WHERE were you when Wales stuffed Russia?

It is a question that will be asked for many years to come in these parts, after last Monday evening’s startling events in Toulouse.

For countless folk not lucky enough to be in the stadium, but able to watch the game on television, the circumstances of the occasion will likely stay with them forever.

In common with many, I was in my front room watching the game with family, in this case my sons, aged 20 and 17.

And as much as the fabulous team performance by Wales will live long in the memory, so too will those boys’ reactions to the events unfolding on the screen:

Anticipation and apprehension, changing to early, unfettered joy as Wales went 1-0 and then 2-0 up; a quick return to apprehension as chances to wrap it up by half-time were spurned; a strange mixture of glee and disbelief at what was going on, as after the break Wales continued where they left off, scored a third, and then proceeded to pass Russia into oblivion.

This was a hugely satisfying night when Wales confirmed that, as a football team, they are so much more than just Gareth Bale and 10 others.

I say ‘confirmed’, as this has been clear for a long time to anyone without a ridiculously English bias (hi, broadcasters!).

Through the qualifying campaign, and into this tournament, Wales have produced displays of such varied effectiveness, it is no longer appropriate to resort to the tired old cliche that they are ‘so much more than the sum of their parts’.

It is worth recalling again that they destroyed Israel away from home in that qualifying campaign with the sort of focused intent once again on display against Russia.

Worth recalling too, that when they beat Belgium 1-0 at an ecstatic Cardiff City Stadium 12 months ago, they did so despite having had little more than a third of the possession.

But that was not as one-sided, and nowhere near as lucky, as it sounds. In truth, an incredibly well-drilled Wales side neutered the threat of Hazard, De Bruyne, Lukaku and Belgium’s other superstars.

Belgium had 65 per cent of the possession, but for large parts of that match, Wales looked comfortable.

And so to the Euro 2016 tournament. Wales’ opening victory over Slovakia is a result that gets better and better in retrospect, the Slovaks subsequently beating Russia and then keeping England at bay.

Defeat to England was no doubt a bitter pill to swallow, given that Wales had taken the lead and defended resolutely, only to succumb at the death.

But the way the team responded to that reverse in the match against Russia, from which they had to emerge from with something to be sure of qualifying, was a hallmark of class.

Gareth Bale is simply, Gareth Bale, and I can add nothing to the superlatives employed copiously elsewhere.

After a spluttering start to the tournament, Aaron Ramsey mutated from damp moped to Bugatti Veyron.

Joe Allen finally located his inner Andres Iniesta and ran the game. More please.

But equal amounts of praise must be heaped on their teammates.

A lack of space dictates that I cannot praise them all individually, but: James Chester suddenly appears twice the defender he has been previously; Joe Ledley is exuding class and calm to go with the powers of recovery he appears to have inherited from Wolverine out of X-Men; and Ben Davies, seemingly without anyone who does not support Tottenham Hotspur noticing, has become the sort of back four player most clubs and countries would love to have in their squads.

Doesn’t it seem a long time ago now, all that talk about exorcising 58 years of hurt? Whatever happens from here on in, consider it exorcised, although defeat today against a gritty Northern Ireland might understandably trigger feelings of belatedly underachievement.

Also exorcised on Monday evening were the 13 years of hurt that followed Russia’s 1-0 win in Cardiff in the second leg of the play-off for a place at Euro 2004, and the subsequent revelations that a Russian player had failed a drugs test.

My eldest son, then seven years old, and I were at the Millennium Stadium that chilly night in November 2003, and I remember wondering on the way back to the car park as he bravely bottled up his disappointment beside me, if he or his brother would ever see Wales reach the finals of a major football tournament.

For years since that memorable but ultimately despairing evening, we have endured bone cold nights and hurtful Saturday afternoons watching Wales to no avail: 0-0 v Paraguay (St David’s Day 2006); 1-5 v Slovakia (but a superb free-kick from a certain teenager called Gareth Bale); 0-2 (and humbled) v Germany, April 1 2009; 0-2 (and humbled again) v England, March 2011.

That list could be much more detailed, but now, it all seems strangely worth it.

The long wait for when Wales had the players, the preparation and the organisation to thrive on the international stage has finally arrived again.

History suggests that some or all of these qualities align every 10 or 15 years or so, and Wales go close to some sort of notable achievement, only to fall at the final hurdle.

This time is different. This time that final hurdle has been cleared with aplomb, and there is something else, something seemingly more sustainable, about the current wave of success.

Euphoria can be deceptive - but there is a sense of purpose, of unity and a common goal, to the Wales set up that bodes well. Together Stronger, indeed.