Sports Rugby

23 October 2011

Final of the Rugby World Cup 2011  – New Zealand lead France by 5 –  0 at half-time

France over for a try right under the posts with the score now 8 – 7 to the All Blacks.

The All Blacks have won the Rugby World Cup 2011 final against France by 8 -7!!!!!!!!

22 October 2011

Bronze Final of the Rugby World Cup 2011 – Australia beat Wales 21 – 18

Auckland 16th October 2011

New Zealand beats Australia 20to 6 at full time in the second Semi-final for the Rugby World Cup 2011

The young All Blacks are playing well with Israel Dagg and Aaron Cruden having a great game.  A fast paced game with amazing intensity.

Auckland 15th October 2011

France beat Wales 9-8 and go on to the final in an amazing game where Wales were reduced to a 14 man team early in the game after captain, Sam Warburton, was sent off for a dangerous tackle and has been suspended for three weeks by the IRB.

8th October 2011

Wales beat Ireland 22-10 played in Wellington

France beat England 19-12 played in Auckland

9th October 2011

Australia beat South Africa 11-9    That game is definitely one for the history books with South Africa dominating possession and territory yet the Wallabies getting the points.  WHAT A GAME!!!!

New Zealand beat Argentina  33 – 10 in Auckland

 Rugby World Cup 2011 Pool Results

Welsh National Anthem – Rugby Crowd Sing at the Millenium Stadium, Cardiff, Wales.

Mae Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau Lyrics: Mae hen wlad fy nhadau yn annwyl i mi, Gwlad beirdd a chantorion, enwogion o fri; Ei gwrol ryfelwyr, gwladgarwyr tra mâd, Tros ryddid gollasant eu gwaed. Cytgan Gwlad, Gwlad, pleidiol wyf i’m gwlad. Tra môr yn fur i’r bur hoff bau, O bydded i’r hen iaith barhau. Hen Gymru fynyddig, paradwys y bardd, Pob dyffryn, pob clogwyn i’m golwg sydd hardd; Trwy deimlad gwladgarol, mor swynol yw si Ei nentydd, afonydd i mi. Os treisiodd y gelyn fy ngwald tan ei droed, Mae hen iaith y Cymry mor fyw ac erioed, Ni luddiwyd yr awen gan erchyll law brad, Na thelyn berseiniol fy ngwlad.

Translation: The Land Of My Fathers The land of my fathers, the land of my choice, The land in which poets and minstrels rejoice; The land whose stern warriors were true to the core, While bleeding for freedom of yore. Chorus Wales! Wales! fav’rite land of Wales! While sea her wall, may naught befall To mar the old language of Wales. Old mountainous Cambria, the Eden of bards, Each hill and each valley, excite my regards; To the ears of her patriots how charming still seems The music that flows in her streams. My country tho’ crushed by a hostile array, The language of Cambria lives out to this day; The muse has eluded the traitors’ foul knives, The harp of my country survives.

Duration : 0:1:32

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Many factors influenced Cardiff’s culture throughout the centuries, transforming it into an international city. The Romans built the city, the Normans constructed over it, the Vikings brought prosperity and the industrial revolution transformed it.

Wales is a legendary territory that can brag an impressive history. Cardiff has existed in Wales since Roman times. Many factors influenced Cardiff’s rich culture throughout the centuries, transforming a small town into an international city. It was the Romans that built the city, the Normans that constructed over it. The Vikings brought prosperity to the city through their maritime trade and the industrial revolution with the coal industry transformed it to a modern city.

If we are talking about a city that claims to have the largest concentration of castles of any city of Europe we must mention the history that makes each castle to have its own life and personality.

In fact, Cardiff, a city situated on a reclaimed marshland and a bed of Triassic stones, has its roots dating back to AD 55 when the Romans established a fort on what is now the site of Cardiff Castle. Some of the original Roman walls can still be seen in Cardiff Castle, and it is suggested that Cardiff even took its name from Roman general Aulus Didius ‘ Caer Didi means “Fort of Didius”.

Others say that the name of the city is an Anglicization of the Welsh name “Caerdydd” – “Caer” means “fort” or “castle”, but although “Dydd” means “Day” in modern Welsh, it is unclear what was meant in this context. Some believe that “Dydd” or “Diff” was a corruption of “Taff”, the river on which Cardiff castle stands, in which case “Cardiff” would mean “the fort on the river Taff” (in Welsh the T mutates to D).

The Romans ended their rule in Cardiff in 350AD when they abandoned their forts. Cardiff became a settlement after the Viking invasion. They began to develop maritime trade from which the town (later to become a city) was to derive its prosperity. The Vikings – who controlled the Bristol Channel – used Cardiff as a raiding base, a port and a trading post.

After the invasion of William the Conqueror, the Normans built their castle on the site of the earlier Roman fort to protect them from the Welsh inhabitants, but that castle was substantially altered and extended during the Victorian period by John Crichton-Stuart, 3rd Marquess of Bute and the architect William Burges. After years of Norman control, the Welsh united and invaded the castle. They destroyed Norman property and destroyed the castle until the Earl of Warwick; Richard Beauchamp rebuilt it in 1423.

During the 15th century Cardiff became leaderless till Owain Glen Dwr, known as the independent “Prince of Wales”, successfully led the revolt for the Celtic Welsh against the English around 1400. His success was short lasting, as under Henry IV the English galvanized their forces and led a successful campaign against the rebels. In spite of this, Glyn Dwr was never captured and remained a hunted rebel.

In the late 19th Century, the 2nd Marquess of Bute built the Glamorganshire canal, which linked Merthyr Tydfil with Cardiff and the Cardiff docks, to take advantage of the huge coal reserves in the area. Thanks to this canal Cardiff became the biggest coal exporting port in the world and was granted the status of city in 1905 by Edward VII. By the end of the first decade of the 20th century the port had reached its peak, with more than 10 million tons of coal going through the port.

The economic boom had drawn with it a significant increase in population. Dockworkers and sailors from across the world had settled in neighbourhoods close to the docks, known as Tiger Bay, and communities from up to 45 different nationalities, including Norwegian, Somalian, Yemenese, Spanish, Italian, Caribbean and Irish, helped to create the unique multi-cultural character of the area.

Cardiff is also famous for Captain Robert Scott’s journey to the South Pole. He set sail from Cardiff but unfortunately the expedition was unsuccessful.There is a lighthouse in Roath Park in his memory.

Cardiff underwent a decline period in the 1970s and 1980s. However, once this decline was surpassed, Cardiff’s docks and centre were modified. Cardiff Bay is a marvellous attraction by the water,and the Millenium Stadium stands as proof that Cardiff is a genuine European capital city.

2005 saw Cardiff celebrate 100 years of existence as a city, as well as 50 years as the capital of Wales, so this meant a twofold anniversary celebrated in true Welsh style.

In 2004, Cardiff was picked to be the world’s first fair trade capital city, having a major contribution in this project. As a consequence, when you visit several of Cardiff’s cafes, stores or supermarkets, you will most likely find an abundence of Fair Trade products.

In popular culture, Cardiff is meaningful because it is home to Terry Nation, the ‘father’ of Doctor Who’s arch enemies, the Daleks. In 2005, the Daleks have returned to BBC Wales for a fresh series of Doctor Who. Season number two of Doctor Who was filmed in and in the surroundings of the picturesque city of Cardiff, as was the spin off ‘Torchwood’ series.

Other famous people that were born in the Welsh capital city include the children’s writer Roald Dahl, Ryan Giggs, Colin Jackson, Dame Tanni Grey Thompson, Dame Shirley Bassey and Charlotte Church.

Cardiff is a great sporting city. In 1959, Cardiff was the home to the British Empire and Commonwealth Games. The Millenium Stadium, built instead of a swimming pool, was home to the 1999 Rugby World Cup. The Millenium Stadium gained popularity due to the Wales team, who won the Six Nations Grand Slam Championship in 2005. In 2009, Cardiff will host an Ashes cricket test match, while in 2012 there will be some football matches played here within the framework of the London Olympic Games.

Article by Susan Ashby of Cardiff Singles. To read more articles like this or for dating in Cardiff visit http://www.cardiff-singles.co.uk

Susan Ashby
http://www.articlesbase.com/home-and-family-articles/the-history-of-cardiff-129120.html

Where can I find rugby results for the Welsh,  division 2 west rugby union games?

www.wru.co.uk

To view video, click on the post title

My Tribute to some of the best Welsh rugby tries from the best sidestepping wizards of Welsh rugby, past and present. Wales Rugby at it’s best!

Shane Williams, Ieuan evans, Gareth Edwards, Phil Bennett, JJ Williams, Jonathan Davies, Gerald Davies and more more more. Song – You’re the Best Around, Artist: Joe Esposito -plus- The World in Union, by the Fron Male Voice Choir of Wales. Grand slam champions 2008! yeah!

Duration : 0:7:19

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