A blog featuring whatever I fancy, often on the Christian faith but not exclusively
Showing posts with label Grand slam. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Grand slam. Show all posts
Wales win grand slam 2019
With an amazing win 25-7 Wales have taken the Six Nations Championship. Well done!
Welsh Rugby and Popes
Could there be any truth to the urban legend that claims every time Wales win a rugby grand slam a pope dies?
The hypothesis, based on the deaths of Paul VI, John Paul I and John Paul II in years when the Welsh team dominated the Six Nations, was rejected by doctors in 2008.
However, a letter published in the British Medical Journal has claimed the study made the fatal error of ignoring coptic popes.
In a revelation that could see popes locking themselves in armoured mobiles for the remainder of the year following Wales' recent success, Dr Edward Snelson claimed the 2008 study was based on "false assertions".
He quoted the study's urban legend basis, "Every time Wales win the rugby grand slam, a pope dies, except for 1978 when Wales were really good, and two popes died.
"However they included only Roman Catholic popes in their outcome measures, thus altering the statistical analysis to create a potentially false reassurance," he wrote. ....
Twentieth Triple Crown
That means we have now won the triple crown some twenty times. Now for the grand slam!
Poetry and pizza
Eleri and the youngest boys headed off to Wales on Friday afternoon (for an eisteddfod and to pass on 4 of our 11 rabbits - did I mention that there had been a second litter?) so when I came in from the GPT meeting it was just me and the middle boys here. (As I mentioned GPT very kindly gave us all copies of the newest books Frank Allred's brilliantly titled Just by believing and the new edition of John Hall's book of 12 Bible basic studies which I am hoping to get someone to study with me.) We sent out to Pizza Hut for a stuffed crust pizza - very nice. Then it was of to clubs at chapel which went off quite well despite a shortage of staff. I spoke on the lost sons.
On Saturday morning we had a clean up day which was quite well attended (thanks to our Korean friends and our two LTS men). We made good progress on lots of things. A chapel is lke ahome - always things to clean and tidy and fix. Then there was rugby all afternoon, which I kept coming in and out for in the midst of preparations for the Lord's Day. I watched most of the Welsh game. It's hard to begrudge the Irish their win after 61 years (our name is Brady so we must be part Irish anyway) and they were the better team. So we are forced back to 'as long as we beat the English' sadly. At least we were well disciplined and in with a shout.
Gwion returned in triumph. He had been reciting a poem (Un funud fach - see below - something about a child bored out shopping with his mam) in the Urdd prelims and was considered good enough to enter the national competition - he is the best for his age in the whole world at it (excluding Wales) - I guess that last bit is important to add.
The Lord's Day was good. I preached on the transfiguration. We had one of the deacons and his wife here for lunch. When we read the Bible after lunch it was the bit about deacons and their wives in 1 Timothy - ironic. They joined Rhods and I for a nice walk before the evening meeting (on Abraham in Hebrews 11). Eleri was beginning to go down with a cold by the end of the day. We'd marked Mother's Day with cards and gifts. I prayed for mothers in church but we don't mark it any other way.
Suddo i nyth clyd
y soffa hufen
a’m byd yn gartwnau gwyllt
ond daw llais Mam fel drudwen
i bigo’r lluniau o’m llygaid
‘Tyrd! Cwyd!
Allan â ni.’
Ac allan â mi
i siopa.
Codi hediad a mynd
Dilyn y lli
yn un haid,
yn un dorf,
o un siop i’r llall.
‘Un funud fach fydda i,’
Meddai hi.
Cyfir’r craciau yn y palmant
a sylwi ar bapurach fel hen blu
yn hel yn y gwter.
Ceir yn ymlwybro fel pryfed genwair
yn y maes parcio –
a hen wynt main
yn gwneud i mi grynu
ar y silff ffenast oer.
Troi
Ac mae hi’n dal i bigo mynd
Heibio rêls y dillad
yn sbaena, yn cyffwrdd y defnyddia
yn codi’r hangyr, sbio
a’i roi yn ei ôl.
Mae bagiau plastig
sy’n barod i ddodwy
yn fy mhasio
a finna yn ysu ysu
am fynd ‘nôl
i’r nyth clyd hwnnw
ar y soffa.
(Gan Rhian Sanson)
Dilyn y lli
yn un haid,
yn un dorf,
o un siop i’r llall.
‘Un funud fach fydda i,’
Meddai hi.
Cyfir’r craciau yn y palmant
a sylwi ar bapurach fel hen blu
yn hel yn y gwter.
Ceir yn ymlwybro fel pryfed genwair
yn y maes parcio –
a hen wynt main
yn gwneud i mi grynu
ar y silff ffenast oer.
Troi
Ac mae hi’n dal i bigo mynd
Heibio rêls y dillad
yn sbaena, yn cyffwrdd y defnyddia
yn codi’r hangyr, sbio
a’i roi yn ei ôl.
Mae bagiau plastig
sy’n barod i ddodwy
yn fy mhasio
a finna yn ysu ysu
am fynd ‘nôl
i’r nyth clyd hwnnw
ar y soffa.
(Gan Rhian Sanson)
8 in a row
So Wales have now won 8 Six Nations games in a row (equalling the record) and are set for a second successive Grand Slam. It didn't come easy, mind, (as the man of the match going to England's Joe Worsley and their two tries to one would suggest) and it's no walk over yet. It's not quite like when I was a boy then but so far so good.
Wales France
Found here
Wales need only stop France winning by more than 19 points to claim the Six Nations title, but all thoughts are on a home win and Grand Slam in Cardiff.
Coach Warren Gatland has transformed Wales since their World Cup nightmare so that they start as favourites.
His selection tinkering has continued, James Hook in for Stephen Jones at 10.
France have strengthened with six changes and could yet steal the title, dashing Welsh dreams under the closed roof of the Millennium Stadium.
Jean-Baptiste Elissalde and David Skrela provide extra direction at half-back, Julien Bonnaire and Thierry Dusautoir beef up the pack, while Vincent Clerc and Damien Traille return to a backline that has the panache to pile on the points.
Should France win by exactly 19 points the title will be decided on try count.
Both teams are currently on 11 tries, and if that remains equal the championship could be shared.
But Wales are bursting with confidence after securing the Triple Crown in Dublin, and are eager to claim their second Grand Slam in four years.
Gatland has enjoyed a remarkable first season in charge
"To win the championship on points difference would be something of a hollow victory," said Gatland.
"We have already achieved something in this campaign that can't be taken away from us with the Triple Crown, but we have an opportunity now to push on and do something a little bit special in front of our home crowd.
"We are confident, we have worked hard and if we continue in the same vein in which we started this campaign we believe we can come away with a deserved victory."
Wales have not beaten France at the Millennium Stadium since the inception of the Six Nations though, losing their last four championship encounters with Les Bleus in the Welsh capital.
"Winning the match against Wales is the most important thing, then we will see what happens," said hooker Dimitri Szarzewski, who played for France in their last Millennium Stadium match, the 20-18 World Cup quarter-final win over New Zealand.
"But we can't make any mistakes if that is going to happen. We will have to see how the match develops and if there is the possibility of winning by 20 points, all the better.
"We are pleased with where we are compared to the start of the tournament.
"But now we need to make an even bigger step up against the Welsh. There is going to be a lot of intensity, having seen the importance of this match."
Amongst the sub-plots on Saturday, Wales lock Ian Gough will be winning his 50th cap, and he will be joined on that milestone by Duncan Jones if the prop comes off the bench.
Wing Shane Williams - tied with Vincent Clerc as the tournament's leading try-scorer with five - will be looking to add to his 40 Wales tries to move clear of Gareth Thomas as his country's all-time leading try-scorer.
But the focus of the entire country will be on Wales' attempt to secure their 10th Grand Slam, 100 years after they won their first.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Wales: Lee Byrne (Ospreys); Mark Jones (Llanelli Scarlets), Tom Shanklin (Cardiff Blues), Gavin Henson (Ospreys), Shane Williams (Ospreys); James Hook (Ospreys), Mike Phillips (Ospreys); Gethin Jenkins (Cardiff Blues), Huw Bennett (Ospreys), Adam Jones (Ospreys), Ian Gough (Ospreys), Alun Wyn Jones (Ospreys), Jonathan Thomas (Ospreys), Martyn Williams (Cardiff Blues), Ryan Jones (Ospreys, capt).
Replacements: Duncan Jones (Ospreys), Matthew Rees (Llanelli Scarlets), Ian Evans (Ospreys), Gareth Delve (Gloucester), Dwayne Peel (Llanelli Scarlets), Stephen Jones (Llanelli Scarlets), Sonny Parker (Ospreys).
France: Anthony Floch (Clermont); Vincent Clerc (Toulouse), Yannick Jauzion (Toulouse), Damien Traille (Biarritz), Julien Malzieu (Clermont); David Skrela (Stade Français), Jean-Baptiste Elissalde (Toulouse); Fabien Barcella (Auch), Dimitri Szarzewski (Stade Français), Nicolas Mas (Perpignan), Lionel Nallet (Castres, capt), Jerome Thion (Biarritz), Thierry Dusautoir (Toulouse), Fulgence Ouedraogo (Montpellier), Julien Bonnaire (Clermont).
Replacements: William Servat Toulouse), Jean-Baptiste Poux (Toulouse), Arnaud Mela (Albi), Elvis Vermeulen (Clermont), Dimitri Yachvili (Biarritz), Francois Trinh-Duc (Montpellier), Cedric Heymans (Toulouse).
Referee: Marius Jonker (South Africa)
Wales v France
Date: Saturday, 15 March
Kick-off: 1700 GMT
Venue: Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
BBC Coverage: Live on BBC One, BBC Sport website (UK users only), Radio Wales and Radio Cymru
Date: Saturday, 15 March
Kick-off: 1700 GMT
Venue: Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
BBC Coverage: Live on BBC One, BBC Sport website (UK users only), Radio Wales and Radio Cymru
Wales need only stop France winning by more than 19 points to claim the Six Nations title, but all thoughts are on a home win and Grand Slam in Cardiff.
Coach Warren Gatland has transformed Wales since their World Cup nightmare so that they start as favourites.
His selection tinkering has continued, James Hook in for Stephen Jones at 10.
France have strengthened with six changes and could yet steal the title, dashing Welsh dreams under the closed roof of the Millennium Stadium.
Jean-Baptiste Elissalde and David Skrela provide extra direction at half-back, Julien Bonnaire and Thierry Dusautoir beef up the pack, while Vincent Clerc and Damien Traille return to a backline that has the panache to pile on the points.
Should France win by exactly 19 points the title will be decided on try count.
Both teams are currently on 11 tries, and if that remains equal the championship could be shared.
But Wales are bursting with confidence after securing the Triple Crown in Dublin, and are eager to claim their second Grand Slam in four years.
Gatland has enjoyed a remarkable first season in charge
"To win the championship on points difference would be something of a hollow victory," said Gatland.
"We have already achieved something in this campaign that can't be taken away from us with the Triple Crown, but we have an opportunity now to push on and do something a little bit special in front of our home crowd.
"We are confident, we have worked hard and if we continue in the same vein in which we started this campaign we believe we can come away with a deserved victory."
Wales have not beaten France at the Millennium Stadium since the inception of the Six Nations though, losing their last four championship encounters with Les Bleus in the Welsh capital.
"Winning the match against Wales is the most important thing, then we will see what happens," said hooker Dimitri Szarzewski, who played for France in their last Millennium Stadium match, the 20-18 World Cup quarter-final win over New Zealand.
"But we can't make any mistakes if that is going to happen. We will have to see how the match develops and if there is the possibility of winning by 20 points, all the better.
"We are pleased with where we are compared to the start of the tournament.
"But now we need to make an even bigger step up against the Welsh. There is going to be a lot of intensity, having seen the importance of this match."
Amongst the sub-plots on Saturday, Wales lock Ian Gough will be winning his 50th cap, and he will be joined on that milestone by Duncan Jones if the prop comes off the bench.
Wing Shane Williams - tied with Vincent Clerc as the tournament's leading try-scorer with five - will be looking to add to his 40 Wales tries to move clear of Gareth Thomas as his country's all-time leading try-scorer.
But the focus of the entire country will be on Wales' attempt to secure their 10th Grand Slam, 100 years after they won their first.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Wales: Lee Byrne (Ospreys); Mark Jones (Llanelli Scarlets), Tom Shanklin (Cardiff Blues), Gavin Henson (Ospreys), Shane Williams (Ospreys); James Hook (Ospreys), Mike Phillips (Ospreys); Gethin Jenkins (Cardiff Blues), Huw Bennett (Ospreys), Adam Jones (Ospreys), Ian Gough (Ospreys), Alun Wyn Jones (Ospreys), Jonathan Thomas (Ospreys), Martyn Williams (Cardiff Blues), Ryan Jones (Ospreys, capt).
Replacements: Duncan Jones (Ospreys), Matthew Rees (Llanelli Scarlets), Ian Evans (Ospreys), Gareth Delve (Gloucester), Dwayne Peel (Llanelli Scarlets), Stephen Jones (Llanelli Scarlets), Sonny Parker (Ospreys).
France: Anthony Floch (Clermont); Vincent Clerc (Toulouse), Yannick Jauzion (Toulouse), Damien Traille (Biarritz), Julien Malzieu (Clermont); David Skrela (Stade Français), Jean-Baptiste Elissalde (Toulouse); Fabien Barcella (Auch), Dimitri Szarzewski (Stade Français), Nicolas Mas (Perpignan), Lionel Nallet (Castres, capt), Jerome Thion (Biarritz), Thierry Dusautoir (Toulouse), Fulgence Ouedraogo (Montpellier), Julien Bonnaire (Clermont).
Replacements: William Servat Toulouse), Jean-Baptiste Poux (Toulouse), Arnaud Mela (Albi), Elvis Vermeulen (Clermont), Dimitri Yachvili (Biarritz), Francois Trinh-Duc (Montpellier), Cedric Heymans (Toulouse).
Referee: Marius Jonker (South Africa)
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