RWC: It made me proud to be Welsh again

Not the rugby (Wales 72 Japan 18) and certainly not in the first half which was very scrappy from the Welsh, loads of handling errors and coughed up opportunities.

I was proud because I finally got up to hear the Welsh National Anthem (Mae Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau / The Land Of My Fathers)sang with (a bit of) gusto. Of all the anthems that we could hear during this competition I have to rate the Welsh as the one that always makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up - watch a version and tell me it's not amazing!

I also rate the following anthems:

• French with "La Marseillaise"
  stirring stuff, my favourite version is from Casablanca
  
• NZ with "God Defend New Zealand"
  my home and I love that everyone I know knows both languages watch Hayley belt it out
  
• Scotland with "Flower of Scotland" (not an official anthem but it should be)
  reminds me of Britain more than the other one - this version from the soccer win over France
  

Your favourite?

Back to the game - nice to watch the game, talk with my Mum and Dad (in Monmouth, Wales) at half time to swap, "Crickey, this isn't vintage ... but a win's a win" comments. Also nice to have Jack sitting alongside me cheering on, "We ant the people in red to win eh Dad?" (with a full-on Kiwi accent)

The second half was a lot better and I think they relaxed into it once the four tries were on the board. Some cracking runs by the Japanese as well, man they can shift!

Here's a few Official World Cup pictures snaffled from their website (and I'll be sticking a few up from the games I've not blogged during the week - keeping it low profile before it's all on for the Quarter Finals 7th October+) :