Tying the Kangaroo Down

Wales 21 - Australia 18
November 29th, 2008

A palpable sense of relief washed over the exhausted Welsh team at the final whistle at the Millenium, a veritable tsunami of the stuff. More of it poured down from the packed terraces, where the crowd had nibbled fingernails down to the elbows as a dominant Welsh team managed to keep the Aussies in the game.
The first half featured some of the best attacking rugby Wales have played for some time, where the ball was recycled speedily, and Cooper fired out a good supply of ball for the attacks to build. Beautifully crafted angles, allied to real strength in the contact area, provided us with two terrific tries. Real Bread of Heaven stuff.
Australia stayed in it due to the shambolic Welsh line out, which led to us being unable to sustain periods of pressure, and gifted the Aussies a "What happened next" type score for second row Mark Chisholm.
In truth, Robbie Deans' men were well beaten by a side that has made real strides in a very busy year under The Gat and Big Shaun. What next ??

It's Not All Black...

November 22nd, 2008 at the Millenium Stadium
Wales 9 New Zealand 29

Never mind the 30 years of hurt (er...make that 42...) so bewailed by the round ball fraternity...the 55 years' spell seemed to be fading at halftime at a packed Millenuim Stadium this weekend. Ryan Jones and his merry men faced down those years of dreaming, as well as the Haka, to bring us within sniffing distance of the All Black scalp.
The tribal nature of the Haka face off will remain in the memory for all of us who witnessed it, a genuine spine tingler. Gatland must have loved it.
The final score was a tad flattering, but testament to the All Blacks sense of purpose and cohesion when put under pressure, and their enormous physical reserves of raw power. As ever, McCaw gave a masterclass at the breakdown, where Martyn Williams faded in the second half, along with the last whiffs of all that cordite from the opening expolsions.
Ah well - next year...