Outcry at Eisteddfod proposal

A piece for the Cardiff Evening News proving the impact of large events needs to be carefully considered:

EISTEDDFOD organisers have called on an expected 160,000 visitors to make this year’s event in Cardiff a “green” festival. But there are concerns about plans to charge for a temporary park and ride scheme.

Wales's top arts event will be staged in the capital in August, giving the city a £6.4m tourism boost and turning parkland into a huge entertainment extravaganza, the size of 14 football pitches.

But local residents are upset by the park and ride charge which, they say, will once again cause traffic chaos in Pontcanna and Riverside.

The area suffers from a huge influx of cars during large events at Ninian Park, Sophia Gardens and the Millennium Stadium as visitors seek to avoid paying for parking by taking residents’ spaces or parking illegally.

Margaret Rutter, 77, of Rennie Street, Riverside, is one of many locals who are calling for a public meeting to discuss the problem. She said: “When there is an event on, or a match, we are scared to go out as you cannot get back. Your space will be gone.”

Eisteddfod chief executive Elfed Roberts said: "We are expecting 160,000 visitors over the week and they can all help Cardiff's environment by thinking about their choice of transport. We would like to encourage them where possible to leave their cars at home or to use the park and ride services."

The Eisteddfod organisers are well versed in the art of liaising with local councils to provide park and ride schemes. In Llanelli (2000), Newport (2004) and Swansea (2006) such schemes were present and well used. They were also free.

This year Cardiff County Council are proposing to charge £5 for use of a park and ride scheme in Leckwith.

Alan Gwynant, technical director for the Eisteddfod said: “We had discussions with the transportation officers of the council and they are extremely experienced. They are running the park and ride, not the Eisteddfod.

“The primary message we will be putting out is don’t use your car. Every ticket has a leaflet sent out with it inviting people to pre-book the park and ride.

“Where there is an easy and efficient service people will take it. The service at previous events has been free but that was the decision of the relevant council.

“We have been told that extra enforcement officers are provided for large events so this should ease potential traffic problems around the event.”

Steven Phillips, corporate director for Cardiff County Council revealed otherwise at a recent PACT meeting in Riverside.

Speaking at the meeting, he said: “The reason people are parking [illegally] is because the enforcement of parking is non-existent. The problem is we have less than 40 traffic wardens in the city. The reality is that the police are spending their time on more serious matters.”

Mrs Rutter said: “We all know in Riverside if you park up after 3pm or 4pm you are not going to get in trouble.”

Plaid councillor for Riverside, Mohammed Islam, is trying to arrange a residents’ meeting with council and Eisteddfod officials for later this month.

Fellow Plaid councillor Gwenllian Lansdown said: “Parking is a serious issue in Riverside and there are genuine concerns that if the council insists on charging for the park and ride that not as many people will use it than if it were free.”

Mr Gwynant said: “We have offered at any time to meet anybody to talk about the matter but have not heard.”

Council press officer Claudia Hamilton said: “The £5 Park and Ride charge has been agreed with The National Eisteddfod of Wales. Anything less than £5 would not cover the running costs and that would then fall to the taxpayer.

“The £5 per car charge includes free unlimited bus travel to and from the Eisteddfod site and city centre throughout the day and into the evening.

“We are looking to provide a service from the central bus and rail stations to the event, but nothing has been finalised yet. We would encourage people to come by train and bus wherever possible.”

Work will start in May to prepare the site off Cathedral Road which will include a 550-caravan park, a 3,500-seat pavilion and more than 320 stalls.

Parking charges in Cardiff:

- On the university campus off North Road: £3 for 10 hours.
- Sophia Gardens: £5 for up to 6 hours, £7 for more than 6 hours.
- North Road car park: £3.50 afternoon only, £5 all day.
- Council’s shoppers’ park and ride scheme from the Bay and Crown Way: £3
- Eisteddfod park and ride: £5

Blues are more than a team

DAI YOUNG is building more than a team at the Blues and has put faith in his squad and youngster Rhys Jones for their must-win Magners league clash against Munster.

Outside-half Jones is set to start his first match for the Blues since signing on-loan from Sale Sharks in December last year and will be joined by several players more used to starting on the bench than the pitch.

A win against Munster would put the Blues in at least third place ahead of their trip to Stradey Park on March 21 for what could be a pivotal game against the second-placed Scarlets. If the Scarlets slip up away to Ulster the Blues would go second.

But Young is conscious it is as a result of his squad that the Blues are still competing for both the Magners league title and the Heineken Cup.

“It’s always my philosophy as a coach to build a squad not just a team,” said Young. “The squad has put us in this position challenging for things so it’s important we recognise that.”

Abergavenny-born Jones, 20, has featured for Wales at under-18, 19 and 20 level and it was as part of the under-19 squad that he first worked with Young.

Young, now the Blues’s Director of Rugby, said: “He is creative and has got a lot of talent. He’s a great kid with a great attitude. It has always been my intention to get him some game time and have a real look at him.

“The changes [to the team] are more of a reflection that we go through the rest of the season with players that have played rugby.”

Richie Rees comes in at scrum-half in place of Jason Spice, Jamie Robinson returns at centre alongside Gareth Thomas and in the scrum, T Rhys Thomas and Gary Powell get the chance to join John Yapp from the off.

All eyes will be on Rhys Jones’s debut at outside-half bar those of Warren Gatland, who will be carefully monitoring three returning Welsh internationals, Deiniol Jones, Robin Sowden-Taylor and Jamie Roberts.

Tal Selley is back from international duty with the Welsh sevens's squad and lines up on the wing.

Munster welcome back senior internationals of their own in the form of Paul O'Connell, Alan Quinlan, Tony Buckley and Peter Stringer.

With seven games left to play in the Magners League, the Blues remain in the running for the title. They lie fourth in the table, level on points with third-placed Munster, and two points behind the Scarlets.

They trail the leaders, Leinster, by eight points after losing to them 24-17 in Ireland earlier this month.

“I said to the players after the game we couldn’t say we played poorly and there’s far more positives came out of the game than negatives,” said Young. “In saying that we were all hugely disappointed that we didn’t come away with the result,” he added.

“To make no bones about it we were the better team. We were the team that tried to play the rugby and on occasions we probably tried to play too much rugby. Mistakes let them back into it.”

Young admitted the Blues need a favour from elsewhere to halt Leinster’s run-in to the title, but it is in the Welsh side’s own hands to overhaul both Munster and the Scarlets; starting on Saturday, St David’s Day.

Cardiff Blues: 15 Ben Blair, 14 Tal Selley, 13 Jamie Robinson, 12 Gareth Thomas, 11 Jamie Roberts, 10 Rhys Jones, 9 Richie Rees, 1 John Yapp, 2 T Rhys Thomas 3 Gary Powell, 4 Deiniol Jones, 5 Paul Tito, 6 Mamma Molitika, 7 Robin Sowden-Taylor, 8 Xavier Rush (c). Replacements: 16 Tauf’ao Filise, 17 Gareth Williams, 18 Scott Morgan, 19 Ben White, 20 Jason Spice, 21 Nick Macleod, 22 Dafydd Hewitt.

23 Sweet FAs outsells Rooney

Today I was asked how my book was doing. Good question. A swift glance at Amazon revealed the following:

"23 Sweet FAs" by Andy Sloan - Amazon Sales Rank: 31,263 in Books
"My Story" by Wayne Rooney - Amazon Sales Rank: 100,871 in Books
"My Defence" by Ashley Cole - Amazon Sales Rank: 173,729 in Books
"Captain Marvel" by John Terry - Amazon Sales Rank: 179,309 in Books

For those who may have missed any previous shameless marketing please see below a trailer I made about the book. It was a rather special year:



You can find out more on the website www.23sweetFAs.com.
Even better, should you want to pick up a copy please click HERE.

Wales v Italy - Talk turns to action

The war of words between Warren Gatland and Italian coach Nick Mallett is almost over. Now it is time for the players to take the talk onto the pitch.

Wales run out against Italy at the Millennium Stadium tomorrow safe in the knowledge the wooden spoon has already been avoided and with the possibility of planting another marker in the sand under Gatland.

But the Italians are no longer the pushovers they once were. They boast a pack which is arguably the strongest in the Six Nations, and Wales haven’t beaten them since their 38-8 Grand Slam rout in Rome in 2005. The last time the Azzurri came to Cardiff, in 2006, they held Wales to an 18-all draw.

England and Ireland will testify to the progress made by the Italians under former South African supremo Mallet who took charge of the Azzurri in October last year.

Italy pushed Ireland all the way in Dublin, losing 16-13, and gave Brian Ashton’s men a fright in Rome with a late charge. England held on to win by a whisker, 23-19.

Gatland has made six changes from the side that despatched Scotland a fortnight ago and the justification for his tinkering is a long-term view. A 2011 World Cup victory with Wales in his homeland of New Zealand is some prospect, but the Italians are not to be toyed with in the mean time.

Dwayne Peel and Stephen Jones are promoted to first choice half-backs, Tom Shanklin will win his 50th cap, Mark Jones is preferred to rookie Jamie Roberts on the wing and there’s an all new front row of Gethin Jenkins, Rhys Thomas and Matthew Rees.

Augmented by a rejuvenated Gavin Henson, the ever-present Martyn Williams and the footloose and frisky Shane Williams, Wales should have the experience and the creativity to win this time around. But the Welsh faithful would be well advised to trim their nails before kick-off.

Mallet has described Wales as the best attacking team in the championship behind France but will be looking both to draw them into a forward game while capitalising on Welsh mistakes such as those witnessed at Twickenham and the Millennium Stadium.

Gatland, though, has faith in his selection and has depth in his squad. Eyebrows were raised at the exclusion of tighthead prop Adam Jones in favour of the comparatively inexperienced Thomas but 55-times capped Jenkins is confident the all-new Welsh front row can handle everything the Italians throw at them.

This is some statement given the presence of Jenkin’s opposite number in the scrum, last year’s Guinness Premiership player of the season, Martin “the Tiger” Castrogiovanni, and proof of the confidence Gatland, a former All-Black hooker, is instilling in the side.

Mallett has opted to do some tinkering of his own although most of Italy’s changes are as a result of injury. David Bortolussi, Pablo Canavosio and Kayne Robertson are all out of action and front row Andrea Lo Cicero has been dropped to the bench, giving Salvatore Perugini the chance to lock horns with Thomas at loosehead prop.

Andrea Marcato will fill in at full-back for Bortolussi while Simon Picone, who crossed against England has been repaid with a starting berth at scrum-half in place of Pietro Travagli.

Alberto Sgarbi comes in on the wing for Robertson and Gloucester lock Marco Bortolami has made the bench, as he returns after missing the opening two games due to a neck injury.

Over the last five years Wales’ record against Italy is two wins a piece and a draw, 18-18 in the Millennium Stadium, the scene of tomorrow’s encounter.

Talk of the Triple Crown, the Championship or a Grand Slam decider against France are firmly on hold, at least until Englishman Dave Pearson blows his whistle 80 minutes after kick-off tomorrow.

George Evans - A lesson in longevity

When most people reach retirement they slip gracefully from work to the golf course or other relaxing pastimes. Not so George Evans.

The Cardiff Evening News caught up with an extraordinary athlete who, at the age of 73, after two knee replacements, has gone unbeaten for a season to help Cardiff A win the Welsh Veterans Team Table Tennis Title and has an eye on the 2010 World Veterans Championships in Mongolia, the only title he hasn’t won.


Mr Evans, of Heol Peare Tree, Rhoose Point, is no ordinary pensioner. The Barry-born Welshman has led a remarkable life of sporting excellence, representing Wales at football and table tennis, brushing shoulders with Kevin Keegan, and competing across the world and across the generations at the highest level.

And having won the Veterans British Nationals for the last three years his career shows no sign of ending anytime soon.

Mr Evans, a dock worker for most of his life, hit the sporting headlines winning a cap for Wales Under-18s against England at Fratton Park. They lost 3-1 but George, a fleet-footed winger, provided the cross for Wales’s only goal.

Trials at Everton followed before a professional career with Barry Town and Haverford-west. Evans earned £5-a-week with a £2 win bonus in the days when Barry played in the Southern League.

But it was as a master of the bat and ball that Mr Evans carved a name for himself. He had always played table tennis and juggled his footballing commitments to ensure he could fit in his fixtures.

In 1951, aged 15, he won the Welsh Junior Table Tennis Championships, kick-starting a career that has lasted more than half a century.

The Welsh weather played a part in his decision to get into the sport. “You are not affected by bad weather conditions,” he said. “I used to play tennis but you’d look out of the window and see the rain and you have to sit in the clubhouse for an afternoon.”

His proudest moment came at the age of 42 when most sportsmen have hung up their boots. It was 1979 and he became the first Welshman to win every game in his category at a World Championships.

The fact they were held in Pyongyang, in communist North Korea, in front of 20,000 fans only adds to the remarkable tales Evans can tell.

“It’s not a financially rewarding sport but you do travel,” said Evans, whose playing years have not been short of air miles.

His North Korean escapade launched him on a professional career in Germany with Lubeck and then Hamburg where he shared flights home to Britain with the then Hamburg footballer Kevin Keegan.


Mr Evans even robbed the Geordie legend of the back page of the Hamburg Bild when he signed for the club, proof of the extraordinary interest in table tennis on the continent.

Bundesliga table tennis teams were only allowed one foreign player and Lubeck signed George after his performance in North Korea. He said: “They had heard about my results and were expecting a 21-year-old. I had to whistle to them when I came off the plane. They weren’t expecting a 42-year-old.”

In the twilight of his life he has found renewed success. “In the last three years I have probably had the best results,” he said.

He won the 2005 European Veterans' Table Tennis Championships in Bratislava, reached the semi-final of the 2006 World Veterans' Championship in Bremen and the semi-finals of the 2007 Euros in Rotterdam. “I think I’m starting to outlive the opposition,” he said.

The next World Championships are in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, this year but Mr Evans is unable to attend due to family commitments. Twice married, with six children, such commitments are considerable. But he is not sad to miss out due to the risks attached to such a trip.

“We’ve been warned about violence and thefts,” he said. “I’ve been told your only chance is to wear only a thong. That way they can’t steal anything off you.”

His earthy humour stems from his time at Barry Docks, an unintended career but one which allowed him plenty of time to train. “It was a family thing, working as a coal trimmer, my father and grandfather before me. It was not something that I wanted to do,” said Mr Evans.

“I went to Barry Grammar School but I knew that working on the docks was great for playing sport. If there was no work you could get away and get in three rounds of golf.”

The 2007/2008 table tennis season has been one to remember for Evans, to the extent that he was relieved rather than excited to win the Welsh Veterans Team Table Tennis Championship earlier this month.

He said: “Last year I won almost every title so, winning the Welsh one, it was nice not to lose. A lot of people in Wales I have played so many times it is quite hard as they know you.”

Mr Evans and his teammates, two 50-something Cardiff residents, Steve Eades and Gareth Dommett, won the Veterans (Over-40s) title in dramatic fashion in the last match of the season.

The Championship is played over four different weekends and three teams finished level on points. Cardiff A took the title by virtue of winning more individual games than Amorfa A and Cardiff B. Evans’s season-long unbeaten run was a key factor.

Gareth Evans, from the Table Tennis Association of Wales of which George is now chairman, said: “It hasn’t been as close as that ever. It is the first time the Championship has been decided on points.”

He said: “If you speak to anybody in table tennis they will know George Evans. He has had two operations on his knees and he is still the best veteran in Wales. He’s a very competitive player at the table and a very nice man off it, but he plays to win.”

“I have played a lot of sport,” said George, reflecting on his lengthy career. “I was playing golf this morning; I can’t not be active. I deserve to have bad knees.”

Blues v Leinster - Preview

Cardiff Blues are back in Magners League action tomorrow with a top of the table tie against Leinster and have a prime opportunity to become joint leaders.

The Blues trail the Irish outfit by five points meaning a bonus-point victory in Dublin would see them draw level with Leinster although the home side’s superior scoring record would keep them top.

Leinster won 30-19 in the reverse fixture at the Arms Park and the Blues are looking to avenge it. Young said: “Naturally we were all disappointed with the result and the performance against Leinster in September. It was a scrappy match and our errors cost us heavily. We will have to improve on that kind of performance if we are to get anything out in Ireland.”

Buoyed by the mid-week appointment of Blues Director of Rugby Dai Young as Barbarians coach and the return of Tom James, Robin Sowden-Taylor and new cap Jamie Roberts, the Blues are also seeking to banish the ghosts of their last Magners League outing.

The 11-10 defeat to Edinburgh at the Arms Park in January rankled manager and fans alike but was followed by two sterling Heineken Cup victories against Harlequins 23-12 and away at Bristol 17-0.

Young was delighted at Gatland’s decision to release James, Sowden-Taylor and Roberts to help his cause and give them valuable game time. “It is fantastic to have them back as we try to rediscover the form of the Heineken Cup,” he said.

“We know how important it is for us to get a win out in Leinster. They are five points ahead of us and if we don’t get anything over in Dublin it will be difficult to close the gap on them with only seven matches remaining.

“The players had a week off after the Bristol match and are all keen to get back on the pitch and re start our challenge in the Magners League,” he said.

Tom James is set to make his first start since his try-scoring performance against Stade Francais in December. The young wing has recovered from a kidney infection which nearly cost him a place in Warren Gatland’s Six Nations squad and will be keen to remind Gatland of his promise after watching the New Zealand coach hand a first cap to his Blues teammate, Roberts, against Scotland.

Gethin Jenkins, Deiniol Jones, Tom Shanklin and Martyn Williams are all unavailable for the clash.

The Blues know they will have to be at their best to take the points at the Royal Dublin Society with Leinster having won their last five matches in the Magners League since a 16-all draw against Ulster at Ravenhill in October.

Leinster may not travel well but they have won their previous six matches at the RDS. Their last home defeat was a 52-23 hammering by Llanelli Scarlets in October, the Irish side’s first loss in the Magners League for two years.

More recently, in their previous two encounters at the RDS, Leinster beat the Ospreys 26-15 and Heineken Cup favourites Toulouse 20 – 13 although they come off the back of a 25-9 defeat away to Leicester which ended their Heineken Cup campaign.

Ireland wing Shane Horgan has been named in the 24-man Leinster squad alongside Ireland internationals Leo Cullen, Luke Fitzgerald, Keith Gleeson, Shane Jennings and Trevor Hogan.

Leinster are further boosted by the return from injury of Australian international scrum-half Chris Whitaker who has been missing since the middle of November.

The Irish province are missing Brian O’ Driscoll, Rob Kearney, Bernard Jackman, Malcolm O’Kelly, Jamie Heaslip and the injured Gordon D’Arcy.

Leinster v Cardiff Blues Saturday 16 February 7.30pm kick off.

Cardiff Blues: 15 Ben Blair, 14 Jamie Roberts, 13 Jamie Robinson, 12 Gareth Thomas, 11 Tom James, 10 Nick Macleod, 9 Jason Spice, 8 Xavier Rush (c ), 7 Robin Sowden Taylor, 6 Maama Molitika, 5 Paul Tito, 4 Scott Morgan, 3 Tauf’au Filise, 2 Gareth Williams, 1 John Yapp. Replacements: 16 Gary Powell, 17 T Rhys Thomas, 18 Ben White, 19 Mark Lewis, 20 Richie Rees, 21 Rhys Jones, 22 Tal Selley.

Leinster: 15 Luke Fitzgerald, 14 Michael Berne, 13 Christian Warner, 12 Ian Keatley, 11 Felipe Contepomi, 10 Chris Whitaker, 9 Chris Keane, 8 Trevor Hogan, 7 Leo Cullen, 6 Stan Wright, 5 Stephen Knoop, 4 Brian Blaney, 3 Ronan McCormack, 2 Ollie le Roux, 1 Cian Healy. Replacements: 16 Cameron Jowitt, 17 Stephen Keogh, 18 Keith Gleeson, 19 Shane Jennings, 20 Kevin McLaughlin, 21 Gary Brown, 22 Shane Horgan, 23 Felix Jones, 24 Ross McCarron

Referee: Peter Allan (SRU), Sub referee: Simon McDowell (IRFU), Touch judge: Ger English (IRFU), TMO: Dudley Phillips (IRFU).

Shaun Edwards takes heart

Shaun Edwards bewildered the world’s media in the wake of Wales’s 30-15 win over Scotland, declaring it hurt him when the Welsh fans cheered the team’s defence as well as its attack.

A brave hack raised his hand to question the point after Edwards repeated the remark. The hardened face of the former Wigan and England rugby league star, lured across the Severn bridge to coach the Welsh defence, cracked into a broad smile.

“Heartened,” he said. “Not hurt; heartened. Don’t you know the Wigan accent? I felt heartened.” The relief amongst the Welsh ranks was visible. Edwards is a man few fancy tackling, even on the passionate subject of the Welsh supporters.

Gazza - An early obit

I was asked to write an obituary for a living person this week. I chose Gazza:


Paul John Gascoigne.
Professional footballer and entertainer.
Born Dunston, 27 May 1967.
Died Newcastle, 7 Feb 2008.
He leaves behind his ex-wife Sheryl Gascoigne, their son Regan and two step-children.

The man the nation knew as “Gazza” sealed his rise to stardom with the fall of a tear in the semi-finals of the 1990 World Cup.

An entertainer and rogue of prodigious footballing talent, Gascoigne, [who died of [ ] this week], won 57 caps for England and enjoyed a 17-year playing career with Newcastle United, Spurs, Lazio, Rangers, Middlesbrough and Everton.

The twilight of his playing days showed his hunger for the game as he chased appearances in less well-known territory, turning out for Burnley, Boston United, Chinese side Gansu Tianma, and American outfit DC United.

It would be harsh to chronicle the life of one of England’s greatest footballers by means of two bad tackles, but a tendency for over exuberance proved the flaw of this particular genius.

The yellow card for Gascoigne’s late tackle on Thomas Berthold in the 1990 World Cup semi-final meant the 23-year-old Geordie, who had been instrumental in England’s progress and was picked for the tournament’s All-Star team, would miss the final.

In the end it was academic, England lost on penalties, but the image of Gascoigne sobbing openly into his England shirt became iconic. He was voted the 1990 BBC Sports Personality of the Year.

The second tackle came a year later, minutes into Tottenham’s 1991 FA Cup Final against Nottingham Forest. Gascoigne steamed into a nasty challenge on Gary Charles and ruptured a cruciate ligament in the process.

The boy from Dunston, whose family initially lived in a single upstairs room in a council house, had wanted to show the world his talent in his last game for Spurs having signed a club record £8.5 million deal to join Italian-side Lazio.

Such rashness cannot overcome the tales of Gascoigne’s talent though. Six goals from his boot steered Tottenham to the 1991 final, including a 25-yard freekick against their north London rivals, Arsenal.

And it was his precocious ability, first recognised while playing for Gateshead Boys, which prompted Tottenham to pay Newcastle a British transfer record of £2.3 million in 1988 after he was crowned the Barclays Young Player of the Year.

Regarded as one of the most gifted players of his generation, he had a knack for scoring when it counted, endearing him to fans wherever he played. His first goal for Lazio was an 89th-minute equaliser in the Rome derby.

Gascoigne also scored in the Old Firm match at Celtic Park shortly after transferring to Rangers for £4.3 million in July 1995 and it was his hat-trick in the pen-ultimate game of the season which won the 1996 League Championship for his new side.

He was subsequently voted both Players’ Player of the Year and Football Writers’ Player of the Year, and won the 1996 Scottish Cup, the 1997 League Cup and the 1997 League Championship with Rangers.

Then there was his flick and volley against Scotland in Euro 1996, hailed as one of the greatest England goals ever.

The later years of Gascoigne’s career were blighted by the wrong sort of headlines as he struggled with drink and domestic problems. He publicly admitted beating his wife and being an alcoholic.

Booze-fuelled pranks with best mate Jimmy "Five Bellies" Gardner kept the paparazzi busy wherever he played.

His Lazio team-mate and Dutch international, Aron Winter, described him as “absolutely mad” after Gascoigne knocked on his door at gone midnight, naked but for a small pair of comedy glasses, and said: “If you need anything, call me.”

A famed joker, Gascoigne once booked a referee when a yellow card was dropped on the floor, called the dreadlocked Dutch legend Ruud Gullit a “long haired yeti”, and was known to opposition fans in Italy as “the drunkard with an earring”.

A football genius, eager to please and eager to play, Paul Gascoigne is a character who, despite his flaws, and probably because of them, will never be forgotten.

Rhys Williams - under the knife

Cardiff Blues back Rhys Williams went under a surgeon’s knife this week but the real pain came watching Warren Gatland pick 13 Ospreys players for Saturday’s Six Nations opener against England.

Williams’ team-mates at the Blues, Gethin Jenkins and Tom Shanklin, were the biggest omissions from Gatland’s first 15 with Martyn Williams the only Blues player set to start at Twickenham.

But Williams, capped 44 times for his country, threw his support behind the selection with the reminder it is still a Welsh side and one he hopes he will be able to play for again once he has recovered from his latest set back.

Williams, who was part of the Magnificent Seven Blues players who helped Wales win the 2005 Gland Slam, said: “I obviously thought that Gethin Jenkins was playing well and along with Tom Shanklin will be disappointed to have missed out, but as long as the team goes well on Saturday it’s a Welsh team.”

The versatile back has just had a second operation on a torn patellar in his knee, suffered playing for the Blues against Glasgow in November last year.

Talking to the Cardiff Evening News the day after his surgery he said: “I’m happy with it and looking forward to starting the rehab. I just need to get going now really.”

Timescales are a touchy subject with any injury but Williams hopes to be back for the start of next season. “It’s too early to say in terms of targets but it will probably take another three months or so before I’m back. I need to rest up for a few days after the operation but next week I’ll be back with the physios and working hard to get back.

“My aim is to get playing again for the Blues before thinking about anything else,” said the 27-year-old who is in his testimonial year at the Arms Park.

“I can’t believe it’s nearly been ten years,” said Williams. It’s gone really quickly and doesn’t feel that long at all.”

Amongst many highlights two moments stood out clearly since he first stepped out for Cardiff in a try-scoring debut at the Arms Park in 1999. He said: “Everybody says it, but my first Welsh cap and obviously winning Wales’ first Grand Slam in 27 years. I was fortunate to be part of it.”

Asked for his thoughts on Saturday’s game Williams said: “I always dream. But I don’t want to make any predictions.”

Three other Blues players were named in Gatland’s Six Nation’s squad: Tom James, Jamie Roberts and Robin Sowden-Taylor. But they will have to join Williams watching on from the sidelines after failing to make Saturday’s 22-man squad.

Nicky Robinson - One step ahead

“You’re notoriously late,” said Cardiff Blues press officer Gwydion Griffiths. “I’m not,” protested star fly-half Nicky Robinson, slipping down in his chair in mischievous fashion. “It’s just that things happen.”

And so they do. The 26-year-old is the club's all-time leading points scorer, his team are in the quarter-finals of the Heineken Cup for the first time since their inception as a region, he has 12 Welsh caps to his name and the Six Nations starts on Saturday.


But Robinson will be confined to the sofa, injured, and being injured is a testing time for rugby players. “When you’re fit your whole life is just training and rugby,” he said. “When that’s taken away it leaves a big void in your life which you have to try and fill.”

Which explains why he has one eye on the future and is planning for life after rugby despite his age. “I’ve done little bits for S4C. I’d like to do something now work-wise to get the experience to do a proper job as opposed to this when my career is over. It is hard because I don’t know what I want to do. I’ve never done anything other than rugby.”

Robinson is all too aware of the privileged position he is in at the moment. “It’d be hard to try and get the same kind of feelings you get from rugby in a job,” he said. “I know that’s not possible but if you can find something you enjoy...” His words tailed off in wistful acknowledgement that there is no substitute for being paid to play rugby.

But his mischievousness returned and, nodding in the direction of the press officer, he laughed. “Gwyd gets a lot of excitement out of his job.”

He called out, “Dream job for you this isn’t it, Gwyd. Working with all your heroes.” He laughed again. “Like me”.

Robinson’s appearances on S4C have caught the eyes of Welsh production companies and more work is in the pipeline but it is his performances on the pitch which have made him a household name in Wales and further-a-field.

And it is back to the pitch that he hopes to return as soon as possible after an operation before Christmas on a torn hip flexor muscle. “Obviously I’m constantly asking surgeons and physios, ‘how long, how long’ but they always say everyone’s different so it’s hard to give you a specific time.”

The specific time on everyone else's lips is the Blues’ Heineken Cup quarter-final showdown in Toulouse on April 6 against the favourites for the tournament.

“It’s a definite target, he said. “There’s not a huge amount of time between now and then really to get back into training and to get back to full fitness as well, which is obviously where you want to be if you’re playing against Toulouse in the quarter final of the Heineken Cup.”

His eyes lit up at the prospect of making the game but the sparkle belied his concerns. “We’re realistic. If I’m not fit then I’m not. It’s not as if I’m going to come back just to play in the game. You’ve got to try and think a bit bigger than that, obviously your career is a bit bigger than that.”

As if to emphasise his hopes though he added: “If I’m not fit it’ll be a massive disappointment.”

With a new coach at the helm of the national side Robinson knows now is the time to return, make his mark and put himself in contention for the fly-half berth along with James Hook and Stephen Jones.

“National honours is what you want,” he said. “That’s why you play rugby, to play at the highest possible level and that’s internationally. Whether that’ll be this season or next season I don’t know, it depends how quickly I come back, but it’s a definite goal.”

Robinson is not short on self-belief but there is an added incentive to return. His older brother, Jamie Robinson, 27, plays at outside centre for the Blues and the pair make a formidable partnership. “If you don’t know your brother's game then you know you’re struggling,” said Nicky.

“It’s good to have him there and there’s definitely a bit of competition. You don’t want the other one to get too much ahead of you with any caps or anything like that.”

Jamie has 23 caps for Wales compared to Nicky’s 12 but although part of the 2007 World Cup squad Jamie was overlooked in Warren Gatland’s first 22.

“I’ve got to catch him up actually,” Nicky added, making a mental note that will only increase his daily resolve. He might be last on the bus but Nicky Robinson is a player in a hurry to return to the heart of the Blues line-up and press for a return to the national stage.