Welcome back Wales!

Shane Williams en route to try number 53.
Photo source: BBC

Great to see Wales finally get back into winning ways after an eight game drought against New Zealand (three games), South Africa (two games), Australia, Fiji (draw) and England. Equally good to see Shane Williams cross the tryline twice -- bringing his tally to a whopping 53 tries in the Wales jersey.

What should have been asked on Question Time last night.

   
Following the disappointment which was the Question Time broadcast from Cardiff last night - without a single question put about the situation in Wales - the Druid has been pondering what questions should have been asked to a panel of Welsh politicians. Here are his suggestions:

• Is Peter Hain correct to say Wales is a "wealthy country"? And is Rwanda the right country to be benchmarking ourselves against?
• Why is it that despite spending more money per head on economic development than any other region in the UK, Wales still remains at or near the bottom of economic health indicators such as GVA, unemployment and business failures?
• Wales used to be known as a nation of farmers. Why is it that the contribution of agriculture to the Welsh economy has declined by 68% over the past ten years compared to just a 7% decline elsewhere in the UK?
• Is Plaid Cymru's election pledge to increase the state pension by 30% credible in the current economic climate - or is it just electioneering?
• With even the Department of Energy and Climate Change predicting energy blackouts by 2015, should the Government have begun replacing Britain's ageing power stations, including the Wylfa reactor, earlier? 
• Does the fact that the Welsh Assembly has announced yet another 'Economic Renewal Programme" with another round of consultations with businesses mean that all the billions spent to date have been wasted?
• Is the deepest recession in 60 years the right time for the Welsh Assembly to spend time debating a referendum for more powers?

And finally, to replace the ridiculous John Terry question we had last night, I would suggest this alternative:

• Was the Welsh Rugby Union right to drop Andy Powell from the squad for his antics after the Scotland match?

If you have any other suggestions for questions, the Druid would love to hear them...

   

The sporting highlight of the year: Wales v England

     

Bill McLaren: gone but not forgotten (och I tell 'ya!)

This year's Six Nations Tournament kicks off on Saturday bringing with it, in the opinion of your humble Druid, one of the greatest sporting set pieces: the Wales v England game.

The Druid was fortunate enough to have been in Twickenham two years ago to watch Warren Gatland's Ospreys-dominated Wales team come back from 16-6 down at half time to a resounding 19-26 win by the full time whistle. He still relishes how the noisy jubilation of the England fans during the first half turned into at first a shocked silence and finally despair as Mike Phillips scored the match-clinching try in the corner closest to the Druid's seat.

Unfortunately Wales will be without Phillips' services this year due to injury - as is Wales's first choice hooker, Matthew Rees. The Blues' Gareth Williams will replace him - but standing just 5'6" tall short could make the scrummage easier for England plus he will have to be standing on his toes to throw in over England's 6'8" Simon Shaw! Mike Phillips himself will be replaced by another Blues player, Gareth Cooper - who hasn't been playing regularly for his first XV.

Its great news that Fullback Lee Byrne has had his two week ban overturned - allowing James Hook to move into the centre to partner the mighty Jamie Roberts. Last year in Cardiff  England open-side flanker Joe Worsely man-marked Roberts out of the match - a feat no doubt Riki Flutey will try to emulate this year. Accordingly the Druid hopes that Hook and Roberts will mix it up enough in the centre to confuse England's defence and create opportunities for Tom James and the incomparable Shane Williams.

The result? In the Druid's opinion Wales comfortably have the edge on England with its props, its No. 8, the centre partnership, its wingers and full-back (though the Druid hopes that with the formation of the bizarrely named RGC1404 we will also soon see some North Wales players lining up in the national squad). England will have to rely on its front five with Lewis Moody trying to snuffle out the phases by collaring Wales's Martyn Williams at every opportunity. I reckon, with the Twickenham curse now behind us, 2010 should be Wales's year.

As for the whole tournament: the Druid read recently that Ireland won the Grand Slam last year with the least number of passes made by a Six Nations side; South Africa won the Tri-nations despite the whole side not passing as much as the New Zealand scrum-half - accordingly we could be in for some serious aerial bombardments this year - something the Scots have excelled at for 30 years. And what could be a more fitting tribute to Bill McLaren than a Scottish Six Nations tournament win in 2010?

As the maestro might have said: "that one's got snow on it"!  

UPDATE (Post Match): I hope Gatland makes Alun Wyn Jones walk back to Wales...