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>Me? I'm one of those old fashioned Welshmen, who >learnt to sing the hymns (with the right words) in >Chapel. Didn't get much choice in that, with a dad and >grandad of the cloth. But then my Tadcu was also born >opposite the Brewery Field and had Bridgend RFC in his >blood, and I was the nipper who sat him next to Unlce >Mac in the stand, and stood with my distant cousin on >the touchline. > >So when the minister asked whether I was free to play >the organ that Sunday evening, I had a dilemma. He >knew I wasn't going up to London ('O ye of little >faith') but he probably also knew that I would be >watching the game in the Wig and Pen (St Helens Rd, >Swansea). The thing is, the match would be over by >6.30 pm wouldn't it? No conflict in terms of timing at >all. But then, when was the last time I played Cwm >Rhondda after 8 or 9 pints? Probably at a wedding..... > >Sinner that I am, I declined the invitation to the >evening hour of worship. I was convinced that I would >be punished for my sin, and most of Wales with me, >after all, how many of us honestly thought we had a >chance of winning? > >But then we had the build up - Max Boyce, Tom Jones, >singing that they've not heard in my Chapel since >Tescos opened its doors on the Sabbath. And the beer >started to flow - out of bottles in the end because >the dishwasher couldn't keep up (God, I hate Newkie >Brown Ale). Jenks the boot kept us in it the first >half and we went into the interval in touch. We >couldn't really hear the commentry, but you could tell >what Inverdale and Bracken were saying just from the >look on their faces. England had the Grand Slam >wrapped up, they would cut out the indiscipline, and >Wales would be buried. > >And so we went into the last 5 minutes just 6 points >down, and friends turned to me and said "you're >religious, time to get on the phone to God" Tim Rodber >offended, and I said my first little prayer "O God, if >we're meant to win this one, was that a sign? Let us >win the lineout ball at least" > >I wasn't the only one in the pub thanking God when St >Scott sidestepped the English bishops. I wasn't the >only one praying when St Neil prepared to win the game >for us. It crossed my mind that there may have been >some English praying for him to miss, but surely God, >in this hour of all, was Welsh. And so it proved. > >As it happens, I was still in the pub when the church >door closed at 7.30. But I need not have worried. I >ordered 24 t-shirts from Bern, and the minister bought >one. > >Private Eye

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