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Celebrity League (Overall)
Congratulations to funny man Rhod Gilbert who crept into the winning position in the Western Mail's Fantasy Rugby Celebrity League! Rhod's team The Jokers managed to clinch first after bringing Cipriani in for Wilkinson in the final round of matches. A strong performance from all celebrities had the Celebrity league finishing 8th overall in the League table!
Backs: Stephen Jones, Chris Paterson, Danny Cipriani, Ronan O'Gara, Richard Wiggelsworth, Mike Phillips and Dimitri Yachvili. Forwards: Steve Borthwick, Fulgence Ouedraogo, John Hayes Tom Croft, Donnacha O'Callaghan, Martin Castrogiovanni, Ryan Jones and Duncan Jones. ^top ANDREW VICARI (The Artists) 
Vicari can claim to have played a small part in the Welsh victory over Scotland having presented the team with a canvas print of his work renaming their new dressing room. The Dragon's Lair brought Wales success as they switched from the old 'Home' dressing room, but Vicari always knew Gatland had made the right decision."The dressing room they moved into is my lucky dressing room. It's where I painted the mural that helped to break the curse of the Millennium Stadium a few years ago," he said. The master artist's horse, sun and phoenix painting in what used to be the 'Away' dressing room helped break the curse of 12 successive defeats in the football finals staged at the ground from 2001. That's why he was so delighted to offer another work to help Wales with their switch. "I couldn't bear to watch the Scottish game just in case my lucky dressing room turned against the team. In the end, I should have had more faith in Ryan and his men, "They've been fantastic so far and look by far the best team in the championship. Let's hope they can build on their fine start and repeat what happened in 2005. "The Welsh players have earned me good points to date and long may that continue. I'm no great rugby buff, but I must admit I'm enjoying my involvement in the Fantasy Rugby because it gets you involved in every game."I'm just delighted I'm ahead of Gareth Edwards, I thought he was supposed to know something about this game! As long as I stay ahead of Gareth, and catch up with Max, I'll be very happy." Backs: James Hook, Mike Phillips, Richard Wiggelsworth, Lesley Vainikolo, Ronan O'Gara, Chris Paterson and Jean-Baptiste Elissalde. Forwards: David Wallace, Martin Castrogiovanni, Fulgence Ouedraogo, Marcus Horan, Tom Croft, Ryan Jones, Dimitri Szarzewski and Jonathan Thomas. ^top GARETH EDWARDS (No. 9 Dream Team) The adjective 'great' trips off the tongue quite easily when associated with some sportsmen and women. In the case of Gareth Edwards, and rugby union, the word normally used to describe him is 'greatest'. Gareth knows what it takes to taste glory in the Five Nations. But his record to date in the Six Nations Celebrity League over recent seasons hasn't quite been up to scratch. But this year could be different. He has studied the form, changed his tactics and is getting ready for a better campaign - along with the Welsh team, he hopes! "Twickenham is a difficult place to go to start any championship campaign. I played my first game against England there in 1968 and a number of things on the field haven't changed since then," said Gareth. "The English team are always massive, the atmosphere is always intimidating and Welsh teams struggle to win enough possession. If you don't have the ball, you can't score the points. "As for my Fantasy XV, I think I've come to terms with my shortcomings of recent seasons. I'm relying on James Hook to work some magic for Wales on the field, and my team off it, and a few tries from Wales skipper Ryan Jones wouldn't go amiss on the opening weekend." Backs: James Hook, Chris Paterson, Danny Cipriani, Paul Sackey, Ronan O'Gara, Lesley Vainikolo and Jean-Baptiste Elissalde. Forwards: Gethin Jenkins, Nicolas Mas, Martin Castrogiovanni, Marcus Horan, David Wallace, Carlo Del Fava, Andy Sheridan and Ryan Jones. ^top ABERPANDY RFC (Denzil's Dynamos) 
Aberpandy RFC Coach Denzil, and his team-members Huw and Carl,are the new faces of BBC Wales promotions for this year's Six Nations. Watch out for a different classic TV moment featuring the trio in the run up to every game on BBC One and BBC Two Wales. Where Scrum IV led, so Aberpandy RFC and their charismatic coach, Denzil, is following for the BBC in their promotion of the Six Nations. We've given them the chance to join in the fun and select their side to play in the top rugby tournament in the world and Denzil believes he has the magic formula to choose a team to win the Celebrity League title. Who knows, by the end of the tournament he could be giving Warren Gatland and co a few tips! Here is the Aberpandy RFC selection. Backs: Jean Baptiste Elissalde, Danny Cipriani, James Hook, Ronan O'Gara, Mike Phillips, Chris Paterson and Lesley Vainikolo. Forwards: Tom Croft, Leonardo Ghiraldini, Lionel Nallet, Fulgence Ouedraogo, Denis Leamy, Rory Best, Louis Picamoles and Ryan Jones. ^top RHOD GILBERT (The Jokers) 
Rhod Gilbert may be one of Wales' funniest men, but his rugby memories are no laughing matter - at least not to himself.
"I used to play in all the try scoring positions for my school in Carmarthen, but I never scored a try," recalls the BBC Wales radio and TV entertainer."I always enjoyed playing the game, but never really got over being flattened by Emyr Lewis in a local school derby when I was about 14. Even at that age Emyr had the nickname of 'Tarw'. "I was the last line of defence at full back and he only had me to beat to score another try. I lined him up, said a few prayers and hoped for the best. "I never forgot the impact. The bastard didn't have the decency to try to side step me - instead, he ran through and over me. "By the time I got up and dusted myself down they had taken the conversion." But far from put him off rugby, that incident merely forced Rhod into a different direction in life - one that has taken him to the top of his profession. "I love rugby and all the social elements it brings together. Last season I was lucky enough to get involved in taking my radio show on the road with Wales and that was great fun," he said. "That's why I'm so looking forward to the Six Nations kicking-off again this weekend. We'll be at the home of London Welsh rugby club, Old Deer Park, to do our radio show and I'm hoping to wind up the English fans as much as possible. "Joining the Celebrity League will give me another good reason to keep a close eye on what is going on across the three games each weekend, although I hope Warren gatland proves to be a better selector than I am." Backs: James Hook, Lesley Vainikolo, Ronan O'Gara, Danny Cipriani, Chris Paterson, Shane Williams, and Andrea Marcato. Forwards: Ryan Jones, Dimitri Szarzewski, Marcus Horan, Tom Croft, Sergio Parisse, Carlo Del Fava, John Hayes and Duncan Jones. ^top KELLY PESTICCIO (Pretty in Pink) 
The reigning Miss Wales, Kelly Pesticcio, may be bringing up the rear in the Celebrity League, but she is still smiling because she found herself in the perfect place to enjoy that opening round victory over England. The Leicester University medical student was working for Leicester Tigers on the day of the game and proudly wore her Welsh shirt in the middle of a throng of English fans in the clubhouse.
"The Tigers had a junior tournament on during the day and then had everyone back in the clubhouse to watch the match," recalled Kelly. "There must have been 70-80 England fans in the bar in which I was watching the game and I was the only person in the room wearing red. It didn't look good for us to begin with, but then Ryan's boys really got going and conjured up a fantastic result. "As the room fell quieter and quieter, so I got louder and louder. "Now all I have to do is start picking up more points in the Celebrity league. I think I made a mistake with my initial selection by letting my heart rule my head. "I've always liked Dwayne Peel and I picked him at the start not realising he had been injured and might not play. I improved in round two and I hope to be off the bottom soon." Backs: Jonny Wilkinson, Jamie Noon, Stephen Jones, Lesley Vainikolo, Brian O'Driscoll, Rory Lamont and Mark Jones. Forwards: Martin Castrogiovanni, Ryan Jones, Alasdair Stokosch, Denis Leamy, Rory Best, Jim Hamilton, Jonathan Thomas and Tom Croft. ^top ROBERT CROFT (Hit 'em for Six) Crafty Crofty knows all the ins and outs of the Fantasy Rugby game and has twice been a former Celebrity League winner. But Glamorgan cricket's finest is not sure what to expect from the upcoming Six Nations campaign. "It is going to be a difficult championship to call We've got a new coach in Warren Gatland, it's all change in France and Italy and England are looking to blood some youngsters post-World Cup," he said. "That means it could be anybody's championship and anyone could emerge as a new star. The Scots and the Irish have stuck to what they know and are going to be very difficult to beat as a result. "So I've stuck to the tried and tested goalkickers - Wilko, Hook, Traille and O'Gara - and tried to get as many try scoring back five forwards into my pack. "I can't wait for the action to start and I'll be at Twickenham with a few mates cheering on Ryan Jones and his Welsh side. I was only a youngster when they last won there in 1988, so it's about time they broke the hoodoo." Backs: James Hook, Danny Cipriani, Ronan O'Gara, Lesley Vainikolo, Mike Blair, Andrea Marcato and Dimitri Yachvili. Forwards: Ryan Jones, Martin Castrogiovanni, Tom Croft, David Wallace, Fulgence Ouedraogo, Nick Easter, Ian Gough and Jonathan Thomas. ^top ANDY WILLIAMS (X Marks the Spot) They were once huge rivals on the stage during the last season of X Factor, but throughout the Six Nations Andy Williams and Rhydian Roberts will be brothers in arms as they back Wales to the hilt. For Llanelli-born and Newport-raised Andy, who used to play on the wing for the Pill Harriers Youth team, Saturday's rehearsals in London for the Live X Factor Tour will be of secondary importance to supporting Wales in their bid to break their Twickenham hoodoo. "I'm a big Gavin Henson fan, but I haven't picked him in my side because he isn't goalkicking these days. But Hooky is there and I'm banking on him having a really big season," said Andy. "I'm a passionate rugby supporter and I can still remember wales beating England at the Millennium Stadium at the start of the 2005 Grand Slam season. It was a privilege to say 'I was there'! "Rhydian and I will be watching the game together on Saturday and we're hoping to down a few cheeky beers afterwards to celebrate an historic Wales victory. "We're both hoping to catch one of the Welsh games live later in the season and we'd love to one day get the chance to sing at the Millennium Stadium. Now that would be a dream come true." Backs: Stephen Jones, Jonny Wilkinson, Ronan O'Gara, Dimitri Yachvili, Jamie Noon, Chris Paterson and Graeme Morrison. Forwards: Ryan Jones, Fulgence Ouedraogo, Lee Mears, Tom Croft, Bernard Jackman, John Hayes, David Wallace and Matthew Rees. ^top JASON MOHAMMAD (Ely's Finest) BBC Wales sports news presenter Jason Mohammad has already been on the Six Nations beat and been to Twickenham to case the joint ahead of the big kick-off. He will be up in London on the eve of the tournament, broadcasting live from Old Deer Park - the home of London Welsh. He's staying up for the game the next day and hoping to analyse a famous Welsh victory "I'm broadcasting live from London Welsh RFC on Wales Today on Friday night at 6.30 and then I'll be at Twickenham on Saturday preparing for the Scrum V Six Nations specials, which return on Sunday night on BBC One Wales," said Jason. "I'll be praying for a Welsh win. I was doing my mock GCSEs at Glyn Derw High School in Ely, the last time Wales won at Twickers - 20 years of hurt must come to an end on Saturday. "And you know what, I reckon we'll win. There's a renewed sense of optimism that has been brought into the game in Wales by Mr Gatland. Good luck to him and Ryan Jones." Backs: Chris Paterson, Danny Cipriani, Ronan O'Gara, Shane Williams, Stephen Jones, Andrea Masi and Jean-Baptiste Elissalde. Forwards: Phil Vickery, Dmitri Szarzewski, Tom Croft, Leonardo Ghilraldini, Andrea Lo Cicero, Gethin Jenkins, Lee Mears and Martyn Williams. ^top |
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