CAROLYN HITT:
ST DAVID gave sight to the blind, sprung a spring in a drought and raised the ground beneath him so the faithful could see him preach. But a few short weeks ago even greater miracles were deemed necessary for Wales to make an impact on this year’s Six Nations.
Sixth-century saints were usually given the benefit of the doubt where their spiritual superpowers were concerned, but no such slack was cut for Wayne Pivac and his squad.
After that grim autumn campaign, pundits and public alike were left wondering if Wales were capable of beating anyone bar Italy.
Belief. Always such a precarious quality in Wales.
If we’re not allowing others to write us off, we’re doing it ourselves.
Yet just as there have been many instances through the past year when making our own decisions for our own people has proved the best option, so the Welsh team shut out the noise and quietly got on with proving their doubters wrong.
The pressure to survive, let alone succeed, in this Six Nations must have been huge – from the big names who have known the heights contemplating descent in their career twilight to the new faces desperate to shine but fearful of putting a foot wrong as they step on to the biggest stage.
In the afterglow of the Gatland era so many of us seemed resigned to the shadows once more. Yet here we are topping the table with everything to play for.
Credit has not been forthcoming from all quarters.
Red cards rather than red-shirted men were responsible for the win against Ireland and victory over Scotland, say those desperate to stick to the original script.
But these scenarios are not about luck, they’re about taking advantage of the opposition’s indiscipline.
It’s a cliché but you really can only play what’s in front of you.
And while in both these games Wales still showed so many areas for improvement, they also made the absolute best of the meagre opportunities that came their way.
Going into the clash with England they were the holders of an unenviable statistic – a tournament low of 40% possession.
But who cares what that looks like on paper when you remember what they did with it on grass. Six tries in two games – including one of exquisite individual flair from Louis ReesZammit.
The character displayed in clinging on for the win against Scotland was also so heartening – a sign that Welsh heads are in a much better place than the psychological trough of last autumn.
And so to Saturday. Sparkling in brilliant sunshine, Cardiff couldn’t have staged a better day for all the colourful carnage the Wales v England match usually brings. But, of course, we were all on the settee rather than in the pubs and clubs and the streets and stands.
WhatsApp groups and Zoom gatherings had to substitute for the shoulder-to-shoulder scrummage for the bar and the banter that ensues when Old Enemies become new friends. There is only one plus to a locked-down match day – at least there’s never a queue for the loo.
Musing on the role of the 16th man and woman earlier that day, former England scrum-half Matt Dawson reckoned it was “worth seven points” to Wales on home turf.
As George North entered a silent stadium to mark his extraordinary 100-cap milestone, you can only imagine how priceless it would have been for him to run into the roar of 74,000 fans.
The cacophony greeting the controversy of Wales’ first two tries would also have been something to behold... from dragon and rose.
The din continues on social media. Let’s not pretend for one minute if the boot was on the other foot that we wouldn’t be complaining.
This is a nation that hasn’t forgotten Andy Haden diving out of the lineout in 1978, let alone Gareth Anscombe’s disallowed try at Twickenham 40 years later.
But just as Anscombe said in 2018 that his denied score did not cost Wales the match – “it was early in the game, we had chances to fix it” – so ultimately England only had themselves to blame.
The men in white may have been crying French farce after Biggar’s pinpoint kick was gathered by Josh Adams for Wales’ first try but they had no sense of déjà vu when Kieran Hardy reacted with similar speed.
There was nothing dubious about the scrum-half ’s quick tap penalty that saw him scoot through Tom Curry, Elliot Daly and Jamie George to score but England were caught napping once more.
As for all the salty comments on referee Pascal Guazere being Wales’ 16th man, that was a role Maro Itoje seemed quite happy to play as the lock, who was lucky to escape a yellow card, clocked up five of England’s 14 conceded penalties.
And it was the reigning champions’ rank indiscipline which scuppered their chances of sealing the game when they drew level with Wales on the hour.
Three consecutive penalties slotted by Callum Sheedy with the clinical calm so lacking in the opposition wrested control of the game back to Wales.
The bonus-point try from Cory Hill at close range in the final minute, with Sheedy adding the extras, was the emphatic last word on Act III of the script Wales continues to rewrite.
Back in our living rooms we could only cheer through screens and imagine the night that might have been in every bar in the land.
Today the celebrations for St David must be similarly virtual.
But as leeks and daffs are donned and children compete in Zoom eisteddfodau, the Welsh team have triple crowned our national day in style.
What better way to light up the lockdown for we stay-at-home supporters than to put 40 points on England and ignite the dream of Grand Slam glory?
So Dydd Gwyl Dewi Hapus i bawb – and just as the great man rose miraculously out of the ground to inspire his nation, so it’s onwards and upwards for Pivac’s Wales.