Gareth’s Blog

Club Spirit Inspires Blues

First of all congratulations to the Blues for securing Welsh rugby’s first ever silverware in Europe.  Victory against the high spending and glamorous Toulon side was a great achievement and proved that after last years crushing of Gloucester in the EDF Anglo – Welsh Cup Wale’s capital city region has developed a winning mentality.  Six months ago the season seemed to be seemingless over before it’d began.  A disastourous start to the Magners Campaign, lack of wins in the Heneiken Cup and the loss of form of the previous year’s key players all amounted to a frustrating period for Dai Young’s side.  Disappointments weren’t just felt on the pitch.  In February the talismanic Xavier Rush announced he was leaving to join Ulster for the 2010/11 season.   The Blues preferred replacement Gareth Delve then rejected the regions offer to sign for the newly created Australian Franchise, the Melbourne Rebels.  However since the turn of the year the Amlin adventure has focussed minds and at last provided a Welsh name on a European trophy.  Whilst French giants Toulouse claimed their 4th Heneiken Cup Wales has had to wait 14 years since that first European final heartache in 1996, when the French side won 18 – 15 after extra time.  How different history could have been if the old Cardiff rugby club had managed to win….

However it could be argued that it’s the spirit of the old clubs that’s providing Wales with success in Europe.  Over the last few seasons both the Blues and Scarlets, in old money Cardiff and Llanelli, have brought the most success in European competition.  In contrast the ever stalling Ospreys, who’ve threatened to soar over rugby’s premier competiton, have repeatedly under achieved when it comes to the big matches.  Could it be that the ashes of those two historic sides, no offence to Neath or Swansea but if you talk to an English rugby fan Cardiff and Llanelli are inevitably the two clubs that they eulogise, have given the regions a psychological edge over the one true region in Wales.   At the present rate of European success it would certainly seem so.  Having said that the men of Ospreylia can begin rectifying that by beating old stagers Munster in the inaugral Magners League Play off final.  Here’s hoping!