Can Wales win the Rugby World Cup? Yes, of course we can - in our dreams. After all, there’s little point taking part in a competition if you don’t have the dream of winning it. And winning it should be the aim of every team entering.

Now many pundits will no doubt shake their heads, saying it’s impossible for Namibia - or Wales - to win the trophy. There’s more chance of Gavin Henson forgetting to do his hair. But if a player goes out onto the field believing his team is going to lose,  they surely will.

Part of the job of a good coach is to ensure his players take the field with the right attitude: determination, courage, perseverance, the will to win – and hope. The hope that today will be the day that everything goes right, the day that all the pieces come together, the day that Colin Charvis’s drop-goal attempt succeeds.

'Many pundits will no doubt shake their heads, saying it’s impossible for Namibia - or Wales - to win the World Cup. There’s more chance of Gavin Henson forgetting to do his hair'


I refuse to be brought down by a single result (England 62 Wales 5). I continue to hope. I’m Welsh - I don’t give up that easily.

Perhaps my biggest hope is that the lineout will be sorted. I am an unqualified spectator but even I can see that for years we’ve been a disaster in the lineout. I cover my eyes with my hands when it’s our throw-in. It seems to be one area we can’t get right. We’ve neglected to master the most basic techniques, so what do we do? We experiment with new and complicated tricks that fail as inevitably as Chris Horsman getting penalised for fouling. Sadly, the coaching team don’t seem to have worked this out yet.

We have some great backs, wonderfully elusive wings, and the brightest up-and-coming star on the Welsh horizon in James Hook. Like the All Blacks, the team’s aim is to play open, expansive, exciting-to-watch rugby, but without the ball, the talent we have will be wasted.

We could go to the World Cup, try our best, and come away pleased if we don’t get beaten by Canada. We could settle for getting to the quarter-finals. Or we can go with the intention of making it to the final, at the very least. Do we even dare imagine that?

The squad have spent the summer being conditioned. It takes time for this to produce results. It’s not an instant fix. The game against England wasn’t a true reflection of what Wales can do. The Dragon can still breathe fire. We’re just waiting for the right moment.

Just because a dream is unrealistic, doesn’t make it undreamable.