STRANGE RED CARD HELPS SEND WALES HOME

 

(Image taken from Rugby World Cup)

The last time Wales made it to the Rugby World Cup semi finals was way back in 1987 when they were hammered 49-6 by New Zealand at the Ballymore Stadium. The Welsh got their points through a John Deveraux try converted by Paul Thornburn(back then it was four points for a try). The Welsh have never won a Rugby World Cup semi final though and are traditionally one of the underachievers amongst the Home Nations in this event. However their passion for rugby is certainly unquestioned and their recent Six Nations record is as respectable as anyone's. They certainly weren't expecting to do as well as they've done so far though.

This time around, Wales were up against France. The last time the two sides met was in this year's Six Nations and France won 28-9 at the Stade de France, with me actually supporting the French on that occasion as it secured England the title for that tournament. The last time the Welsh beat the French was during the '08 Six Nations when a 29-12 win at the Millenium Stadium secured the Welsh that year's title as well as the Grand Slam! The two sides have never faced each other in the RWC though but Frace do have a respectable record in the tournament. They've never lifted the trophy but have reached the final twice, more recently in '99.

So, this was it. The biggest game in Welsh rugby history for a generation. England had been seen off by the French and somehow out of nowhere the Welsh, having only finished 2nd in their group had beaten Ireland in the quarter final to become the last Home Nation standing and now the whole of the British Isles were united behind them, though with me the fact that I have Welsh blood also helps. The major bummer for the Warren Gatland coached Welsh coming into this Rugby World Cup semi final at Eden Park was their new hotshot kicker Rhys Priestand getting injured which meant that James Hook had to come in to replace him. Captain Sam Warburton looked to lead his men into history.

With most rugby fanms behind them the Welsh had the first attack of the game and went on to open the scoring with a Hook pen and the French dodged another bullet not long after that. Things seemed to settle down after that but then the match turned. A French player hits the deck, Les Bleus aren't happy. That's a dead cert penalty, maybe a binning. Sending off? Never seen that before. The show went on though. Morgan Parra levelled the match with a pen. It seemed inevitable that the game would slip away from the Welsh. Parra completed the turnaround with another pen. The stunned Welsh had no response. They were losing 6-3 at half time.

In the early stages of the second half, a comeback certainly didn't look likely as the Welsh were having to hold back the blue tide with a man down and struggling. Eventually they succumbed once again to another Parra pen however just as Wales fans were losing all hope the men in red surged into French territory and the ball found the hands of scrum half Mike Phillips who could not be stopped. Try Wales. The Welsh tried to build on their momentum but a messed up long range drop goal was as good as it got. Still Wales were not done and they camped in the French half for the remainder of the match but unable to take advantage of the opportunities they were given, lost 9-8. Annoying.

The following day, New Zealand faced Australia at Eden Park. The hosts opened the scoring through Ma'a Nonu and then added a pen from Piri Weepu only for the Aussies to get off the ground with a James O'Connor pen before Aaron Cruden and Quade Cooper got a drop goal for each team then Weepu added another pen before half time. Weepu hit another pen in the early stages of the second half but then the match looked to be fading out. That sense of the game running out of fuel continued and any hope the Aussies had of getting back into the contest faded after one of theoir guys got binned. Weepu had the last word with won last pen and New Zealand won 20-6.

So, the 3rd place playoff looks like this: Wales vs Australia.

As for the final: New Zealand vs France.

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