BBC Wales will broadcast a new documentary series charting the successes and failures of the Wales rugby union team across one of the most turbulent decades of recent times.
Airing across three consecutive nights on BBC One Wales from 3 January, Slammed looks at the extraordinary events that occurred in Welsh rugby between 1998 and 2008.
The series begins with the arrival of a new coach, Graham Henry from New Zealand, in the wake of one of Wales’ worst ever defeats – a 96-13 humiliation against South Africa.
Wales was also hosting the Rugby World Cup the following year, with the newly constructed Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, which hosted the opening match and the final, becoming the proud centrepiece of Welsh rugby, but success on the pitch was still a long way off.
The second episode focusses on Henry’s compatriot Steve Hansen, who took over the reigns as coach in 2002, but he would step down just two years later, having recorded a streak of 11 consecutive Test match defeats during a disappointing tenure.
The next coach, the tenth in 15 years, would be a Welshman – Mike Ruddock – who led Wales to their first Six Nations grand slam since 1978, however turmoil was building behind the scenes, which would produce a story that gripped the nation amid rumour and accusation.
That provides the subject matter for the third and final episode of the series, which concludes with Wales backing up their 2005 success with a further grand slam in 2008.
The series will feature contributions from many of the key figures involved in Welsh rugby during the late 1990s and the 2000s, including coaches Steve Hansen, Mike Ruddock and Warren Gatland, as well as players Gareth Thomas, Shane Williams, Colin Charvis, Tom Shanklin and many more.
Slammed will air across three straight nights on BBC One Wales from 3-5 January.
All three episodes will be available to watch live online or via catch-up on BBC iPlayer.
Slammed – starts Monday, 3 January at 9pm on BBC One Wales
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MONDAY 3rd JANUARY
SLAMMED: Episode 1
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TUESDAY 4th JANUARY
SLAMMED: Episode 2
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WEDNESDAY 5th JANUARY
SLAMMED: Episode 3
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