Who’d have thought at the start of this campaign that we would be in this position? It’s strange, as inside the camp everyone is going about their duties with relative calm, and then once you step outside you can feel the tension building.
But there’s been no mention of those two unmentionable words (they rhyme with ‘Strand’ and ‘Tram’).
One difference I have seen is the demand for tickets. You might be surprised to know that the players do not get an unlimited free supply! Suddenly everyone wants to get their hands on tickets, my phone has been red hot from all kinds of callers asking if we have any spare – don’t hold your breath guys.
I’m not going to Ireland with the squad as there’s plenty for me to do in readiness for the game the following weekend, and I’m very much looking forward to watching the game in my local like all the other fans! I’m sure come Saturday though I will be wishing I was in Croke Park (though my feet might argue with that statement!)
A kind word for poor Tom James who has had his appendix removed. We wish him a speedy recovery, his presence is missed around camp – as he took the brunt of a lot of the jokes! He takes everything in good spirit – you have to in this environment otherwise you’d spend most of your time bawling in the toilets!
You may have read in the press this week about some of the players visiting clubs throughout Wales as part of Health Challenge Wales initiative helping to promote healthy lifestyles to young people. The players really enjoy this and all the feedback has been positive with some funny incidents – two questions to Duncan Jones for example:
“What type of shampoo do you use?” and “Why aren’t you and Adam Jones brothers?”
Talk about thinking on your feet to answer that one. I’ve also heard that one player was asked to sign a couple of bras and Sloggies whilst on his visit – I have a feeling he was ever so slightly bragging when relaying this story!
This week a very kind supporter left a parcel at the Vale for me – it contained hand-made bookmarkers for all the players, with their names and individual quotes for each one. It must have taken an enormous amount of time and effort to make them and the boys were thrilled even though it caused a few arguments with “My quote is better than yours” and the like. I thought it was a great gesture and a good idea.
Also arriving in the post was a greeting card from a female supporter who claims our wins are due to her wearing her lucky red knickers! She said she was on holiday when we played Fiji in the World Cup and left them at the hotel and look what happened!
I also had an email from a man who says that he has been ill for each of our games during the Six Nations and thinks this is an omen – which reminds me I must email him to check he’s still unwell!
Talking of emails – we get loads on the run up to games, mostly wishing the players good luck. We print these out and put them on the walls either in our team room or the changing room. A short while ago someone emailed asking if I could prove that the emails were actually pinned up. I got Stephen Jones to stand by the emails for me to take a photograph to send to the gentleman who promptly replied “How can I be sure these are the emails?”
Now, if I can explain – the emails come through, I print them out, I take them to the Vale Hotel, I pin them to the wall, I then return to my desk, see the email, I return to the Vale, I find a player, I take a photo, I send the photo, I return to my desk – and STILL he’s querying! And all this the day before a game when I’ve a hundred and one things to do! Still, you have to laugh (see above re: bawling in toilets!)
I mentioned a couple of weeks ago a couple of new hairstyles in the squad – look out for a HUGE and I mean HUGE change to one this weekend – all comments welcome! Can we still call him a hair bear!?
