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, 12:14 pm
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-286:
If 87′ doesn’t count, than neither could 91′ because you guys weren’t there either, and we’d have to eliminate this one because according to you ‘”it’s rigged”.
So that leaves 95′, 99′ , 03′ and 07′ giving SA a 50% win rate instead of the “rigged” 28% win rate.
Sound good?
15 Oct 2011, 12:14 pm
@Fern is not a stud,he is merely no19(Fern)-269: Thanks..
15 Oct 2011, 12:15 pm
@mpundulu(mpundulu)-293: Pundy. “Accustomed”? As a [fake] kiwi you will know the last time our respective teams met we won.
You will also know “your” team lost in the quarters in 2007… no doubt you whinged with the rest of them… and my team lifted Bill.
That’s “accustomed” for you.
15 Oct 2011, 12:15 pm
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-297: One of the articles says it all:
Bryce Lawrence is a doo.s
Like.
15 Oct 2011, 12:16 pm
@Nils(Nils)-287: Now that is nice. I may have been wrong in calling you a p…k but calling someone a dog is rather low. You could have just called me a prick back
I would have accepted that but from now you are personna non grata.
15 Oct 2011, 12:16 pm
@James in NZ(James in NZ)-301: Sounds good to me.
But a WC is a WC, Rigged or not.
15 Oct 2011, 12:17 pm
@UptheGuts(UptheGuts)-300: Nope — nobody ever needs to prove a negative. You make a claim and it’s up to you to prove it. Science 101.
15 Oct 2011, 12:17 pm
@Fern is not a stud,he is merely no19(Fern)-263: Haha, net so
15 Oct 2011, 12:17 pm
To the people of Wales,
And most specially to the 60,000 who crowded into Millennium Stadium to watch the game.
Sincere condolences.
Your Team was brave.
The Warburton tackle on Yachvali was in no way malicious
and actually
simply followed the laws of physics.
15 Oct 2011, 12:18 pm
Well well the kiwis have really dished up a clanger.
Hopefully this will be remembered next time they decide to give it again to nz.
15 Oct 2011, 12:18 pm
@TheTackler(TheTackler)-307: Wrong again. That Wiki page of yours is well farked up.
Nulled.
Shame.
15 Oct 2011, 12:19 pm
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-306:
I was just thinking on how toeliminate the 99′ and 03′ results for you.
But yeah a WC is a WC, you’re preaching to the converted here, 5x times the bridesmaid man, it burns. All of a sudden an arranged marriage doesn’t look so bad.
15 Oct 2011, 12:20 pm
Never thought I’d ever say this… but… I feel a little bit sorry for Wales.
15 Oct 2011, 12:20 pm
@bananaboy(bananaboy)-298: Show me the guy who deliberating goes in for a tackle and lift the guy thru the horizontal to tip him on his head? Amazing how quick this kind of thing happens. Imo, far better to use harsher reprimands at a judiciary to try and stamp it out. Repeat offenders gets harsher punishments and so on and so on…
15 Oct 2011, 12:20 pm
HG, if Joubert has a good game tomorrow, does that mean a SA will make the 2011 WC final :Wink:
15 Oct 2011, 12:20 pm
@wooden spoon(wooden spoon)-291:
Nothing has been decided.
The outcome of tomorrows match ballances on the edge of a knife.
15 Oct 2011, 12:21 pm
Wooden spoon: what trophies do the boks have in the cabinet now? What trophies and plates are you looking forward to? Do you think you’ll get any trophies in the next four years with AC as your coach?
15 Oct 2011, 12:21 pm
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-311:
Lees n bietjie die storie,kom van watkykjy af.
http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=58457862110&topic=16445
15 Oct 2011, 12:21 pm
@UptheGuts(UptheGuts)-300: And the linesman, and Morne Steyn (who missed two kicks), and Rousouw and Jean de Villiers with that sneaky forward pass, and little Pat Lambie, and de Villiers for not starting with Bismarck.
The Boks had plenty of chances to win that game, and they didn’t. The ref wasn’t bribed or biased, he was rubbish. It wasn’t the first time Bryce Lawrence reffed a game poorly and it won’t be the last.
15 Oct 2011, 12:21 pm
@poppa69(poppa69)-302:
Just a Hug Bro. (no words).
15 Oct 2011, 12:22 pm
@James in NZ(James in NZ)-312: Good form, mate.
Good luck actually. May the best team win tomorrow.
(And may the ref have absolutely farkall bearing at all on the result)
15 Oct 2011, 12:23 pm
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-321:
For the record I was livid at last weeks result.
15 Oct 2011, 12:24 pm
@poppa69(poppa69)-315: Nope. Barnes has the final.
Very clever by Paddy.
Ensures over compensation.
You chaps have it in the bag. No worries
15 Oct 2011, 12:24 pm
I said it on this blog that the boks should have dropped the game against wales, you’d be in the semis now. Pocock beat 15 boks.
15 Oct 2011, 12:24 pm
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-321:
Amen to that!
15 Oct 2011, 12:24 pm
@bananaboy(bananaboy)-262: fairplay but was that a tip tackle? He went in hard and low the guy went up and he let go. I dont think his intention was to tip the guy at all. Physics and all?
15 Oct 2011, 12:24 pm
@WOLFMAN21(WOLFMAN21)-319:
Wolfie.
I know it is not easy.
I know the disappointment is massive.
But well said.
15 Oct 2011, 12:25 pm
@mpundulu(mpundulu)-324: what are you talking about they should have dropped the game against Samoa. Dropping the welsh game? how could they know the outcome? Drop your first game and your back is against the wall for the rest of the tournament.
15 Oct 2011, 12:26 pm
@mpundulu(mpundulu)-324: sorry Pundy, the Boks don’t “drop” games.
15 Oct 2011, 12:26 pm
@cane(cane)-320: ka pai bro
15 Oct 2011, 12:26 pm
@Fern is not a stud,he is merely no19(Fern)-318: “.MET DIE SPOED VAN DIE HEILIGE ****** WIT ELAND.”
BWAAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
15 Oct 2011, 12:27 pm
France did not deserve to go through but that’s rugby the absolute worst officiated sport anywhere on the planet, rugby the one sport where dominance on the field of play means f’all. France flukes their way through a weak pool losing twice but still make the final by pulling it out in one game from 6, now they got one more chance to discover their flukety fluke mojo but this WC looks like a repeat re hash of that 87 fiasco all set up to favor the home nation.
IRB done their homework well, the farce of results which is WC rugby continues to shed all reasonable fair conclusions out the window, last weekend could be declared the final or perhaps tomorrow determines the ultimate winner, but end result shows this Russian Roulette competition does not determine best play the best in the final.
Poor Warburton now carries the woes of a rugby relevant nation on his young shoulders. France never deserved to get this far, they been gifted a coast through to the final, but that’s rugby for you, take your picks and rue your chances, whichever way the dice doth fall or the officials skew their slanted gaze determines the end result.
15 Oct 2011, 12:27 pm
@mudrockshark(mudrockshiit)-310:
“Well well the kiwis have really dished up a clanger.,,,,”
How so Shiit for Brains?
15 Oct 2011, 12:28 pm
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-323: didnt I detail all those reasons long before the WC started..
still got 160 minutes of rugby, maybe less, maybe more before its decided
15 Oct 2011, 12:28 pm
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-331:
As jy op watkykjy is gaan soek die ou stories op en soek vir chopper charlie en griffin se stories,veral griffin se nigerie stories.
jis die ouens is snaaks.
15 Oct 2011, 12:29 pm
@Fern is not a stud,he is merely no19(Fern)-318:
LMFGA!!!!!
15 Oct 2011, 12:30 pm
@Slumtown(Slumtown)-326: Actually I take that back – had a look at a slowmo replay and it looked like he was throwing him over and lifting the arms up which i guess is a tip tackle – he didnt drive him into the ground though so not sure about wethere its a red card but definitely very dangerous.Guy landed on the back of his kneck and head. Stupid.
15 Oct 2011, 12:30 pm
It is a bit silly that you can:
Lose 2 pool games out of 4.
Play England and Wales in the quarters and semi
and make the final where you have a chance of becoming World Cup champions.
15 Oct 2011, 12:31 pm
@James in NZ(James in NZ)-322: Good man. So were a fair few others, as you could imagine
15 Oct 2011, 12:31 pm
@MaraudingJ(MaraudingJ)-336:
daai ouens is k@k snaaks en n mens kan dit nie vertaal nie.
15 Oct 2011, 12:31 pm
Wooden spoon: they may not drop games but they certainly do lose them.
15 Oct 2011, 12:32 pm
@poppa69(poppa69)-334: Ja, your match against Wales will be exciting… But you should scrape it.
15 Oct 2011, 12:33 pm
Mate, it’s all water under the bridge. The Boks are all watching safely at home. All I’m saying is I will not be in the least surprised if match fixing allegations was proven to be true. All those missed chances yet you fail to mention the others due to Aus stealing the ball illegally cm’s from their line without as much as a glare from dear old Bryce. Or the head high tackles right infront of him. But no worries. The result stands but be prepared to be shocked out of your boots if evidence of match fixing does crop up. Talk about naive…
15 Oct 2011, 12:33 pm
@MaraudingJ(MaraudingJ)-336:
“LMFGA!!!!!”
What’s this:
Laugh my friggen Gaay arrse Off …………………………or something!
15 Oct 2011, 12:34 pm
@wooden spoon(wooden spoon)-338:
Yep , been saying that since 2007 RWC. You dont even have to play any of the top 4 rugby teams in the world at the time and win it.
15 Oct 2011, 12:35 pm
Wooden spoon: the first stage of grief is denial.
15 Oct 2011, 12:35 pm
@mpundulu(mpundulu)-341: are you drunk Pundy? So early? You certainly do seem to be revelling in all this.
Boks beat “your” team more than any else.
“Your” team has yet to make the final.
You may wish to wind your neck in Fake.
15 Oct 2011, 12:35 pm
@Fern is not a stud,he is merely no19(Fern)-335: Will do… met spoed soos n fokke.n Wit Eland Lol
15 Oct 2011, 12:35 pm
@Fern is not a stud,he is merely no19(Fern)-340:
Nee, ek sou nie eers probeer nie. Het die ding vir my hele familie gestuur. My donner ek het lanklaas so lekker gelag. “Klits daai ****** broodjie en die melk laat dit lyk soos daai kak wat jy oor bobotie gooi” – ek pis my amper nat.
15 Oct 2011, 12:35 pm
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-342: so, let me get this right, that will mean my team has played an extra 2 weeks than your team?
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