The News Review:
- Blues coach Young writes off region’s title hopes
- Fans flock to captial clash
- Glorious year for Welsh rugby wasn’t quite as straightforward as ABC
Blues coach Young writes off region’s title hopes
Walesnline United Kingdom
“We want to march up the table” he said. “There is a lot of rugby to be played and we certainly aren’t in a position where we can say we are going to win the Magners League. “We are in a good position in the other competitions – the Heineken Cup and the EDF Energy Cup – and what we have to keep doing is build momentum and keep winning. “We want to be up there and as high in the Magners League as we can. But that is not saying we are devaluing the league in our mindset. ”The Blues are in eighth place in the Magners League and 12 points behind the leaders the spreys at the turn of the year having only won three of their nine games to date. But anybody who witnessed the grudge Welsh derby between the Blues and the spreys on New Year’s Eve could not have failed to have been impressed by what they saw.
Related from Worlddiamondcongress2008: WPT: David ‘Chino’ Rheem Wins Five Diamond Classic
Fans flock to captial clash
European Rugby Cup Ireland
“There is so much at stake in this game and the support from our fans will be very important. I would encourage everyone to get to Twickenham and take advantage of great ticket offers and really enjoy a good rugby day out. ”Murrayfield – venue for the 2009 and 14th Heineken Cup final on Saturday 23 May – the Millennium Stadium and Stade de France have all seen Pool matches already this season. It means that Twickenham will become the fourth Six Nations venue to host a Heineken Cup match this season. More than 600000 fans have already gone through the turnstiles for the 48 matches played in the opening four rounds. Not only that advance sales for the Edinburgh 09 final have gone through the 32800 mark and 15000 of the remaining tickets will be retained for the finalists to share.
Glorious year for Welsh rugby wasn’t quite as straightforward as ABC
Walesnline United Kingdom
2008 has seen the usual player accounts like Shane Williams but this year we have even had books from former Wales stats man Alun Carter and referee Nigel wens. Expect the Blues ball boys to release their memoirs in 2009. B – BLUESDAI Young’s region have made significant progress in the last 12 months by qualifying for the Heineken Cup quarter-finals last season and winning all four European matches so far in this campaign including a double-header success over Biarritz. What is needed now is that elusive trophy in 2009. C – CAPTAIN MARVELRYAN Jones has proved an inspirational choice as Wales skipper as he led his nation to a Grand Slam and the spreys to the EDF Energy Cup triumph at Twickenham. Now the favourite to lead the British and Irish Lions in South Africa next summer. D – DRAGNSTHE Newport-based region continue to be the spirited underdogs in Welsh rugby.