We might want to get revenge on them for the World Cup defeat, but Wales have their eyes on the Grand Slam this year.
How’s the form?
There are many, many Welsh fans who still haven’t gotten over the red card Alain Rolland showed to Sam Warburton in the World Cup semi-final but Wales should reflect on the fact that they were probably the second best team in New Zealand.
Yes they can feel aggrieved about the French defeat but that team was huge improvement on the one that finished fourth in last year’s Six Nations, despite having a slim chance to win the tournament going into the last game. They only limped past Ireland in the Millennium Stadium last season because Paddy Wallace blew a chance to win the game near the end but they certainly made up for it in Wellington, skewering Ireland expertly in that oh-so painful quarter-final.
The new names brought in by Warren ‘Pinot Noir’ Gatland like Toby Faletau and George North clicked immediately and with the experience of that World Cup under their belt, they will surely be even stronger this year.
Star man
Shane Williams has retired his dancing feet so the mantle of star man falls to young captain Warburton. With the flanker position becoming arguably the most important in the game, Wales have a real gem in the Cardiff Blues man.
Just 23, he admitted he cried over his dismissal in New Zealand and he will be hugely determined to make up for that split-second mistake.
The Kit Kat Chunky Hard Yards Man:
There are a few candidates but Toby Faletau gets the nod. The 21-year-old was sensational at the World Cup, finishing as Wales’ top tackler and ball carrier in the tournament. With Faletau likely to be joined by Sam Warburton and Dan Lydiate in the back row, Wales will have plenty of zest in the back row. They might play in red, but – Kit Kat hat-tip time – they’re the right fit for Chunky Orange. Just don’t call them fruity.
New Kid On The Block:
Introducing 18-year-old Harry Robinson. Already hailed as the new Shane Williams, the winger has made just three appearances for the Cardiff Blues but he has been fast-tracked by Gatland into the squad. With his track record on cases like this (North, Faletau, Leigh Halfpenny and Alex Cuthbert) we reckon Gatland knows what he is doing.
The WAG to watch:
Mrs James Hook
Kim Tashara and James Hook got married this summer in a ceremony that saw the pictures sold to OK! Magazine. Gavin Henson and Charlotte Church may be no more but Hook and Tashara appear to have stepped in to fill the celebrity void.
The Dates:
5th Feb: v Ireland (a)
12th Feb: v Scotland (h)
25th Feb: v England (a)
10th March: v Italy (h)
17th March: v France (h)
If they were a Rocky film, they would be: Rocky 6: A seemingly tired franchise given a new lease of life and surprising many with just how good they can be.
The JOE/Kit Kat Chunky Verdict:
Third. Well they may be targeting a Grand Slam but we think they’ll lose their opener to Ireland. After that, they could well run the table until France come calling. If either team are in with a shout of winning it all when that game rolls around, it will be epic. But we expect another mid-table year for the men from the valleys.
Which is your favourite in the Kit Kat Chunky Champion search? You’re an Orange-loving type of fella, right? Or maybe it’s Peanut Butter? Or what about the Chocs, Double and White? You can vote for your favourite over at the Kit Kat Facebook page.
