Staying on the sidelines

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By Rob Howley, Rugby World

I AM getting ready for the first Six Nations since my retirement from international rugby and it will be a strange time.

Not only will I not be with the Wales squad, but Wasps coach Warren Gatland has given us a couple of weeks off because we haven't got any games for a month.

It's the mid-season break people have been asking for, but the international players, who need it most, aren't getting it!

Wales have been slow starters in the Six Nations recently, but, going to Italy this time, we will hope to get the win we very much need. But that game is a potential banana skin.

You can never take Italy lightly. I didn't play over there in 2001 because of my back injury, but I know the team found it difficult to break the Italian defence down. Italy are very shrewd and they try to slow things down as much as possible.

But it's a good game to start with. It's probably the one you are expected to win out of all of them and if we can get off to a good start and put some confidence into the tank for what's to come, that's good. Self belief is what's needed.

Rugby is played on the pitch for 80 minutes, but the mental preparation is important as well. If we can get Italy out of the way with a win, we can then look at beating Scotland and Ireland.

But first we have to play England at the Millennium Stadium and that is always a special occasion. It's the one game I will miss as a retired international. The excitement around the stadium is amazing. The Welsh always feel they are looked down on by the English and it gives us an opportunity to compete. The players will be a bit more nervous for this game because they know how much it means to everyone.

Wales will fancy their chances going up to Scotland in their third match, but Scotland are coming off the back of their good autumn Internationals. A lot will depend on how Scotland get on in their first two games, against Ireland and France. If they come into our game with confidence, they will do better.

Scotland are very good at spoiling set piece play, but if we can be solid in the set pieces, our backs can take Scotland to the cleaners.

On the club front, I am delighted that Wasps are in the semifinals of the Parker Pen Challenge Cup. When we beat Stade Français in the quarterfinal it was a good trip to Paris -- and it's not often I have been able to say that! That win was based around awesome defense. Now we play Pontypridd in the semifinals, which will be difficult.

They lost in the Shield final to Sale last year, so they have been to this stage before. They have got a huge following and I am sure they will be looking forward to welcoming us to Sardis Road, or the House of Pain, as it's also known. I know Llanelli were targeting a home quarterfinal in the Heineken Cup, so they should be delighted they have achieved that.

Now they have got Perpignan, and French sides don't mind travelling as much as they used to, so that should be a weekend to savour. In the Premiership it is very tight between us, Northampton and Leicester, vying with Leeds and Sale for second and third spot.

Wasps always finish the season well -- I think drier weather and grounds suit the way we play -- but we hit form earlier this time, so that bodes well, and it's in our hands.

I hope agreement will soon be reached over the future of the game in Wales. But, will the changes improve the quality of Welsh rugby, through to the national side? I have my doubts.

Rob Howley won 59 caps for Wales between 1996 and 2002.

 

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