Welsh rugby was pretty much in the doldrums through the late nineties and well into the first couple of years after the millennium.
In fact the last time a Welsh team had won a Six Nations Grand Slam title was back in 1978 when Welsh rugby was in a golden age.
In 1999 Wales hosted the forth Rugby World Cup in the newly build Millennium Stadium, although many of the matches were held outside the country.
Wales kicked off the ceremony by beating Argentina 23 - 18 in the first game followed by beating Japan by 64 - 15, but then they lost to Samoa 31 - 38.
Wales went on to play Australia in the Quarter Finals and lost 9 - 24 knocking them out of the competition.
Australia went on to win this World Cup.
Wales went on to come forth in the 2000 and 2001 Six Nation Championships; they came fifth in the 2002 Championship and sixth in the 2003 and forth in 2004 Championships.
It seems all may be lost for Welsh rugby until 2005 came around and Wales won their first Grand Slam Title since 1978.
This high note for Wale seemed short lived as the following year in 2006 and 2007 they came in at fifth place in the six nations.
What followed in 2007 was a Rugby World Cup held in France, in the pool stages Wales beat Japan by 72 - 8 and Canada 42 - 17 but lost to Australia 20 - 32 and then lost to Fiji 34 - 38, this meant that Wales took an early exit from the World Cup without even making the Quarter Finals.
The coach was sacked before he even left Fiji and a caretaker coach, Nigel Davies, was instated until a new coach was found.
The new coach arrived in the form of Warren Gatland and in tow with him was Shaun Edwards.
The pair had been a part of the coaching set up which took Wasps to a Heineken Cup win in 2004.
Things started to look up from this point.
In 2008 the world watched when a very capable and exciting Wales side win by a very convincing margin, the brand of rugby played was getting back to the old magical ways that the Welsh teams of the 70's used to play with flair and unpredictability, this was the same approach that won the Welsh the 2005 Grand Slam and it looks set to be the future of Welsh rugby.
The 2009 Six Nations saw the Welsh team play a little bit more stayed but a few little changes here and there could have made huge differences; they finished forth this year but could have done so much better.
Looking to the future, Wales just came within seven points of a draw with New Zealand and are set to take on Samoa, Argentina and Australia in the next couple of weeks, they should stand a very good chance in these matches and what of the 2011 World Cup in New Zealand, well the Welsh can look forward with optimism as there is no reason why they could not achieve anything, on their day they are as good as any side in the world.
In fact the last time a Welsh team had won a Six Nations Grand Slam title was back in 1978 when Welsh rugby was in a golden age.
In 1999 Wales hosted the forth Rugby World Cup in the newly build Millennium Stadium, although many of the matches were held outside the country.
Wales kicked off the ceremony by beating Argentina 23 - 18 in the first game followed by beating Japan by 64 - 15, but then they lost to Samoa 31 - 38.
Wales went on to play Australia in the Quarter Finals and lost 9 - 24 knocking them out of the competition.
Australia went on to win this World Cup.
Wales went on to come forth in the 2000 and 2001 Six Nation Championships; they came fifth in the 2002 Championship and sixth in the 2003 and forth in 2004 Championships.
It seems all may be lost for Welsh rugby until 2005 came around and Wales won their first Grand Slam Title since 1978.
This high note for Wale seemed short lived as the following year in 2006 and 2007 they came in at fifth place in the six nations.
What followed in 2007 was a Rugby World Cup held in France, in the pool stages Wales beat Japan by 72 - 8 and Canada 42 - 17 but lost to Australia 20 - 32 and then lost to Fiji 34 - 38, this meant that Wales took an early exit from the World Cup without even making the Quarter Finals.
The coach was sacked before he even left Fiji and a caretaker coach, Nigel Davies, was instated until a new coach was found.
The new coach arrived in the form of Warren Gatland and in tow with him was Shaun Edwards.
The pair had been a part of the coaching set up which took Wasps to a Heineken Cup win in 2004.
Things started to look up from this point.
In 2008 the world watched when a very capable and exciting Wales side win by a very convincing margin, the brand of rugby played was getting back to the old magical ways that the Welsh teams of the 70's used to play with flair and unpredictability, this was the same approach that won the Welsh the 2005 Grand Slam and it looks set to be the future of Welsh rugby.
The 2009 Six Nations saw the Welsh team play a little bit more stayed but a few little changes here and there could have made huge differences; they finished forth this year but could have done so much better.
Looking to the future, Wales just came within seven points of a draw with New Zealand and are set to take on Samoa, Argentina and Australia in the next couple of weeks, they should stand a very good chance in these matches and what of the 2011 World Cup in New Zealand, well the Welsh can look forward with optimism as there is no reason why they could not achieve anything, on their day they are as good as any side in the world.
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