Weight of expectation lies heavy on Welsh shoulders

IF Wales can cope with the almost intolerable pressure facing them in today’s crunch game at the Millennium Stadium, the chances are they will achieve their burning ambition by completing the Grand Slam and the Triple Crown.

However, it’s a big if. Just as several Irishmen discovered last week, the sense of expectation can be so great as to render players of high quality virtually ineffectual.

One of the most salient of the countless pre-match comments yesterday came from the former great Welsh wing Ieuan Evans who noted: “A lot will depend on how Wales handle the weight of expectation. Mike Ruddock has done a great job in deflecting the outside pressures and has an important job in keeping the players’ feet on the ground.