Three on the bounce

Alun Smith

A few weeks ago, when Steve Tandy named his initial squad for the Nations Cup, I told everyone (and anyone who would listen) that despite misgivings about some absentees, such as Rio Dyer and Thomas Francis, I was confident that the squad would do well in this new competition, that I was really excited about this Wales team, and I explained why.

If we think about Wales’ progression under Tandy in linear terms, it’s easy to see why, I think, we have reasons to be cheerful.

From the disaster at Twickenham, only a few short months ago, where Wales looked like strangers in the night, and Tandy looked like he was herding cats, to the disciplinary improvements against France and Ireland, Rhys Carre’s wonder try, then a game against the Scots that Wales could, and perhaps should, have won.

Look then at the first half demolition of an Italian side who had only beaten the mighty England a week before.

Over the last months there have been clear and obvious improvements in the Welsh game, and it’s almost as if they’re doing it in bite-sized rugby modules.

Discipline against England was poor, then much better for the rest of the 6Nations. Defence against France was poor, then much better thereafter, and so on and so forth.

By the time the Italians came along in the spring, Wales were confident and together enough, to put together an 80 minutes to be proud of. Fleet of foot in the first half and stout of heart in the second.

The big, big change I’m seeing though, that few seem to be talking about, is this musketeer attitude the Welsh seem to be developing.

They’re a tight group and it shows. And it’s not just fighting for each other and scrapping for your mates, those things are rugby mainstays. No, it’s that, increasingly, the numbers on the backs of their shirts are getting more and more interchangeable.

The backs are finding confidence in and around rucks and mauls, clearing out and pushing forwards over the line, and the forwards are getting happier in the wider channels. It’s beautiful to watch it all coming together.

The next module was ‘How do Wales deal with chaos’?

I was convinced that Wales not only needed a run-out against the Baa-Baas but that that fixture, was in fact, the perfect run-out given what was coming after them.

Much to the miserabilist’s chagrin I said Wales would beat the Baa-Baas but it would be close. I was almost wrong. But for a double brain-fluff from Hawkins and Grady, who conspired to relieve Wales of two perfectly good tries, Wales would have won that match, perhaps not comfortably, but assuredly.

They did it, without their England-based contingent and with full knowledge that the Barbarians game would be like trying to catch water. But, because of their developing cohesion and belief, they did it.

That game prepared them for the masters of the chaotic game, The Flying Fijians, who, sure enough, turned up and decided to exhibit their rugby heritage through the medium of interpretive offload!

They completed 25 of them in the first 40 minutes against Wales, and forced the Dragons into 92 first half tackles.

But Wales stayed together, played together, rode out the storm and but for Dan Edwards having a bit of a kicking mare would have put 45 points on Fiji. Again,

I was almost wrong, I said they’d beat Fiji by a few points. Glad to be wrong.

They defended as well as you can against shadows and scored six really good tries.

Proud

We should all be very proud of our rugby team today. They were awesome and they’re getting better and better. Dafydd Jenkins was a loss pre-game but Adam Beard did well in his absence. So, chaos defeated, what’s next?

Wales next assignment is a very different beast to contend with in Argentina. That game won’t be as frenetic as the two Wales have just won. Though still very skilful, the Pumas tend to be much more pragmatic, more structured than the Barbarians or Fiji. A bit more like Italy….

I’m hoping though, that Wales will go back to their desks and think, right, what’s this week’s module? How do we make it four wins from four?

I trust Tandy to pick a 15 that will not only believe they can win, but they’ll know exactly how.

Back to back to back wins for Wales. If I’d said that in March, you’d have laughed in, what is for today at least, my gormlessly smiling face.

Well done Wales. Onwards and upwards you beauties!