The Power of Events

Given the effort put into attending sporting events on the weekend there was little return.

A Friday night defeat for Wales, crafted by their lamentable first half performance and a handsome defeat for Chelsea on Saturday.

From my viewpoint it is often single or a cluster of closely knit events that can shape the outcome of any situation and hindsight shows them to be significant turning points.  Sometimes there can also be the feeling that events are heavily influenced by past actions i.e. Karma.

If you are going to be a winner you need to have the self-belief, the ability, a good team around you and a measure of good luck.

There were pivotal events in both matches but let's start with the Karma.

A few weeks after the revelations of yet more indiscretions by the Chelsea captain Chelsea were facing Manchester City and the unfortunate Mr Bridge.  If ever a script was written for "Karmic revenge" then this was it.  The gods were with City and they deserved their victory.

I felt that the match turned within a minute. Chelsea 1-0 up and Joe Cole created a chance out of nothing.  He failed to put the chance away and City raced up the other end and scored, helped schoolboy defending by Chelsea (guess who was culpable).

No karma in evidence at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff on Friday but Wales literally "threw the game away" with an error strewn performance.

At half-time I was fearing an absolute hammering but, as the Welsh often do, they rallied strongly to run the French close.  There is huge talent in the Welsh but it oftens seems that it only emerges when the backs are to the wall.  Almost as if there must be a drama of our own making before inspiriation can be invoked.

The French were reeling at 21-13 and Wales had two clear cut chances to level but failed to take them.  You could feel the momentum start to swing and the transition was completed as the first half school boy mistakes started to creep in again.  Despite being 20-0 down at half-time this will definitely go down as an opportunity missed.

The magic of Shane Williams in the dying moments of the game confirmed the disappointment of "what should have been" with a class try that is the hallmark of one of Wales greats.

Well done to the French and also to there supporters who were fantastic throughout.