Would it be so hard to play well?

After nearly every game Wales has played in the world cup the television pundits, afterwards, have said, 'Wales played badly but they won.' It would be oh so good if Wales could play well and win for a change. Easier for them and much easier for their supporters. 

After trailing to France for 76 minutes yesterday Wales finally won their quarter-final by one point to get through to the semi-finals where they will play South Africa. Afterwards Brian O'Driscoll, legendary Irish rugby player, said, 'I think the final winner will be one of those who played Saturday i.e. England or New Zealand.'

My first reaction was, 'I've never liked Brian O'Driscoll anyway; my second reaction was, 'But he's probably right. Wales don't look like World Cup Winners.' There is one school of thought that will say the ones who win are the ones who hang on in there even when it's not pretty. (That would apply to Wales.) In this instance though you look at the New Zealand All Blacks and you just think, 'Oh wow!'

So next weekend is another tense one. England take on the All Blacks on Saturday before the Wales South Africa game on Sunday. In theory it could be an England Wales final ...

Husband and I would definitely have to watch it in separate rooms, and one of us would end up miserable. But I'm getting ahead of myself. South Africa is a very physical side which is a polite of way saying they're thugs, so even if Wales were to beat them, half the Welsh team will probably end up in casualty.

P.S. Just discovered the rather lovely Josh Navidi has been ruled out of the rest of the world cup because of injury.