Cardiff turns Irish into gods of green

THINK of history’s great superpowers: The British Empire, the United States, the Soviet Union, the GAA. Now, think of the superpowers in rugby: New Zealand, South Africa, the current England side and, for over a decade from the late 1960s on, Wales.

During that period the Welsh were at the pinnacle of world rugby. It was quite common for their supporters back then, situated in the upper stands of the old Cardiff Arms Park, to urinate on the visiting fans below, mirroring what their team was doing to hapless opponents on the pitch.

That illustrious history makes their demise all the more tragic. Indeed, they have sunken so low that a pet pasttime of mine (slagging Welshmen) no longer brings any satisfaction.