These @BBCWales re-runs of classic Welsh sports matches are THE perfect lockdown TV. Looking back is the only way forward for most broadcasters right now.

This is a nostalgia THREAD about how the 2005 Grand Slam game was life changing for me. #WALVIRE05 https://twitter.com/bbcwales/status/1248615718947561472?s=21

I was born in May 1978, about 7 weeks after Wales’ last Grand Slam of the 1970s golden era.

27 years later they still hadn’t managed to win another, it felt like it would never happen, like we’d always be talking about the 70s, then 2005 came along.

At the time I was a Welshman living in London, working for Sky Sports in the rugby department. My colleagues were almost all English, mostly private school educated, still on a deserved high from their 03 RWC win. The office banter was unforgiving. I needed a Welsh Grand Slam.

A few weeks before the Ireland game I got a call from Wales coach Mike Ruddock, he thanked me for some tapes I’d sent him before the England game, said he needed another favour, his plan was to put O’Gara under the pump. “Do you have any examples of O’Gara getting charged down?”

I told him I had produced a Heineken Cup game in France earlier that season when Munster lost to Castres & O’Gara had a shocker. I sent as many O’Gara charge downs as I could to him & he replied to say he owed me one. Mike was a man of his word & he always emailed to say thanks.

In the week leading up to the #WALVIRE match the producer of The Rugby Club Show asked if I wanted to do my first ever Sky Sports report. I said yes. He said, “Only if you can get Henson”. I rang Ruddock & said I needed to call the favour. This was the VT

So, Saturday March 19th, there I was, stood on the lawn outside City Hall in Cardiff, alongside 20,000 crazy Welsh fans, telling anyone who would listen that O’Gara was gonna get charged down...and this happened... https://twitter.com/bbcsportwales/status/1248954870960455682?s=21

I found a photo online where you can see me. Near the tree. The party in town that night was insane. About the furthest from social distancing you could imagine. Everyone hugging, sharing drinks. That night I decided I wanted to move to Cardiff & work on Welsh rugby.

Wales win & I’ve never been so excited going to work on a Monday morning. That week Sky Sports had to select the production team who’d be going to cover the Lions. I argued we’d now need to send a Welsh person. I got the nod.

A 6 week trip to NZ. https://twitter.com/bbcsportwales/status/1249019630657601537?s=21

2 years later I left London, moved to Wales & started working at BBC. When I finally got a job covering the rugby in 2010 I had to start finding new pundits. The first 5 I booked - Shane, Shanks, Alfie, Ryan Jones & Martyn Williams. All stars of that 2005 Grand Slam winning team.

In 2015, 10 years after that Grand Slam, I produced my first ever Wales v Ireland game in Cardiff. A World Cup warm up match. It was a disaster, almost all the cameras went down, graphics failed, we had no replays. The director saved the day, keeping the game on air w/ 1 camera.

That evening I walked home through the streets of Cardiff. Put the game behind me. Set up a picnic in the park by my house, rang my girlfriend to come & join me & asked her to marry me.

Thank you @BBCWales for reminding me why WALvIRE days in Cardiff will always be special to me