France profit from moment of madness
15 Oct 2011
JON CARDINELLI writes that a reckless Welsh tackle proved to be the catalyst for an unlikely 9-8 World Cup semi-final win for France.
Up until the 18th minute of Saturday’s play-off at Eden Park, Sam Warburton had been one of the standouts for Wales and indeed one of the stars of the 2011 tournament. Sadly, the young Wales captain will not be remembered for his impressive displays against South Africa in the pool stages and Ireland in the quarter-final, but rather for one brainless tackle that would jettison the Dragons from the global tournament.
Wales were in firm control for much of the first quarter. While their scrum struggled against a lighter but technically superior French eight, they enjoyed the majority of possession and territory, and went to a 3-0 lead in the eighth minute thanks to the boot of James Hook.
France took a pounding at the collisions. Dimitri Yachvili floated a pass to Vincent Clerc well behind the gain line, and this proved to be the game-changing moment, as Warburton, in his enthusiasm to make the hit and possibly force the turnover, lifted Clerc beyond the horizontal and then let the winger fall to ground. Referee Alain Rolland brandished the mandatory red card, and as good as Wales had looked, they were always going to struggle to hang on for 62 minutes with only 14 men.
France used the numerical advantage to good effect at scrum time, but were woefully bad in general play. Morgan Parra had kicked them to a 6-3 lead by half-time, but it was the short-handed Wales that continued to control possession and territory. The French backs battled to field the high balls launched by the Wales halfbacks, and when they did, they often made some shocking decisions which allowed Wales to regain the pill.
It was here where Wales needed to make the best of a bad situation. Hook had done brilliantly to slot his first penalty attempt from the touchline, but proceeded to fluff two subsequent shots from midfield, as well as a drop-goal attempt. France were far too loose towards the end of the first stanza and may have scored more points had they kept it close, but Wales may also have gone to the break in the lead if they had kicked their goals.
Parra bisected the uprights in the 49th minute, but the plucky Welsh refused to lie down. They continued to pressure the French back three, and the tactical substitution of Stephen Jones had the desired effect as they played smarter and tighter. While they had wasted opportunities in the first 40, they took the first chance available to them when Mike Phillips breezed through the French defence for an important try. Tellingly, Jones missed the ensuing conversion to allow France to maintain a slender 9-8 lead.
At times the Tricolores looked like the team with the one-man disadvantage. They were guilty of being too casual in some instances, and too frantic in others. It’s the type of performance many would have expected after their strong showing against England, as they have a reputation for inconsistency. They battled to put a 14-man Wales side away, and in the end, they were the side that held on for the win.
It was always going to be too much to ask of a Wales side one man short. It would have been remembered as one of the great victories had they finished a multiphase attack at the death, but unfortunately it will go down in history as a game they lost in the 18th minute when their captain received his marching orders. Three missed penalty-attempts (Leigh Halfpenny didn’t have the distance with a 50m shot in the 76th minute) and a missed conversion, also cost them dearly.
624 Comments
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15 Oct 2011, 14:45 pm
JL1 498: which rubbish are you pointing to?
15 Oct 2011, 14:46 pm
@mpundulu(mpundulu)-499: Manna from heaven for this whitey “sent from God”
Nope Mpungushe… I reckon you are what is known as an Uncle Tom. Your support for the All Blacks proves this.
Welcome to your new name: Uncle Tom
I think its going to stick.
15 Oct 2011, 14:47 pm
@mpundulu(mpundulu)-501: 473.cane:
15 Oct 2011, 14:02 pm @mpundulu(mpundulu)-470: In NZ, back in the 70?s we were told that in SA,
dark people didn’t play Rugby anyway. That soccer was their game, So playing ALL WHITE Teams was okay. Such was the world we lived in!
15 Oct 2011, 14:47 pm
HG: Dala wayi pimpi!
15 Oct 2011, 14:47 pm
jon, you are a joke. France owned Wales. Put a good defensive line in front of Wales and they, predictably, run out of ideas. they had most of the ball, but were content bumbling around aimlessly. That is worthy of praise is it? Such low standards you have, but not too surprising coming from someone that hoped onto the Butch, Lambie and Watson bandwagon. France beat Wales in the key facets of the game. End of story. Running aimlessly does not constitute a great side. They never looked the part throughout this game.
15 Oct 2011, 14:48 pm
JL1: and your contention is what?
15 Oct 2011, 14:49 pm
@Thucydides(Thucydides)-496:
“Way I see it, when the final whistle blows, you looks at the scoreboard.”
That’s what I saw Victor do, He shook the hand of all he could reach.
If it was good enough for Victor,
why is it not good enough for the average keo poster?
15 Oct 2011, 14:49 pm
@mpundulu(Uncle Tom)-504: Yes, whatever you say…
15 Oct 2011, 14:49 pm
@mpundulu(mpundulu)-506: Are you just acting thick?
ABs deserve a supporter like you
15 Oct 2011, 14:49 pm
@cane(cane)-507: Honest…Paddy?
15 Oct 2011, 14:51 pm
@cane(cane)-507: Maybe you will call Victor some names in the future?
15 Oct 2011, 14:51 pm
@Alucard(Alucard)-505:
“jon, you are a joke. France owned Wales”.
Final score 9-8…………………………………………………………………………Yeah right.
15 Oct 2011, 14:53 pm
JL1: are you saying SARFU marketed black rugby internationally, on a separate but equal stance?
15 Oct 2011, 14:53 pm
@Alucard(Alucard)-505:
“France owned Wales. Put a good defensive line in front of Wales and they, predictably, run out of ideas. they had most of the ball, but were content bumbling around aimlessly.”
Replace “France” with “Australia” and “Wales” with “South Africa”, and this would actually be a good summary of what happened in the quarter final.
Anyway, I’m out of here. One can only listen to so much whingeing, even – especially – if it comes from one’s own side.
15 Oct 2011, 14:54 pm
HG: kudala sinikangela magwaladini. Lol
15 Oct 2011, 14:54 pm
@mpundulu(mpundulu)-513: Are you thick, do you think Cane believe that black people do not play rugby, you must be ignorant
15 Oct 2011, 14:54 pm
@Thucydides(Thucydides)-514: This game was nothing like that. Name one facet of play that Australia actually dominated, and I mean legally. Short answer? None. But you are an ignorant golly that knows stuff all.
15 Oct 2011, 14:55 pm
@mpundulu(mpundulu)-444:
I love the haka both forms, Kapa o pango being my favourite. My family ancestors have been in south Africa for hundreds of years pre-dating the colonialists. How longer has your family been here and do you have a uk passport? I’ll be in NZ next year during the four nations tournament, when will you be there?
This post says all we need to know about you.
You seek division, not unity.
It puts your “support” of the All Blacks in context now.
Pathetic.
15 Oct 2011, 14:55 pm
JL1: don’t be so upset, you must not allow me to get under your skin so much, don’t allow it. LoL
15 Oct 2011, 14:56 pm
@mpundulu(Uncle Tom)-515: Keep going. Watch out for the Tokolosh though… 5 bricks high minimum
15 Oct 2011, 14:56 pm
@mpundulu(mpundulu)-519: Nice way to try and hide your ignorance
15 Oct 2011, 15:00 pm
JL1: it’s a commonly known notion in south Africa that blacks don’t have a rugby history and that rugby is a whites game. Just a notion but has been prevalent for many years to the extent to which it was the argument put forward when the IRB was investigating the exclusion of the boks from international rugby.
15 Oct 2011, 15:00 pm
Wooden spoon: what’s pathetic?
15 Oct 2011, 15:02 pm
@Hell’s Shame(Helen’s Game)-510:
The naked truth about Helen
” I learned quite early on in life,” Helen is telling me over beer at the Dorchester hotel, “that we are all two people. ”
Is she now in your care after arriving safely in London?
Are you jumping and pumping her already?
Watch out for the bloody poppy seed muffin.
15 Oct 2011, 15:02 pm
@Alucard(Alucard)-517:
“Name one facet of play that Australia actually dominated”
The scoreboard.
Anyway, if you enjoy playing the victim, don’t let me stand in your way. I have better things to do anyway.
15 Oct 2011, 15:02 pm
HG: ufuna nje imfubu qha! Andinaxhaki uba ndiku nike. Hehehe
15 Oct 2011, 15:02 pm
Fortunately, very fortunately, the vast majority of people in SA – white, black and every shade in between – have been able to put the past behind them and unite in sport as proud South Africans.
The scenes in 1995 and 2010, rugby and football, proved this.
It is just the old bitter ones left. They are a dying breed thankfully.
15 Oct 2011, 15:04 pm
@ET.(ExtraThuvi.)-524: Nothing like a ChickwithaDick…
15 Oct 2011, 15:05 pm
@cane(cane)-333:
“How so Shiit for Brains?”
Well if you can’t see the blindingly obvious that’s your predicament c–t lips.
15 Oct 2011, 15:07 pm
Wooden spoon: there are a lot who would love for the old days to return, agreed, unfortunately, since racism is passed from parents to kids and so on, it’s seems that will perpetuate. Truly unfortunate.
15 Oct 2011, 15:07 pm
@mudrockshark(mudrockshark)-529:
You’ve got to patronise these okes to get to them. Just agree with him and he’ll eventually go away so that the adults can talk.
15 Oct 2011, 15:09 pm
@ET.(ET.)-524:
Missed the whole quotation so here is the story of the naked truth about Helen again and maybe it gets hotter even later.
{ The naked truth about Helen
” I learned quite early on in life,” Helen is telling me over beer at the Dorchester hotel, “that we are all two people. And one of those people none of us will ever know. You, HG, for example, will never know how I perceive you. ” }
NAKED TRUTH – indeed.
15 Oct 2011, 15:09 pm
@mpundulu(mpundulu)-526: lol… anginalutho… Blaadyhell.
15 Oct 2011, 15:09 pm
@wooden spoon(wooden spoon)-527:
They’re all in SARU…bitter and twisted and hiring affirmative coaches to teach whitey a lesson.
15 Oct 2011, 15:10 pm
@ET.(ET.)-532: Yes ExtraThuvi… another Uncle Tom if ever I saw…
15 Oct 2011, 15:10 pm
@mpundulu(mpundulu)-530: We can agree that you will ram Fake support down your kids throats, to keep the racism alive.
15 Oct 2011, 15:12 pm
HG: LoL
15 Oct 2011, 15:12 pm
-528:
I simply will take your qualified word for it.
I DO NOT question your experience, which I will never have, on this issue.
15 Oct 2011, 15:13 pm
Wooden spoon: my kids will have the right to choose any team they want to support for their own reasons. How about your kids?
15 Oct 2011, 15:15 pm
@mpundulu(mpundulu)-539: I don’t believe that for a second. Uh uh, not with your kind. The kind who still live in the past.
15 Oct 2011, 15:15 pm
My kids can support any team they want to as long as it’s The Sharks and Boks or I’ll knock the stuffing out of them.
15 Oct 2011, 15:16 pm
535:
And you, the maggot, flatworm, flukeworm, roundworm are so comfortable slap bang in the middle of that shitpile where you get all your humid warmth and life-sustaining nourishment for even more c rap.
15 Oct 2011, 15:17 pm
Fact is, kids will support the teams their family supports.
My whole family supports the same team(s).
That’s because they are linked to the geography and physical presence of the teams.
I have nothing in common with NZ or any other country.
15 Oct 2011, 15:21 pm
@wooden spoon(wooden spoon)-543:
If you come from Cape Town you are born confused from all the boom that filters the air. Therefore it’s no wonder all the Kiwi supporters come from that side of the country. The long white cloud is confused with a cloud of doobie.
15 Oct 2011, 15:21 pm
Wooden spoon: don’t take your family’s narrow approach and modus operandi and superimpose it on other people’s families, very colonial of you! Why am I not surprised…..
15 Oct 2011, 15:24 pm
@mpundulu(mpundulu)-539: Ag, suka. basutha manje. yekha pambhi kwaWorld War 3 now! ngisokhangela blaady Qilindini!
15 Oct 2011, 15:24 pm
Great white shark: you’d be amazed at the amount of black AB supporters in gauteng and the eastern cape.
15 Oct 2011, 15:27 pm
@mpundulu(mpundulu)-547:
Not really. That’s where the boom is grown.
15 Oct 2011, 15:28 pm
HG: ndiku lindele gwala, yizise apha kum kwedini, uyaku buya netshisa mpela boyo! Hehehe
15 Oct 2011, 15:30 pm
@mpundulu(mpundulu)-545: racist.
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