Busy week: Jamie Roberts
Jamie Roberts is well aware of what's at stake when Wales face Grand Slam-chasing England in the Six Nations title decider on Saturday, billing it "the Test match of all Test matches".
Roberts, Welsh rugby's most famous medical student since legendary full-back JPR Williams was revising in between brilliant displays in the 1970s, is due to sit two more exams this week in his ongoing quest to qualify as a doctor.
The Blues centre, who featured in Wales's 28-18 win over Scotland at Murrayfield on Saturday that kept the second-placed reigning champions in title contention, will be confronted by one paper on Monday and another on Thursday.
However, the British and Irish Lion is adamant he will be focused on the task at hand come Saturday's kick-off at the Millennium Stadium, where a win by eight points or more would assure Wales of a successful title defence and end England's bid for a first Grand Slam since their World Cup-winning year of 2003.
"It's a busy week," Roberts said. "But my focus is as soon as training finishes it switches, then when I arrive at The Vale (Wales' training base) it switches again.
"It's been the same for the last seven or eight years, and it is no different this week.
"I wouldn't want it any other way, really. I've always said since I left school that it was something I wanted to do."
England have never travelled to Cardiff looking to secure a Grand Slam although Wales denied them a clean sweep at Wembley in 1999 when the old National Stadium was being transformed into the Millennium Stadium.
In the years leading up to their World Cup triumph, England several times fell at the final Six Nations hurdle and Roberts was relishing the prospect of inflicting more Grand Slam pain on Wales's fiercest rivals.
"It's fantastic isn't it," Roberts said. "That is the challenge for us, but it is not spoiling it for them, it's about beating England at home. It's the ultimate game.
"Defensively we have been very solid and it is a great run of results we are on. We've got the victories, we've dug in deep. It hasn't been the prettiest but that is what rugby away from home is all about.
"First and foremost it is about Wales winning the game next week. We are the home team and whatever England did against Italy (scrape an 18-11 win at Twickenham on Sunday) was out of our hands.
"We can only focus on what we can focus on, and that's training well and preparing well for a Test match which is the Test match of all Test matches.
"We are playing England at home and from the players to everyone in the country will be bouncing next weekend."
Since their first round loss to Ireland, Wales have gone three matches without conceding a try and have won their last five away Six Nations fixtures.
By contrast, however, Wales have lost their last five matches at the Millennium Stadium, with Argentina, Samoa, New Zealand, Australia and Ireland all triumphing in Cardiff.
"Our last three results have been based on a solid defence," Roberts said.
"The three games have been defensive games when conditions dictated.
"We've defended very well. To not concede a try in the last three games is pretty pleasing, but we will be facing a different animal next weekend.
"As a back-line you want to be able to show what you can do and maybe over the last three games we haven't had a chance to do that.
"Hopefully, next weekend, we can display that. As I say, we've gone up to Edinburgh and won and everyone is really happy, but we know next Saturday goes up another level.
"Across the park, it is a magnificent Test match. England coming for a Grand Slam in Cardiff is the stuff we dream of playing in as Welsh players."
Comments
Monkeyboy says...
Unfortunately as boring as it is the arrogant tag is a big reason. Albeit not in the direct way you may think. It's the way your clubs hoovered up welsh rugby talent then watched as our club game went down the pan. It's the way that now you want to wreak havoc with the European game by reducing non-English representation in the HC.
The way that your media always talks about England when other teams are playing, to the exasperation of the non-English watcher. When was the last time you saw any other team talked about in such depth during the interval of an English match?
The general portrayal that your rugby has the right to walk roughshod over the rest because you 'bring in the money'. Despite said money usually being negotiated behind everyone else's backs (for BT vision 2012, read Sky in the 90s).
There may be some casual racists who hate the English for all that they are (but they're pond life), the genuine Welsh supporter has no problem with yourselves as a nation. But your general influence on our rugby community has been negative, so it's nice to stick one up you whenever we can.
Posted 10:22 11th March 2013
stumpy says...
What a showdown in prospect on the day of my birthday! No love lost between these two. How cruel would fate be to have a grand slam denied on my birthday...to the Welsh (who will never let us hear the end of it!)
Posted 10:05 11th March 2013
munkian says...
We can win the championship by beating England....
Posted 08:48 11th March 2013
Heathy says...
This is one thing I just don't get with the Welsh. They could lose all their games and then beat England and everybody is happy. This thing about beating England is almost laughable and then supporting anybody who plays England is ridiculous. It stems back to historical non rugby related issues of years ago. The chip on the shoulder remains and it really is childish stuff. I will now have my point proven by Welsh responses. What is it with Wales playing England (and please, the arrogant thing is boring and untrue so please don't spout that bull). If Wales put in as much effort and application to the other games as they do against England then they may be in better shape. Yes, this game is a decider and Wales have clawed their way back into this tournament and well done to them but "England coming for a Grand Slam in Cardiff is the stuff we dream of playing". It should be the possibility of winning the Championship regardless of who you are playing. It's just silly in the modern game.
Posted 07:21 11th March 2013
GoWalesGo says...
Perhaps this is why his performances have been anonymous throughout the tournament....
Posted 06:22 11th March 2013