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25th January 2008

After completing his fourth and final challenge - doing a studio interview for the Welsh language TV news programme for learners, Yr Wythnos

I enjoyed today. It was nice to see Rebecca again - but it wasn't so good that she brought me doom and gloom. I got a little nervous so I tried to think of all the Welsh I'd learnt as much as possible.

Rebecca meets Colin in the gym with details of his final challenge

I like setting myself goals but when there's a challenge on the television at the end of it, it creates more nerves than joy. I was lucky that I had the time between the gym and the studio to compose myself.

Yr Wythnos producer Telor greets Colin in the Â鶹Éç reception

I was happy with the interview in the end although I was nowhere near perfect. I was asked about my injured knee and which of my friends at the Newport Gwent Dragons had helped me learn Welsh, and I wished the Welsh team good luck in the Six Nations with Warren Gatland.

It was easy to understand the questions but when you try to think of an answer if you're one word short you freeze. But with these challenges people are more interested in helping you than treating it like an exam board.

Colin is interviewed by Yr Wythnos presenter Sara Gibson

When people see the interview, all I want is for them to think, "Good on him - he's having a go!" I'm humble and I know I'm just scratching the surface of learning Welsh. I just hope I can take it one step further so that an interview like that would be easy.

Colin and Sara relax after the interview

The response I've had from people has been so positive. I'm going to carry on with my tutor or maybe join a class. It would be a real mistake for me to stop now. If one of my rugby friends was asked to do something like The Big Welsh Challenge I'd tell him to get in there!

Colin reflects on his final challenge

Doing The Big Welsh Challenge has meant that I've been to my first Gŵyl Ifan, I've sung on TV for the first time and next month I'm going to my first opera because Rebecca's invited me to see her dress rehearsal for The Magic Flute. So irrespective of learning some Welsh, I've had great experiences.

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21st December 2007

After being presented with his final challenge - doing a post-match interview in Welsh

I'm not particularly surprised at this challenge. I knew something like this would come. There's a sneaky bit on the end of the challenge card which says it could happen whenever and wherever. That's a little bit unnerving but, as with all the other challenges, it's a bit of homework and a bit more effort. You've just got to take it in your stride. There's nothing I can get away from and that's what I've always maintained. In for a penny, in for a pound.

Rebecca goes to Rodney Parade to present the final challenge

I think right at the beginning when I was first asked about The Big Welsh Challenge one of my goals was to do an interview and have a little bit of chit chat about rugby in Welsh so ideally this is the end of one year's hard work to achieve that goal. I'm not going to say with confidence, "Bring it on!" but it's a case of the fact that I've got no choice now and it's going to happen.

Rebecca's been a great mentor. I'm more inclined to talk to her about the chance to come to one of her operas than anything else! I wouldn't call her a bully but she's definitely a competitive and pushy person. It's been fun having someone to drive me along and to help me learn.

Colin watches a DVD of Welsh post-match interviews

I've spoken to my tutor about carrying on with my Welsh after my final challenge. It's a question of whether I join a class or carry on with her. I wouldn't like to just put it to waste. I know I could stay at this level and carry on reading over the lessons I've done so far but I would like to push it a bit further. I've no huge goals of becoming fluent or anything like that but I'm pleased with what I've achieved so far and I'd like to keep learning a little bit more.

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27th November

After performing the third challenge - solving a murder mystery

Lowri tests Colin's Welsh

The actors and actresses were fabulous. It was a good, fun day. We had a bit of stress over the weekend with a little bit of rugby but I managed a couple of days to swot away. Rhod's always telling me I'm a bit too keen for him.

The characters discuss the murder victim as the drama unfolds

The guys (two Welsh learners) who were helping me whittled it down to two murderers and we went for the wrong one. But it was fun even if I didn't get it right. I can let the competitive edge go for one day in my life!

Colin questions PC Bert Side

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16th November

After performing the first challenge - singing Sosban Fach at the Children in Need appeal

Colin sings on the Children in Need stage

Fortunately Di helped us through this evening. I had an angel on one side and a devil on the other - Rhod-mischievous-Gilbert. Having company like that helps you enjoy yourself and it also helped with the nerves. The only thing which could have made the experience worse is singing it naked.

Colin talks to Aled Jones after the performance

Other than that, my Welsh learning is moving along. The thought of the murder mystery is daunting (the next challenge) because I'll have to interact but at least it's not live on TV!

Colin and Di with Roy Noble

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25th October 2007

After opening his third challenge, which involves solving a murder mystery

I think when we see the pictures on TV as I was given the third challenge I'll look pale and daunted but when we started looking at the phrases and vocab it became achievable and more fun. I don't have a problem learning words, although my pronunciation is a bit awkward still. I might end up giving one-word answers when we perform the challenge.

Colin arrives for his third challenge

I bought another set of CDs recently but the problem is that they're not interactive and as soon as someone goes off script and starts talking to me in Welsh I just freeze. I feel good though that I know enough words to be polite to someone.

Rebecca tests Colin's vocabulary

I think in the end it will be like my French and something will just click. I'll just absorb as much as I can and one day I'll really surprise somebody.

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11th October 2007

I didn't manage to progress with my Welsh too much during the World Cup, but I have bought a new book of CDs and that helped. The fellas in the squad soon got bored of the same conversations though.

Colin at Rodney Parade

My French did improve as there were only three French speakers in the team and our manager only got as far as "bonnet de douche" ("shower cap"). Our camp was an hour outside Nantes and some of the language I heard seemed to have a bit of Welsh about it. I noticed there were a few words in common.

I didn't get to do a post-match comment in Welsh. The Welsh speakers monopolised the interviews and I didn't feel too confident. I'm happy to be home now. It makes it easier to structure lessons - so I'm planning to get a local tutor to help me.

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30th August 2007

As most people are aware the last month has been flat out with three internationals so my Welsh book has been left on the sideboard, which is a shame. But it's really good because I'm going away now for about five weeks and there'll be Welsh speaking players with me on a daily basis. If they take it in turns to help - I wouldn't want one person to take all the burden - it means that I can have proper conversations in Welsh rather than just learning phrases. I might try and get a line of Welsh on S4C too!

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22nd June 2007 - Challenge 2: Calling a dance at the Gŵyl Ifan

Colin gets help from a tutor

Colin takes to the dance floor

Colin's comments on calling the steps of the dance Y Delyn Newydd:

It was quite nerve-racking but with everyone smiling and cheering and clapping along I could tell they all seemed to be enjoying it and I relaxed a bit then. I think they're a relaxed group and they wanted to enjoy it. Don't ask me to do it again - but it was good fun.

Colin calls the steps

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26th April 2007

Colin is given his second challenge - to call the steps of a Welsh folk dance

Rebecca tells Colin about his second challenge

I think this challenge is achievable - and as daunting as it seemed at first I think there's light at the end of the tunnel. I've got no previous experience of doing this. I'm going to learn something new over the next few weeks.

Colin struggles with his pronunciation

While we were practising I was getting hooked up with trying to get the pronunciation right and the words come out quite slowly. I'm going to have to nail the pronunciation quickly. I don't think it's too much to worry about. There's quite a fun aspect to it as well, so it's just a case of roll up your sleeves and have a go at it. Just like the singing - it for a penny, in for a pound.

Rebecca cools Colin down after a hard day's work

Colin reflects on his progress

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12th April 2007

I've just been through the busiest time of year with the Six Nations, which means six weeks away from home but I've made a good start with my Welsh and the guys in the team who speak Welsh have been helping. I've been getting support too from a friend at home and I've been working through the Â鶹Éç Catchphrase course.

I can talk about myself and my brothers and sisters, and the guys will help by throwing a couple of questions at me. I'm happy with what I know so far - the trouble is though that I say one sentence in Welsh and people think I know far more than I do and ask me another fifty questions!

The great thing is when I'm out, strangers in the street ask me how the lessons are going and speak to me in Welsh. Sometimes though I need to say, "stop, hold on - that's as far as I can go!" And when they hear me speak Welsh they don't know whether to laugh at the Welsh itself or my English accent.

It's definitely coming along though and more and more people are speaking Welsh to me - people who learnt Welsh at school are practising their language with me. And the other day someone came up to me after a match and instead of asking how the game went, he asked my how my Welsh was going.

I really thought it was going to be much harder. I don't think people should be daunted by it. A lot of people had said to me that Welsh was really difficult but it's not. I spend an hour working on it and at the end I feel good. I need more practice now putting sentences together before I can achieve my goal of doing a post match interview in Welsh.

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March 2007
COLIN'S FIRST THOUGHTS ON THE BIG WELSH CHALLENGE

On his partner, Rebecca:
I think we'll have a great time. Rebecca seems like a really nice lady. She has an interest in rugby - we've got something to talk about. She's already invited me to see her perform so I'm really looking forward to that. I think she's probably more determined than most to see that she can teach someone Welsh. There's a competitive streak in both of us that will help us throughout the challenges.

Colin and Rebecca meet

On his first challenge (singing Sosban Fach in front of an audience):
It could have been a lot worse. The actual language aspect of it wasn't too difficult. It was the singing that really threw me. For me to come for my first challenge and be asked to sing with a professional singer, being a rugby player who can't sing at all, let alone in a different language, was difficult. The heart was going mad, my voice was dry, my heart was in my mouth, but Rebecca pulled me though it and supported me. I've got to keep practising the song, learn the words, learn the tune and hope that my voice isn't as bad as I think it is. And on the day, if I can get the words right and pronounce them as well as possible, if I sing badly I sing badly - that's just the way it is!

Colin has a go at performing Sosban Fach

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