Wales v Ireland - Welsh Player RatingsOVERVIEW
Wales enter the second year of a new Millennium still heavily weighed down by the ghosts of the past.
Like some old family photograph, the glory days of the 70’s have long since faded away, but for today’s Welsh stars the memories of JPR Williams, Gareth Edwards et al are a painful reminder of the standards they have failed to reach in over a quarter a century of trying.
Countless numbers of false dawns have come and gone since those heady days and the Welsh now find themselves cast as also-rans in the world game, with victories over a Southern Hemisphere becomingly increasingly rare.
Even the ‘great redeemer’ himself, New Zealander Graham Henry has struggled to find a consistently winning formula, chopping and changing his team without any noticeable upturn in fortunes.
However to write Wales off as a hopeless case would be foolish in the extreme. While the physical demands of the modern game may prevent the Welsh from ever dominating the game as they once did, the principality remains a real hotbed of rugby, with enough raw talent to fashion a side capable of consistently challenging the big guns.
Old stagers Rob Howley, Neil Jenkins and Scott Quinnell may be nearing the twilight of their careers, but they still possess enough craft and nous to help shape a reasonable challenge this time around.
And with the likes of Shane Williams, Scott Gibbs and Allan Bateman in the backs, the Welsh Dragon has the firepower to score from anywhere on the park.
Everything will depend on Wales’ first match – at home to none other than Clive Woodward’s England.
One of the most galling aspects for Welsh fans has been the rise and rise of England during the period their own team has declined.
The great enemy has rode roughshod over the Welsh for many a year now, with only the occasional blow – witness the famous 32-31 triumph at Wembley – being struck in retaliation.
A win at the Millennium Stadium would do wonders for Welsh confidence and could inspire the team onto unimagined heights during the rest of the campaign.
Defeat would only bring despair and yet another round of soul-searching in the valleys.
Whatever the outcome, this momentous clash is likely to set the tournament off in explosive fashion and set the tone for the weeks ahead.