WRU: Rugby World Cup 2007: Wales Player Blog

Mike Phillips taking the full brunt of Japan's cavalier approach at the Millennium Stadium

Well ... we've arrived back in France after the two games at home and had quite a welcome. There must have been nearly 2,000 French school children and fans at our training session today (Wednesday), just turning up to watch and show their support!

I was really pleased with the Japan game, not because of my game personally but because of the way we played as a team. The result has set us up well for the last pool game against Fiji and we are really looking forward to a great open game and a spectacle of rugby.

The World Cup is going crazy here in France and thanks to our liason officers Pierre and Emanuel - supplied by the Rugby World Cup organisation - we were able to sample some of the atmosphere at the weekend. We were given the weekend to relax and some of us jumped on a train for a site seeing visit to Paris. We went to the races were able to relax at a show and have a great meal. We were treated like royalty with French Police escorts everywhere that we went - which is a real plus in the Paris traffic.

This has been our first time to relax during the World Cup and has really helped our preparation which has swung into place this week. We have a great process of analysing the opponents and as players we have a big say in the plan - despite what you might hear elsewhere! We can't wait to get stuck into the Fiji game now with great confidence.

Ceri Sweeney training with Wales during the Nantes camp back in July

We are disappointed to have lost the game against Australia. The World Cup is is still in the pool stages and there are two games to go which is where we are now focusing. Many people have considered that all the top tier teams will be automatics for the quarter finals, but this competition has a seen a real change in the World order.

What some commentators might call lesser sides have got fitter and stronger and better organised and demonstrate what can be done on the basis of hard work and motivation. Whilst some people may already be looking ahead we in the team and the management are cleary focused on the process which we have worked on in the last months.

We have done our recovery from the Saturday game and have debriefed it in every aspect with the coaching staff. We have looked at the positives and the negatives and are clear about what we need to do to keep moving forward. People who know their rugby realise that you are only as good as your next game and ours is Japan. It may be a cliche but it is true.

We are working hard to prepare for the Japan game and the challenges that they will bring. Only a fool would underestimate a team in the World Cup. Any lack of focus will cost and we are focused. Every game is tough here, the intensity level is high and we have to work for every point, challenge at every breakdown and get our basics right for every game. As a team we respect the opposition and believe in our ability.

The World Cup is a great experience and we are looking forward to playing Japan in Cardiff on Thursday. Thanks to all our loyal fans who give us great support which we really appreciate.

Mark Jones, Shae Williams and Stephen Jones in training

Well it has been great to go to France and come back with a win, and we are all looking forward to the clash with Australia, but I wanted to tell you a little about what has been happening off the field. There is a great spirit in the team and right from the start of the camp in France the fun began. We are staying in a great hotel and they look after our rooms very well, they tidy them every day - which is why it came as a great surprise to me in the first week to find my room full of milk cartons and food containers one morning on return from training!

The following day I was unable to get into my room because some garden furniture had found its way into the hallway and was across my bedroom door. Being an athletic man I was able duck underneath and gain access.

I felt that once in my room I would be able to relax and unwind - not the case as on opening the door I discovered that my team mates had kindly scattered six pushbikes around the floor for me just in case I might need them. Apart from this I have also has a good supply of baked bean tins made available to me, in various unusual places around the apartment.

And... I suppose the straw that broke the camel's back ... finally the boys kindly re-arranged ALL my furniture for me - in the hallway! Enough was enough, so it was time for Mark Jones to hit back! It's also time for the public to know the truth behind the now notorious sheep incident!

I had a good idea who I thought may be behind these pranks and so concocted a plan to turn the tables on the culprit. In our hotel grounds there is a very small flock of black sheep, who are free to roam and graze. Being a bit of a Dr Doolittle I had a word with the leader and asked him if he would be willing to help me get even with my team mates. Enough said.

Dwayne Peel was a little surpised to open his bedroom door to find my woolly friend looking back at him! I hope this puts the record straight, and lets you all know that spirits in the camp are high, we are all in positive mood and looking forward to the Australia game.

(Mark Jones was born and bred on a livestock farm in Builth Wells, which his parents still run, he would like us to point out that no animals were harmed in the making of this prank)

The Wales squad line-up ahead of their opening Rugby World Cup encounter

Tuesday: We have now completed our first game and we have a win, and that was the objective.

Many people will talk about the difference between the first and second half and we will do the analaysis and draw out the facts rather than the fiction.

Today we did our recovery, and it is great to have the sea and the pool at the hotel to get over any knocks and bruises.

Everybody in the squad is feeling very upbeat and glad that we have got the first match out of the way with a win.

The Canadians played well and gave us a really good challenge up front in the first half. We stayed together and held onto our belief in our ability to play and also the hard conditioning work that we have done paid dividends.

There are many positives to take from the game and we will implement and employ all the feedback for our next game.

We can't wait to get back home to Cardiff to take on the Australians. The Millennium Stadium is a great place to play at any time but in a Rugby World Cup and with a huge and supportive croud it will be a really special place.

We travel back later this week and will prepare for the game at the Vale, in the meantime we will get on with our prep here in France.

Wednesday: Today was the main day of the week training wise. We had a double rugby session which involved attack in the morning and defence in the afternoon.

You could sense an increased urgency within the squad and training went really well.

On a personal note, I was told in the morning that I would be on the bench so I started to feel really excited about being involved in my first World Cup game.

Four years ago I obviously missed out on the tournament and it’s been a goal of mine since then to be involved in the World Cup and I now can’t wait to get stuck in.

Thursday: We had a light team run through and everyone is really looking forward to getting underway in the tournament after all the build up and hard work we’ve put in to get here. During some rare downtime that afternoon we went for a quick game of golf or went go-carting – which was won by the dream team pairing of JT and Alfie.

We also went to the stadium we will play at on Sunday and seeing the venue really brought it home to us that we were at the World Cup. They told us at the ground that they are expecting over 10,000 Welsh fans to be at the game. That again shows us the incredible support we are lucky enough to receive and gives everyone another boost.

That evening we went to the official Rugby World Cup welcome dinner in Nantes and were pleased to meet the Kenfig Hill male voice choir on arrival! You could see all the hard work that had been put in by the region, they were very proud to be hosting the Welsh team. We all received our RWC caps which was a proud moment.

Since the last World Cup the youngest player of the touring party has had to carry a traditional Welsh lovespoon and explain at functions why he is carrying it and what it means. Alun-Wyn Jones is the youngest player in the squad and he gave a fantastic speech in front of the assembled guests. We also had a great meal afterwards, with the best crème brûlée anyone’s ever tasted!

Wales prepare to depart Cardiff Wales Airport

Well today it really sank in - We are at the World Cup. We left the Vale to travel to Cardiff airport where we took a 90 minute flight direct to St. Nazaire where we were greeted by the press and locals waving Welsh flags giving us a great reception - but that was just the start of things.

After settling into our camp at Ker Julliet, which is where we spent our training camp only a month ago, we had a good lunch before traveling to St. Nazaire rugby club for our first training session. This was due to be an easy run through, getting the travel out of our legs, but the locals saw it differently with nearly 2,000 cheering fans making us feel right at home and very aware that the World cup has really begun. Thanks to all of them for their support.

We went back to the hotel and were able to relax before Martyn Williams began his Race Night with Frankie Dettori evening where we had great fun placing bets and cheering on our chosen horses - this was a great team building way to start the World Cup campaign.

It is an early night for us tonight as we have training tomorrow in preparation the opening game against Canada on Sunday. We know that this is a big game and that Canada will be tough and motivated but we are feeling very positive and can't wait to start the campaign off with a great performance and a win.

I hope that you enjoy our World Cup blog - I know all the players are keen to keep our loyal fans back in Wales up to date on how things are going.

Roll on Sunday!

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