Wales snatch late win
13 Feb 2010
Shane Williams scored a last-minute try to secure Wales a 31-24 win over Scotland at the Millennium Stadium on Saturday.
Scotland, inspired by pivot Dan Parks, were the better team for most parts of the match and deserved their 10-point lead seven minutes from time. However, they reduced to 13 men and Wales score two late converted tries and a penalty to steal victory.
Before the kickoff, there was already a controversial point. Wales head coach Warren Gatland requested the stadium’s roof to be closed, but his Scottish counterpart Andy Robinson refused as he believed it would give the home side an extra advantage.
The decision went Robinson’s way, as the ruling is that both coaches must agree for a closed stadium, but Wales were still the favourites no doubt. With nine British and Irish Lions in their starting line-up, Wales looked the stronger side on paper.
However, on the field it was a different story as Scotland had the upper hand in the early exchanges on a chilly afternoon in Cardiff.
Wales were poor in defence and attack from the outset as they slipped several tackles and poor handling scuffed vital try-scoring opportunities.
This allowed Scotland to steal the early momentum and they took full advantage of Wales defensive flaws as flank John Barclay burst through centre James Hook and scrumhalf Gareth Cooper for the opening score. Fullback Chris Paterson added the extras for a 7-0 lead.
Wales dominated the scrums throughout the match as the Scottish front row faltered, and this allowed the home side to score their first points from a resulting penalty moments later. Flyhalf Gareth Jones on target for the hosts.
But the influential Parks then helped Scotland surge into a 12-point lead. First Parks cancelled out Jones’ three-pointer with a drop goal and minutes later, put a clever grubber through Wales’ flat defence for replacement wing Max Evans to touch down in the corner.
Jones and Parks, who took over the kicking duties from Paterson as the injured fullback suffered a premature end to his 100th Test cap, then traded penalties in the last quarter to leave the score 18-9 at the break.
Scotland had the perfect start to the second stanza as they were awarded a penalty from the restart. Parks kicked the three-pointer to extend the visitors’ lead. However, Gatland’s charges came out a more inspired side after half-time.
This saw Wales hit back through a Lee Byrne try. From a set-piece in the midfield, Wales passed the ball wide and the fullback found space in the wings to score in the corner, but Parks put Scotland 10 points ahead with a long range drop goal.
With 10 minutes remaining, Scotland were under pressure to maintain their lead. The situation worsened for the visitors as replacement hooker Scott Lawson was sinned bin in the 74th minute, giving Wales a one-man advantage which sparked their comeback.
First Wales overlapped Scotland’s defence out wide as wing Leigh Halfpenny ran in at the corner. Jones kicked the conversion..
From the restart Wales were on the attack again, this time kicking the ball into space. Scotland were penalised for illegally obstructing the home team’s chase and were reduced to 13 men. Jones then levelled the scores, with one more play remaining.
It seemed that a draw was a satisfying result for the home side as Gatland and co clearly looked relieved in the stands, but that wasn’t the end of the match as Wales did the unthinkable.
From the kickoff, Wales gathered possession. Jones then kicked the ball out wide and Halfpenny secured possession in the Scots’ 22. After three phases, Wales had men extra in attack and wing Williams scored the match-winning try under the posts.
By Gareth Duncan
108 Comments
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13 Feb 2010, 17:29 pm
@Brigadier Van Zyl: amazing isn’t it? And that after just one scrum, the power of Heinke and Lombaard hurts real bad.
9-6 WP
13 Feb 2010, 17:30 pm
pieterson attempts possibly the worst drop of all time.
13 Feb 2010, 17:30 pm
that is a k@k drop goal attempt…
13 Feb 2010, 17:30 pm
Dumb droppie. Not only does he kick as far as Steyn now he wants to droppie everything.
13 Feb 2010, 17:31 pm
Lions discipline and silly kicking possesion away will lose them this match.
What is so hard? Keep the ball in hand and attack. Easier to set up the ruck than counter ruck
13 Feb 2010, 17:32 pm
Rose looks an idiot in that cap. He is a fullback for goodness sake, one of the pretty boys.
13 Feb 2010, 17:32 pm
lions are kak, way too many penalties.
I’m blaming earl rose.
13 Feb 2010, 17:33 pm
Habana is hungry for work.
13 Feb 2010, 17:33 pm
Lil Pietersen is a class act at Fb way better than legends like Percy the ramp model.
13 Feb 2010, 17:34 pm
this is the most boring game so far…
13 Feb 2010, 17:34 pm
@Michael: not as bad as Aplon who looks like a **** with his scrum cap on … he should get a smaller one.
13 Feb 2010, 17:34 pm
Burger loses ball in tackle, him and danie has that problem wonder why they have big strong hands but constantly loses the pill in contact
13 Feb 2010, 17:35 pm
Lions making it easy for the Stormers
13 Feb 2010, 17:35 pm
@skopskiet: What are you smoking? I’d like some…
@RedLion: Any back wearing a scrum cap is a woss!
13 Feb 2010, 17:35 pm
Duane Vermulen is looking like a Bok 8.
13 Feb 2010, 17:36 pm
Pieterson has as much chance of being an international fullback as I done.
Percy….over 800 test points wasn’t it?
Pieterson….zilch
13 Feb 2010, 17:36 pm
cmon the kilted clan, finish the job..
13 Feb 2010, 17:36 pm
New coach and players but same old Lions, poor
13 Feb 2010, 17:36 pm
Come on Lions. For fk sake. These penalties are killing us – points & possession.
13 Feb 2010, 17:36 pm
Illegal rucking, ***** cats.
Penalty:-)
13 Feb 2010, 17:37 pm
Come on Scotland.
13 Feb 2010, 17:37 pm
if that black 19 year old wing of the lions is the future of bok rugby, then God save our queen!!!!!!!!!
13 Feb 2010, 17:37 pm
@SodaJoe: Yes, Duane is looking a class act.
13 Feb 2010, 17:38 pm
@SodaJoe:
vermuelen is the new jaque cronje, he’ll probably get a few caps but will never be a pierre spies
13 Feb 2010, 17:39 pm
Why the Lions dont just play Rose at FH is beyond me, he can get a backline away
13 Feb 2010, 17:39 pm
@Big Hit: Thanks, a link that actually works in N.America.
13 Feb 2010, 17:39 pm
gotta love them SA cheerleaders
13 Feb 2010, 17:39 pm
the lions dancing girls are better looking this year.
that’s the only improvement I’ve seen so far.
13 Feb 2010, 17:40 pm
May be the ugliest cheerleaders outside of some small town on the Mexican border.
13 Feb 2010, 17:41 pm
now the Lions are starting to put the phases together and that face mugger just shoulder charged the king … give that thag a yellow ref.
13 Feb 2010, 17:41 pm
lol Carlos skrik sy gat af vir schalk, falls on his knees and the tackle is deemed no arms? It was arond his nack but he was kneeling ffs
13 Feb 2010, 17:41 pm
@Brigadier Van Zyl: Your name describes your taste in women.
Great coach, i sincerely doubt he knew anything about women.
I am sure that the Brigadier thought Thys Lourens was cute.
13 Feb 2010, 17:42 pm
6-12 WP lead … Burger lucky not to get a yellow card.
13 Feb 2010, 17:42 pm
Pietersen a natural rugby footballer, Percy a made in mediocrity model. All you Bulls stalwarts were booing Percy like the moo cows you are. Now you change you double dutch dubious minds because your poodle coach turned him into a legend.
Pietersen is ten times the natural that Percy was at same stage of their careers. And with more guts more gas more natural flare and game read plus a better boot.
I have to chose the first 2 Fb’s in the country right now its Pietersen and Viljoen ahead of the rest by miles.
13 Feb 2010, 17:43 pm
What happened to Buys?
13 Feb 2010, 17:43 pm
thought Carlos was actually falling when contact was made, would have been a harsh yellow.. from this neutral anyways
13 Feb 2010, 17:43 pm
Carlos is a bloody artist.
13 Feb 2010, 17:44 pm
Silly rugby, Lions playing as if they are winning
13 Feb 2010, 17:44 pm
these lions are shite…
13 Feb 2010, 17:44 pm
@SodaJoe: Buys is injured but Geldenhuys is also class … we have plenty of depth in the front row … meanwhile Blaauw is crying in pain from the rogering he got in the very firts scrum of the match.
13 Feb 2010, 17:46 pm
Well Lions monstered Stormers scrum, and we still opened up for a try.
Nice work Habs.
13 Feb 2010, 17:46 pm
Come on Lions. Too many dof mistakes.
13 Feb 2010, 17:46 pm
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
13 Feb 2010, 17:46 pm
Come on Scotland. Come on.
13 Feb 2010, 17:46 pm
@skopskiet: Pieterson is good, Percy played his best rugby in his last 2/3 seasons.
13 Feb 2010, 17:47 pm
The KINGS to replace the lions …en kla
13 Feb 2010, 17:47 pm
we at least we hurt them in the scrum and I feel it will only be a matter of time until we see rewards for dominating the WPinas up front.
13 Feb 2010, 17:47 pm
Skops. I agree with you – if anyone can name a better fullback on current form (and an ability to take points) than Joe P I would like to know. Zane looked very weak yesterday.
13 Feb 2010, 17:48 pm
There you go the gas at the back Habana and Pietersen both class acts. This lil Pietersen got oodles of what it takes, watch and witness greatness in the making and he’s how old 22 thereabouts, put Percy and them legends in the shade at same stage of their careers.
13 Feb 2010, 17:48 pm
very very generous from habana,espcially since it was a one on one with the pearl
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