Grand Slam glory no one had predicted

Mar 16 2008 by Barry John, Wales On Sunday

HANDS up – who predicted this as we all set out for Twickenham?

Who on that February trip guessed Grand Slam? Because surely this would have been just beyond all of our wildest imaginations just six weeks ago.

We went to face England with no great confidence, a coach who had equally little time to find his feet and simply hopes of improved displays and more responsible performances than we got in the South of France and the World Cup.

The public understood not too ask for too much, yet we were given more than we could ever dream of.

Did this just happen?

Are we dreaming as we wake to find Wales as Grand Slam champions?

Or was the World Cup and that Fiji game campaign the figment of our imagination? Unbelievable as it may seem, this is all very much real and even if the headless chickens performances seem like a distant memory, they were still just six months ago.

Questions will be asked, like how those same players can be transformed into powerful winners, a group of men that can take the hits on the chin but stay standing, stay strong and finish the greater.

But those questions are for another day – moments like these must be savoured.

To be perfectly honest, there was a point where I thought this was a game too far.

For their strong start, Wales seemed heavy legged and soon the confidence grew in Les Bleus.

Our nerves and anxiety could have been eased had Mark Jones given a little pop pass to hand us the most glorious and perfect of starts.

We had seen bursts of skill and ability but nothing prolonged to give us the decisive moment we needed.

Yet how these players responded in the final quarter was testament to their character, a sign of their self-belief and credit to their mental toughness and resolve.

This France team may not have looked as strong as some of the formidable sides in their history, but they were still a team loaded with experience and talent.

For the victory to be ultimately so comfortable was amazing.

And it had to be the darling of Welsh rugby to put us on that road to dreamland with the oh-so-significant score.

For me, Shane Williams was having a quiet time by his own superb standards.

But if ever there was a player who has perfected the talent of being in the right place at the right time it is him.

He is due the credit too because to control that second kick looked a lot easier than it would have been – it takes a lot of doing and I can only remember two men, JJ Williams and Gerald Davies, who ever truly mastered that art.

Isn’t it fitting, then, that as Shane took his place as Wales’ record try scorer, he looked so similar to the great wingers that have gone before him.

He is a candidate for man of the tournament, yet I can’t help but wonder how many Welshmen would make a Six Nations select side.

You could make a case for each and every one of them.

Start at the back with Lee Byrne, who has probably been the find of the tournament. His game has consistently been of the highest level and his reading of play and his courage under the high ball – some on his own kicks – can’t be questioned.

Then we have the perfect pair of Gavin Henson and Tom Shanklin, not to mention Martyn Williams who leaves me tired just watching him, such is his effort, and certainly deserving of the tournament’s final try.

Then we have found ourselves a great leader in Ryan Jones, once again at the forefront of everything in our performance, and someone we can all look forward to many more good days under.

But the discipline of defence – instilled so vigorously and successfully by Shaun Edwards – showed across the team rather than in individuals.

And it is the team that conceded only two tries in this tournament thanks to being so fantastically organised and amazingly hard-working.

As a team they won this Grand Slam, as a team they deserve their praise – and as a nation we thank you.

You’ve made us proud once more.