Gwent erupts on Wales' slamtastic day (From Free Press Series)

Gwent erupts on Wales' slamtastic day

10:30am Monday 18th March 2013 in News

SLAMMED. That was how many summed up England’s fate at the hands of the Welsh rugby side on Saturday as the men in red stormed to a second Six Nations Championship in as many years.

Slammed by a wall of noise as they came into the Millennium Stadium.

Slammed by the tough-tackling Welsh and slammed on the scoreboard 30-3, England never stood a chance.

And across Gwent fans celebrated what at half-time in the first game against Ireland looked the most unlikely of triumphs.

At the Coach and Horses pub in Chepstow, which was once again split in half for the clash, there was certainly one side of the building enjoying their Saturday evening more than the other.

Moments after the final whistle, pub landlord Ian Meyrick, 60, said: “We are the champs! It was amazing. I’ve nearly sold out of beer and hope I can last until the next delivery.

“There was a marvellous crowd here with both England and Wales fans.

“We’re all very happy because they won so easy. I was confident fromday one.”

Chepstow dad Huw Thomas, 55, said: “It’s immense. I did believe they would win but I didn’t think it would be so emphatic.”

While fellow Welsh fan Mike Rossiter, 66, said: “The atmosphere was absolutely tremendous.”

Dejected England fan Luke Burwood, 33, of Yeovil, Somerset, said: “After 60 minutes we got a hard battle.

“Playing Wales in Wales is always hard. You just can’t win.”

Lee Appleton, 38, had travelled from Cheltenham to watch the game at the pub.

The Welsh fan said: “There was tension for 50 or 60 minutes but it seemed to go away in the last 20 minutes.

“You could see the confidence of the team playing to a home crowd against the old enemy.”

‘Awesome’ is the word as fans comment

CONGRATULATIONS for our champions on Facebook and Twitter:

Marie Purnell “Best game ever our boys was AMAZING WELL DONE :) X”

Kelly Piper “So proud to be Welsh Boys you were amazing A BIG WELLDONE TO YOU ALL.”

Amanda Gladwin “Awsome game well done boys you did us all so proud Cymru am Byth :-)”

Newport City Councillor Majid Rahman @MajidRahman88 “Some1 call The AA. There’s a Sweet Chariot broken down &written off in Cardiff, needs to be taken back to Twickenham#gwent6nationsWALES!”

Samantha Frost “OMG what an awesome game.You showed them what the welsh team are really made of.well done boys you done us all proud.fantastic result.1 2 remember.xx.”

Jenny Putnam “Well done boys. Awesome game. So proud to be Welsh.”

Jay Anthony “Well done boys, fantastic game to watch!! :)”

Andrew Cousins “England turned up expecting to win - Wales arrived knowing. You did your country proud on the park yesterday. Very very proud to be Welsh. Excellent performance boyo’s.”

Ellen Thomas “Wow!!!..well done boys...knew you could do it!!!

Bethan Corfield “You did us proud boys! you out classed England in every way.. you defiantly won in style!”

Claire Philpott “Fire, passion and first class rugby from the Welsh yesterday!!!!BRILLIANT!!!”

Jamie Ynwa Brace “Well done boys the passion of the dragon roared again, quality performance, from a proud Welshman downunder.”

Blackwood’s Manic Street Preachers @Manics Postcards “Truly a golden age for welsh rugby-3grand slams-semi-final of the world cup+now this!!- xxx”

NewportGwentDragons@dragonsrugby “Congratulations @taulupe and @Coombs_A and all at @WelshRugby Union #6nationschampions”

Dragons hooker Hugh Gustafson @HughGus “Congratulations to the welsh boys but especially dragons boys @taulupe and @Coombs_A. Well done boys.”

Scarlets Pontypool born centre Gareth Maule @GarethMaule “Well done Wales. #awesome”