FLASHBACK

2008 REVIEW

from Lee Byrne and Mike Phillips had propelled Wales to a 26-19 victory. Skipper Ryan Jones rallied his pack after the interval and they ended the game camped on the English line and in no danger of throwing away an historic victory. “I can’t think of the words. It’s the most fantastic day of my career. I’m so proud and after the effort of the last two weeks we thoroughly deserve it,” he said afterwards.

With the confidence from that win, Wales went on to record comfortable wins over both Scotland and Italy in Cardiff, without having to really get into top gear in either contest.

A tougher prospect was the trip to Croke Park where victory would earn Gatland’s men in Red a Triple Crown. Again, the visitors were superb and Williams’ typically brilliant finish wide out proved the only time either side crossed the whitewash in a hard-fought 16-12 victory.

That left just France to come to Cardiff. It was possible that Wales could lose and still win the Six Nations trophy but as the whole of the Principality built itself up for the 5pm kick-off, it was clear only a win and a Grand Slam would be acceptable.

The new steel that Kiwi Gatland and England’s Edwards have injected into the Welsh side was clearly evident as they soaked up everything the French threw at them and took their penalty chances when presented. Even the sin-binning of Gavin Henson – who has never been on the losing side in his ten Six Nations fixtures – did not deter them and second-half tries from not only the inevitable Shane Williams but also his namesake Martyn meant the celebrations could begin.

Managing to lose that first game seemed to throw England for the whole of the tournament and their form was

MARKSMEN

TOP POINT SCORERS

POINTS NAME

PLD TEAM

50

Jonny Wilkinson

5 England

48

Ronan O’Gara

5 Ireland

44

Stephen Jones

4 Wales James Hook

5 Wales

mystifyingly inconsistent. They nearly slipped on a banana in Rome, winning by just four points in the end as Italy came agonisingly close to what would have been their biggest ever rugby scalp, but bounced back under floodlights to beat France in the Stade de France for the second time in six months (following the famous World Cup semi-final victory there). Jonny Wilkinson controlled his forwards superbly in Paris but a week later his game fell apart in the driving rain at Murrayfield as Scotland triumphed 15-9 in the Calcutta Cup clash. Danny Cipriani, the new prince of English Rugby, was unable to come off the bench for the under-performing Wilkinson as he’d been axed from the squad after being spotted leaving a London night club just 48 hours before the game.

It was the Scots’ only win in an otherwise disappointing campaign where just three points divided Italy and themselves for the Wooden Spoon. Expectations were high after Frank Hadden’s squad had narrowly lost to an impressive Argentina in the quarter-finals of the World Cup but heavy defeats to Wales, France and an out of sorts Ireland, before defeat in Rome, �

Below The only highlight of a disappointing season for

Scotland was a Calcutta Cup win over England at

Murrayfield

CLASSIC SPORTS SERIES / 125