Two-week ban for Martyn Williams is relief for Cardiff Blues and Wales

Wales coach Warren Gatland last night breathed a sigh of relief after Martyn Williams only copped a two-week ban for foul play.

It means the star flanker will be available for the big kick-off of Wales’ autumn campaign, against Tri-Nations runners-up Australia at the Millennium Stadium on November 6.

He accepted his wrongdoing but claimed his rash action had not warranted a red card – Paterson had been sin-binned for not releasing the ball.

But officials appointed by European Rugby Cup, the organisers of the Heineken Cup, took into account his good disciplinary record after deciding the offence was at the low entry point in its severity.

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They decided on the recommended three-week suspension but knocked a week off because of his previous good record. He was ordered to pay the costs of the hearing.

The 35-year-old has only been sent off once during a long and glittering career, which has seen him pocket two Six Nations Grand Slam titles with Wales and an Amlin Challenge Cup winners’ medal with the Blues.

Last season the Pontypridd product was presented with a fair play award by ERC after being selected as the fairest and most sportsmanlike player in the 15 years of European Cup rugby.

He is free to play from October 27, making him available for the Millennium Stadium opener against the Wallabies. The ban rules him out of Blues’ Heineken Cup Pool One encounter with Castres in the south-west of France tomorrow night and next week’s Magners League derby with the Scarlets.

Scarlets’ utility forward Jonny Fa’amatuainu also appeared in front of disciplinary chiefs in Dublin, receiving a three-game ban for a dangerous tackle during their 43-34 home victory over Perpignan.

Former Scarlet lock Jamie Cudmore received 10 weeks for stamping during French champions’ Clermont Auvergne’s Heineken triumph over English club Saracens.

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France is one of the strongest rugby nations in Europe and is currently the highest ranked. Rugby was introduced to France in 1872 by the British, and on New Year's Day 1906 the national side played its first Test match against New Zealand in Paris.

France played sporadically against the Home Nations until they joined them to form a Five Nations tournament in 1910. France also competed in the rugby competitions at early Summer Olympics, winning the gold medal in 1900 and two silver medals in the 1920s. France came of age during the 1950s and 1960s, and won their first Five Nations title outright in 1959. They won their first Grand Slam in 1968.

Wales national rugby union team represents Wales in international rugby union tournaments.Wales have won the Six Nations and its predecessors 24 times outright, second only to England with 25 wins. Wales most recent championship win came in 2008. The International Rugby Board (IRB) regards Wales as a Tier One rugby nation, and ranks them eighth in the world as of 1 February 2010.

Wales play in red jerseys embroidered with the Prince of Wales's feathers. Their current home ground is the Millennium Stadium, completed in 1999 to replace the National Stadium at Cardiff Arms Park. Ten former Welsh players have been inducted into the International Rugby Hall of Fame, and two of the ten have been inducted into the IRB Hall of Fame.

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Can anyone stop France's charge towards a Grand Slam?

Be afraid, be very afraid. French rugby is stirring and a giant awakes.

It was all very well for France's reinvigorated rugby team to hammer and humiliate the reigning Grand Slam champions Ireland, in Paris on Saturday. But to receive laudatory comments from that notoriously dissatisfied body of opinion known as the French media was another thing altogether.

Thus, we can imagine that French coach Marc Lièvremont (below) probably needed to sit down in a darkened room once he had digested the words of France's great newspapers following his team's 33-10 victory at Stade de France.

"Combat Kings" L'Equipe hailed them. The magisterial Le Monde opined that: "France replied in masterly fashion to the question of what level they are at."

And the rugby bible, Midi Olympique, added: "It was their aggression and breakdown work which were the most impressive aspects of the French performance."

As the Irish captain, Brian O'Driscoll, rightly pointed out: "It was an impressive display, not just from their forwards but an all-round performance."

Since 2004, when they last won a Grand Slam, France's national team has atrophied, stymied by the kind of straitjacket tactics that are currently bedevilling the England team. This has suited the national psyche and characteristics of the French about as well as a glove on a three-fingered man. They have looked ill at ease, out of sync.

But at Stade de France, we saw a different France. For a start, there was a cohesion and balance which had not been apparent before. Forward power is a mighty weapon if it is accompanied by pace, a requisite of the modern game, and a willingness by the pack to set up the backs. Crucially, France appear to have discovered for the first time in years a half-back combination of considerable potential.

Morgan Parra and François Trinh-Duc have brought a quality that has had an ageless appeal to French teams, namely, invention. They can vary their games, which is another crucial facet in modern rugby. This is another of the root causes of England's failings. More propitiously, Parra's goal-kicking was so effective against Ireland, even from long range.

Outside them, Mathieu Bastareaud, a centre who weighs an extraordinary 114kg, could be one of the biggest stars of the next World Cup.

But to counterbalance that, France have beaten the All Blacks and world champions South Africa in the course of the last eight months. Clearly, something is stirring in French rugby and the timing could hardly be better with a World Cup looming next year.

Nor has this transformation been achieved in a nonsensical, cavalier fashion. As the Australian Ewen McKenzie, a former coach of Paris-based club Stade Français and now in charge of the Queensland Reds, says: "Lièvremont has brought a lot of younger players to the fore but he had the skeleton there all the time. He has still got some hard heads – Nallet, Harinordoquy, Pape, Servat, Mas, Jauzion and Poitrenaud – through the key positions of the team.

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RUGBY: Kidney gears up for Six Nations test

IRELAND coach, Declan Kidney, said having a competitive squad would be key to following on last year's success in the Six Nations Championships.

There was no talk, however, of Grand Slams, with Kidney preferring to focus only on the visit of Italy to Croke Park on Saturday and the opening game in a new campaign.

Kidney was basically saying the slate was clean again and the side had to build once more towards achieving what they did last year.

The Irish management made a few tough calls on Tuesday when announcing the team to start against Italy.

But Kidney said competitiveness in the squad would breed success.

"Having players all bidding for the same places is what you want.

"It is crucial and if you do not have it, then the team, the squad, do not grow."

He added: "Last year we tried to put ourselves in a position where there would have to be calls to be made when selecting the teams.

"You look at the players and see how they are going. You just have to be honest and make the calls on form, which players are going better.

"Some of the decisions are so marginal it is almost inexplicable, others are based around combinations and also the opposition we face."

Andrew Trimble was one of several close calls made by Kidney, but he said the Ulster winger had come through well after a difficult spell with injury.

"In Andrew's case, he had an injury situation where it was do you get it sorted, or do you play?

"Ulster, Andrew and ourselves decided the right option was not to take him on the summer tour to North America.

"He got what he needed done, had a big pre-season and when he started playing in September he showed great form. He has continued to do that on a consistent basis.

"Andrew was probably unlucky in November not to get a game, but Shane (Horgan) deserved his outing on that occasion.

"This time around he (Horgan) loses out and Andrew gets his chance."

Last year, Ulster skipper and hooker, Rory Best played a big part in the Grand Slam and he also captained the Ireland side which toured North America.

But he has not played since following a neck injury which required surgery. Remarkably, Best has returned to playing earlier than expected and with him fit and ready to go, Kidney had no problem naming him on the bench.

"It is a credit to Rory. It was a major injury, but the way he has got himself back and fit again. Indeed I think he is probably fitter than he has been for some time.

"I think the importance of the club system to us as well was reflected in that he was able to play for Banbridge just two weeks ago and then get an outing against Saxons last Sunday.

"The fact that he has presented himself as being fit and ready to go is a credit to himself as much as anyone else.

"He was a senior player for us last year and we are going to need all that experience coming into the game."

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