I’m sure we all claim to be the best one 
its part of what makes the six nations so great. Old rivalries where the only violence is on the pitch.
1 Like
I don’t support Yr Alban, just live here. But, fair play, llongyfarchiadau, yn dda iawn to them! Just hope they don’t do as well against us! (Not least because I live here and do not want to be told, “never mind, dear!”)
There already is a second tier European rugby tournament that Georgia have won 8 times in the last 9 years (Romanian won the other).
I think it’s a good call for a home and away fixture against the team that wins that tournament (not automatically Georgia). I would be very surprised if they win an aggregated result in the next 10 years. Italy are still much better.
Maybe, but proof is good! It’s easy to get over confident! I remember when a chap of about 20 was told, “Of course you’re too young to remember the last time England won!” (against Wales) We all laughed, but it was pretty close to true! Everything changes!
I agree. It’ll improve both teams. Look at the difference a year has made to Scotland. They’re finally delivering on their promising Autumn. I really worry for Wales this year. France and Scotland away and an almost embarrassed England next weekend. England will come out firing. Wales always rise to that game. Will be a great match!
The term ‘heart in mouth’ comes to mind! Mind, I remember 1969!
But first we must prove we can still beat Yr Eidal!
80% ball, no points! Grrr! Yr Eidal look more dangerous when they get the ball! Dw I ddim yn hapus!
Saw that coming! Yr Eidal 7 Cymru 0
I honestly think Italy better team so far. OK penalty 7- 3. Personally I count penalties as desperation points!
Half time we’re lucky it’s not 14-3! Wake up Boys!
7-6 depressing score. Another despirate penalty. Wales should score TRIES!
Much waving of plastic cennin Pedr. 7-12 but Wales are not playing well!
o’r diwedd 57mins+ a decent run! I don’t care if it eventually leads to points, it’s the manner of play that matters! Oh and I shouldn’t have time to type all this between interesting bits!
7-17! Mwy os gwelwch yn dda 7-19!
Dw i’n hapus! Mae Cymru yn ol! Defend by attack, score try, convert! My country lives again! 7-26!
OK 7-33 Da iawn Cymru! Ond, and it is a big BUT against any other team in 6 nations we can’t afford to wait 57 or so minutes to wake up! By then, we’ll be facing 4 tries and a bonus point! I hope they have learned from this!
For the record: All Welsh 6 Nations teams won their first match against Italy’s selections. So we made it good for now. Next weekend - another round, another game, another teams to try to beat them … 6 Nations have just begun.
That is the whole point, @tatjana! Playing any I saw on Saturday, except perhaps Lloegr, we’d have been demolished by half time! We were very lucky to have drawn Italy in the first week!
1 Like
For someone with very little interest in Rugby (notice the capital R) but who happens to live in the Gwendraeth Valley, this was very interesting. I did know he was from the area. In fact my children went to the same secondary school as he did.
2 Likes
This list of terms is the one I have on my Welsh board at work now.
advantage: mantais
attack: ymosodiad
back row: rheng ôl
ball: pêl
blind side:ochr dywyll (Literally “dark side” which is rather brill!)
blood replacement: eilydd gwaed
breakdown: ardal y gwrthdaro (Literally “conflict area” – also rather brill)
charge down: taro i lawr
commit a foul: cyflawni trosedd
conversion: trosiad
convert: trosi
dead ball line: llinell gwsg (“cwsg” is “sleep” – like this translation too!)
defend: amddiffyn
diving in:plymio i mewn
drop goal: gôl adlam
final whistle: chwiban olaf
flanker:blaenasgellwr
outside-half: maswr
forward: blaenwr
forward pass: pàs ymlaen
good hands:dwylo da
ground(the ball): tirio
hooker:bachwr
in touch: dros yr ystlys
kick-off: cic gychwyn
knock on: taro ymlaen
linesman/touch judge: llumanwr
loosehead prop: prop pen rhydd
maul: sgarmes
penalty: cosb
player: chwaraewr
possession: meddiant
red card: cerdyn coch
referee:dyfarnwr
scrum:sgrym
sin-bin:cell gosb
squad:carfan
steal the ball:dwyn y bêl
to tackle:taclo
touch rugby: rygbi bach
try: cais
try line: llinell gais
Also with a few aspirational bits of promo-ing the iaith!
(In translation it would read “The Welsh language is like a rugby ball - you must pass it to others to secure victory!”
4 Likes
Does it help if I absolutely promise you a certain amount of eyeballing goes on from us women watching the men???
2 Likes
You might need to add:
Iesu Grist bach dim eto.
Methu credu bod nhw’n dal i wneud yr un peth.
O, faint o weithiau, reff?
O, ia, crash ball yn y canol, creadigol iawn.
Dyro fo i SHhhh… o damia.
3 Likes
Very useful, thanks, although I don’t know what half of them mean in English…
I’m currently working on a picture version of the Welsh National Anthem, so I can sing along on Saturday 
. Hope to get the video uploaded to Youtube in time for this weekend. This won’t be dissimilar to Ben Smith’s ‘How to sing the Welsh National Anthem’ , although that shows the pictures too quickly for me and doesn’t show the Welsh. The good thing is that the act of creating the video has helped me learn the WNA 
1 Like
I had a peculiar experience in 1987 in Swansea. I was in hotel restaurant and that canned background music was playing. Suddenly Mae Hen Wlad came on and I automatically stood up, mouth open ready to sing. Then I realised where I was. I was not willing to sit, so stayed standing, but not singing. When it finished, the Head Waiter came and apologised for a tape using the National Anthem as background to meals! He promised never again, but I am still shocked that it ever happened!
1 Like
There was a program about women’s rugby on BBC Wales, which I watched, @tatjana, whether it will grab me, I don’t know, but I decided to at least give it a chance and will watch it tomorrow morning! Then Italy v Ireland followed by the nail biting encounter in what I am now supposed to call the Principality Stadium!
I watched some Welsh women rugby games in the past and I was happy to see them playing although the game isn’t so entertaining (more regarding audience then game) as male rugby is but they’re improoving and I’m happy Welsh Rugby Union, (after first announcing 2 years ago by European Rugby Union that they’d terminate 6 Nations for women teams and our protest on twitter against doing that) gives women’s rugby much more attention, publicity and continue to enable them playing. The “girls” are enthusiastic and good enough to deserve the real competition like 6 Nations are so yes, watch the games and support them that way if only by wtching them on TV. I don’t watch every game either but when I have some time and the game is on, I’m there, peering in (as these games usually are intrnationally enabled to be watched) and watch them play.
1 Like
You can call it whatever you like. most people still say ‘Millenium Stadium’, there ares till a few who call it the ‘Arm Park’ and everyone else says “Principality” stadium with heavy quote marks.
I will. I am ok now about the possibility of being attracted to the ladies as that is part of supporting the gentleman’s game for ladies.
1 Like
I admit that, at work in London, in one lab I was in, the men started seriously asking if there were any Welsh girls who hadn’t been out with at least one member of the Welsh team! This was based on a sample size of 2!!! But I can’t say we never noticed the looks of the guys! However, I met the one I went out with in a different setting!
Now suffering the females 0 v English 19!
I give up! England good. Wales lost! Someone coach the poor girls!
English women’s rugby has been so far in front of the rest of the six nations for a while. One year they fielded mostly their second team and still won. But then again, the RFU is worth over £150 million a year. To put that into perspective, that’s the same as New Zealand, Australia and South Africa’s unions combined. Based on finances alone, England should be ranked first in the world consistently.
Fortunately, rugby has other ideas.
It clearly makes a difference having the funds to run a full time team. (The occasional Iceland notwithstanding!).
But I cannot tell a lie, the English ladies’ passing was just lovely.
1 Like