have is great. We catch up with

Robbie Regan 20 years after becoming world champion. Actually picking my

daughter up again, daddy is travelling the world. And we meet

Anna, just nine years of age and a table tennis sensation. So it is

rugby we start with again tonight, just win week to go on to the start

of the Six Nations and where better to get the lowdown on this year's

tournament than at the official launch, and that is exactly where we

sent Ross Harris. This is where Europe's Premier rugby tour of it

gets its big launch. It is a bit of the Oscars. You get exclusive

interviews, three minutes with each coach and captain and that is your

lot. Hopefully we add in the mix. This is getting to be like deja vu?

The 50 of in a row and then as a cap on ten year so only have we! I will

start with an easy one, who is winning the Six Nations? Stake in

the deep end. It is a good question but I would have to say Wales will

be favourites. Congratulations on the captaincy, but first I want to

ask you who will win the Six Nations? That sort of a loaded

question that I will probably not answer. Who will win Six Nations?

Definitely the best team. I think every team now is aiming to be the

best team. We will see in the next couple of weeks who the best team

is. Who will win the Six Nations? The best team will win the Six

Nations, the most deserving team will win the Six Nations. Pardon? Do

you enjoy doing this kind of thing? A bit of chaos? Absolutely, I

suppose it is part of the job and I understand it is all about media. I

try and do as little as I possibly can. Do you enjoy this aspect of the

job, talking to the press and talking about the tournament? You

have to enjoy it. It is a major part of your job and you have to come

here and try to put your best foot forward. We want our team, every

time they do something, for rugby. Rob becomes a bit more naturally to

me. I understand the need and the role to do this, but it is

interesting. I think we are looking at about five hours of press but I

have done this a few years now so I know what to expect. The six

Nations, a competition steeped in history, even those from down under

have their favourite memories. I always remember our PE teacher

showing us the Welsh backline and watching Phil Bennett's running with

beautiful balance with the ball into the hands, and that is how you want

your stand-off to play. Obviously you say 33 and they know what that

means but that is probably the best rugby experience I have ever had,

never mind Six Nations. That would fantastic. For me, anyone on the

road is pretty special, going to another nation and you're not

playing against just the team but you're playing against the nation,

and the feeling is that whenever you want this to a limit to the probably

my best memories. And so to the here and now, England have new coach in

Eddie Jones and his first big call was controversial one. The

appointment of fiery hooker Daniel Hartley as his captain. The greatest

risk was not to take a risk. England hasn't been in that situation in

Rugby, eighth in the world, and you look at the Six Nations trophy since

2003, England is ranked four and that is not acceptable. The only

thing he said to me is get yourself in the team, be the best player you

can be in your possession, and that is what I am trying to do at the

moment. Wales's campaign starts in Dublin against an Irish side in

search of an unprecedented third consecutive championship. Next week

we are going to try to be competitive against what is probably

the team that have the most continuity going into this

competition. Talking to Sam it is his fifth visit and we have got a

lot of consistency. It is a really settled team we have got no not just

the players but the spine of the staff has been the same as well, and

I guess that is an advantage us. When you that I mentioned Ireland

were potentially favourites, that was talking from the heart? I was

asking a question at the time and I hadn't really thought about that and

I suppose as defending champions, two years in a row, you cannot go

past Ireland and some people printed it as me sort of giving an opinion,

other people thought I was playing mind games. I am not as smart as

people think I am. I am just a simple Kiwi who often speaks from

the heart. Done and dusted for another year. All the coaches and

captain spoken to. All fairly friendly and amenable as it

happened, I wondered if it will be that way in two months' time. That

is done, Cheers, boys. You are in the form of your life! No

worries and seeming to play well and that is what is happening at the

moment, probably playing the best football I have in my career. The

work I had done to get to where I was and it was taken away from me in

seconds. I turned to drink. My name is Anna and I'd like to be a table

tennis champion. To put the seal on the when! And so to enter national

football and our build-up to Euro 2016 this summer. This week we said

Danny to London to catch up with an old friend.

London, the city with it takes a lot to make an impression. The man I

meet today arrived with me and West Ham in 2005. Like the building I am

meeting him in today, he stands out as one of our best. James. How is

life treating you? Good, mate. Obviously playing at the minute

Bernat West Ham so enjoying life. Here in the shard in London, a

fitting venue to interrupt us back to interview one of my good friends.

If you are happy off the field you have no worries and seemed to play

well and that the minute that is what is happening with myself. I am

probably playing the best football I have in my career. I wanted to take

you back now to where it all started. I am here! Here on the top

of your head and not on the bottom! Cardiff City, started off as a

striker, how did that come about? I signed originally as a centre half.

In training I liked to wander upfront and goals and made debut

upfront. Which was an ugly front two to say the least! But I scored on my

debut. Was it a bit of a surprise when you got the West Ham moved? To

be honest I still think I jumped on the back of yours, but it was

surprising. I think at that time, when me and you were both playing

well, in the Cardiff team that was doing well, as surprised as anyone.

I thought I would have to play a few more years than the aim was to

eventually if not with Cardiff moved to the Premier League but it came

early because the first job I went to West Ham, you were unbelievable,

and I struggled a bit, the first time I moved away from home. I was

still quite young, 20 or 21, and I didn't perform and it hit home that

I had moved for relatively big money. Do you remember the first few

days and the lads and me and you gone back to the hotel thinking,...

It was a tough dressing room! Didn't understand the London Lingle. I

think they were looking at my clothes more than anything. --

bat-mac. Your Newport style wouldn't go down too well in London. --

lingo. So after that initial three years at West Ham, you then got the

move to Aston Villa, how did you enjoy that? For me, that is when you

elevated yourself to your top premiership play. It came out of the

blue, the Aston Villa move, and no disrespect to West Ham but to move

and have that chance at European football was massive and Martin

O'Neill was fantastic. Touch on a little bit about Wales as well. 46

caps, I think it is, do you feel there is a bit of unfinished

business on that side of things with Wales? Definitely, I should be on a

lot more caps than I have had, think I made my debut when I was 20,

maybe, 32 now, and only two beyond 46 caps is not enough. Stuck on 49!

I pulled out of the lot of games through injury and as you know

yourself I was out for two years pretty much from international

football with my knee, and to be involved still now at 32 and having

such a successful period and enjoying it more than I ever have is

great. Do you still feel you have to impress Chris Coleman and try to get

yourself back into that starting 11 for the summer? 100%, it is the

strongest Welsh squad all-round. Before we have had individual

players that are world class but as an all-round squad at the moment, it

is a great squad. At my age now, it could possibly be my last chance to

play in a major to limit and to go down and just be involved is going

to be amazing but obviously the ultimate goal is to get there and be

playing well and performing well for Wales. While ago, looking up my

Welsh career, I thought it would never

happen, and to be involved and going to it hopefully playing well in a

tremendous Welsh team is very exciting. James, pleasure talking to

you, great to see you, have a great end of the season. Looking forward

to seeing you performing in 2016. Can't wait, it's been

great, mate. Next up, one of Wales's forgotten

sports stars. 20 years ago he became a boxing world champion, but since

then he has gone through very dark times. Here is the story of Robbie

Regan. He's got it! Hardly energy to lift it is hands above his head but

they are going wild, Robbie Regan, the new WBO bantamweight champion of

the world. Great memories here, beating Joe Kelly.

This is my house I was brought up in.

Has it going, all right? Andrew, how are you?

For Robbie Regan, the big fight nights have come to an end.

Retirement at 29 was a bitter pill to swallow but they failed scam made

it inevitable. -- failed scan. How things, all right? All good.

I've got a lot of the old photographs in the house. A lot of

them still remember. I walked down by there and people shake my hand!

All the best. Cheers, take it easy. From an old champ to one for the

future. It takes years of dedication to

reach the top of any sport, but for one Welsh youngster, playing with

the best means leaving home and moving to China. Remember this name:

Anna Hursey. My name is Anna and I would like to be a table tennis

champion. One day I am going to be an Olympic medallist, I will hold my

medal like this. Meat and Hursey, a tiny table tennis

star with a big future, she is the best in Wales that under 18 level

and is just nine. She is exceptional for her age, the best player I have

seen, one of the best under 18 's. She has probably beaten everyone

under 18. She has been a lot of the top girls in Britain's. She started

playing at just five, barely able to see over the table yet good enough

to beat opponents three times her age. Fast forward a couple of years

and she is regularly beating adults but her talent has become a problem.

For table tennis you need to be in a good environment, which is a lot of

good players with you, so they can make you better. Wales is a smaller

place, not many table tennis players, that's why we need to make

the effort to take her to different places to

have important competitions with better players. And trains five days

a week spending over 18 hours hitting ball after ball that it is

not enough. Her parents have decided if she is to become the best she

needs to train with the best, which means moving to China. Table tennis

is a sport you need to practice with a reasonable level player or a

better player who can make you better. That is why I have to take

her to different places, especially some in Europe, Asian countries or

maybe the best, China, to enhance her table tennis skills. One day I'm

going to be alert Olympic medallist. Everyday I played table tennis. I

like competing. I'm going to hold my medal like this! I haven't seen many

other top players in Europe, but I would like to think she would be up

there with them, and I think she can be as good as she once. I don't

think many people want to play her! She's just very aggressive and very

strong, and for such a young player, she is exceptional.

Exceptional in sport, but still in school. Anna goes about life like

any normal 9 euros, shy, hard-working but never boastful. I

couldn't believe it, I said, you haven't told me! She shrugged her

shoulders, just one of those things. She is very modest, bless her. It

will be very different in China, School in the morning, nothing but

table tennis after that. She is happy to lose, she is happy to win,

she is always happy, whether you see her playing with a player may be

double her age, some of them, I am really proud, but

those people are not her target. Players in Asian countries should be

her target. If she can beat them she probably will be one of the best.

Don't forget scrum 56 Nations Preview is

on Sunday with Ross Harris, Gareth Thomas, Martyn Williams and Jeremy

Guscott, that is at 7pm on BBC Two Wales. That's it for this evening

but we leave you with a celebration of this newly named sporting arena.

We have delved into the archives of the stadium formerly known as the

millennium, so here is a collection of its greatest Six Nations moments.

Enjoy. In it comes. Scott Quinnell is

there. Gareth Thomas with a corner, gets it! That's the one he's been

waiting for. That breaks Ryan Evans's try scoring record for

Wales. Mike Ruddock's Wales have beaten

England. Ronan O'Gara. Kevin Morgan! To put the

seal on the win, to put the cream on the grand slam cake.

magic Williams! Dragged out of retirement, and here he is, a second

grand slam for Wales! Ogawa, back in the pocket for his drop goal

attempt, he goes, oh Garre... He has done it. That surely is the grand

slam! Bradley Davies in field. They are

all there for Wales. Shane Williams! Shane Williams has won the most

dramatic game in this Six Nations, perhaps in any Six Nations. What a

game! Priestland, long to Cuthbert, Cuthbert is clear, Alex Cuthbert is

going to score! Wales striker against France. Wales have won the

grand slam, the third for Wales since 2005. Cuthbert for the line!

Tipuric, still going to Cuthbert! Cuthbert's second try. Wales are

storming to the title.