No need to ‘Beware the ides of March’ as good omens prevail

Mar 17 2008 by Paul Rowland, Western Mail

Wales had no reason to ‘Beware the Ides of March’ the day they took the Grand Slam. The omens that this would be a special Six Nations had been there throughout, says Carolyn Hitt

The Twickers Turnaround: Healing 30 years of hurt at HQ began with Huw Bennett’s arm. When he burrowed under Paul Sackey to prevent the English flyer grounding a 38th minute try, Wales went into the break with belief intact. Not that anyone else gave them a hope. “The floodgates will open,” predicted Jake White, to the purring approval of English pundits. But in the end it was England who drowned in the waves of Welsh attack.

Off-pitch highlight: Adam Jones’s Mam June conducting Hymns & Arias under the Twickenham stand.

Super Subs See Off Scotland: Wales had played all the fancy stuff but Scotland were still in pursuit thanks to Chris Paterson’s metronomic boot. Warren the Bold turned Warren the Ruthless showing his mastery of the tactical substitution. He yanked off his half-backs and sent the Scarlet cavalry in to steady the beat of the Welsh game, leaving Shane to show his circus skills with an audacious acrobatic score in the corner.

Off-pitch highlight: Gatland switches dressing rooms and lets the kiddies of Wales decorate it with their paintings. Scoreboard also uses artistic licence, flashing up Wales 230 Scotland 15.

An Italian Job Well Done: A lineout overthrow allowed Azzurri prop Martin Castrogiovanni the rarest of privileges – the second and final try against Wales in the 2008 Six Nations. Tom Shanklin’s interception sparked a second half score-fest for the home team, obeying Gatland’s call to pump up the points difference. And Lee Byrne-d brightly for Wales at fullback, continuing his role as the revelation of the tournament.

Off-pitch highlight: Italian fans go on tour as never before, embracing the daftest aspects of Six Nations culture with style – 30 Casanovas strut down Queen Street.

Making Ireland Green With Envy: Payback time for the coach Ireland rejected. Although at pains to stress this was not a grudge match, Gatland won the mind games on the field. Eddie O’Sullivan admitted as much when he said he didn’t want Ireland drawn into the “landscape” Wales would create. With such limitations imposed on his men, no wonder they could offer little in the face of Wales’ multi-faceted approach. An heroic 20 minutes with 14 men also showed Wales are as strong in mind as body.

Off-pitch highlight: Seeing a delighted Roger Lewis blowing kisses through the window of Dublin’s Shelbourne Hotel.

Grand Slam-tastic: How appropriate that the tries belonged to the Williams boys. Shane took himself into the record books and Wales to the title with his crucial 60th minute score after sparkling for the last seven weeks. And thank the Lord Martyn Williams took an encore this Six Nations. As for the match itself, never in doubt was it?

Off pitch highlight: The spirit of Grav in the poignant form of his mascot daughters Manon and Gwenan and an inspirational atmosphere that owes much to the values he embodied.

And one slightly embarrassing Six Nations moment… Shane, I’m sorry I grabbed you for an over-exuberant cwtch outside the Hilton Hotel gents on Saturday night. Just wanted to express my gratitude on behalf of the nation!