Wales have turned to Gareth Bale to ensure they maintain their winning start to the Six Nations against England at the Principality Stadium on Saturday. They were at the ground on Monday night to hear his impassioned one-man performance of one of the Welsh game’s most lauded figures, the late Ray Gravell.
Not the Wales and Real Madrid footballer Gareth Bale, but an actor of the same name who has taken Grav, Owen Thomas’s play on the Llanelli and Lions centre, around the country for the last four years. Most of the Wales squad and management watched the performance in the dressing room England will change in this weekend.
“It was a fantastic experience,” said the Wales forwards coach, Robin McBryde. “It put us in a really good place mentally wise and we should have played straight after it. If we can in any way match Gareth Bale’s performance on Saturday, it does not matter if the roof is open or closed, there will only be one result.”
Gravell was renowned for his fervent patriotism and outpourings of emotion. “It reminded you of the reasons some of us play rugby and why some of us who do not play any more miss it so much,” said McBryde. “We do not want to burn ourselves out mentally, but it was a great way to kick off the week because it focused minds. Now we put it to bed and draw on the experience on Saturday.”
The Wales wing George North was among the players who watched the performance. “It was powerful,” he said. “It showed the pride Grav had in Wales, one we all have. Rugby can be methodical, but there is still room for passion in the game.”
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Wales know they will need to use their heads as well as their hearts if they are to defeat England and remain on course for their fourth Six Nations title since Warren Gatland took over as head coach at the end of 2007.
“It is a big game,” said McBryde. “England are riding high on the back of two very good performances while we have had the results but perhaps not the performances. We have got a bit of work ahead of us. They have started matches strongly so we have to be able to weather the storm. We are going to have to be at our best.”
Wales are seeking a record 12th consecutive victory, prompting the England head coach Eddie Jones to remark that they were the best Wales team ever. “I am not getting into mind games,” said McBryde. “England will be confident and we have to match that. It is a formidable task.”
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Two years ago, Jones suckered Wales into thinking he was happy for the roof to be closed only to demand that it remained open just before the deadline for a decision. There will be no repeat, with McBryde saying that with a dry forecast this week, Wales were not bothered about shutting it and believed the atmosphere would be highly charged whatever.
McBryde said that the fly-half Dan Biggar, who suffered a knee injury playing for Northampton on Saturday, was on course to be fit for selection while the full-back Leigh Halfpenny is taking a full part in training having recovered from concussion, although it is three months since he last played.