Pontypool had
to withdraw from the planned trip to Reading on Saturday due to not having
sufficient props available because of injuries. I was therefore confined to the
couch and the agony of watching Wales play England on the TV. Wales surely had
to turn up for the first twenty minutes this time particularly as they were
playing on home soil. Conceding fourteen points early doors against England is
a recipe for disaster.
Well turn
up they did and really got stuck into the massive England pack. The Welsh ball carrying
was more powerful and the tackling more effective. Halfpenny came in as a last-minute
replacement for Liam Williams and after an uncertain start grew into the game.
Biggar at outside half looked assured - yes it was much better. The set pieces
were better although the scrum creaked and the lighter Welsh forwards seemed
more effective at the breakdown. All Wales needed to do was to contrive to put
some points on the board. This was never going to be easy against an English
defence that seemed to operate within plus or minus a millimetre of the offside
line. Wales spurned a couple of kickable penalties in favour of attacking
lineouts which came to naught. In desperation they finally kicked a penalty to
nudge into the lead. This was followed by a rather bizarre try when England
switched off after Watson was yellow-carded and while they were making a
substitution. Wales saw this and took a quick penalty and after a couple of
accurate cross kick from Biggar took advantage of the English defensive
disarray for North to touch down. With the conversion Wales had a handy 10-0
lead.
The second
half was really physical as England brought on even more muscle with a horde of
Saracens and Wales had their backs to the wall for long periods. Wales too made
substitutions and the pack had a makeshift look with Shingler at lock and Dee
on the flank. Somehow Wales managed to negate several English lineout drives close
to their try line and somehow the scrum kept together. The only scoring in a very
tense forty minutes was a penalty for Wales and two penalties for England. We
were mightily relieved when the final whistle blew with England camped on the
Welsh line and Wales had won 13-6.
This was
much better from Wales and somewhat amazingly puts them at the top of the World
rankings. Having watched New Zealand stuff Australia in the morning and looking
much more like their old selves I still believe they are the team to beat.
There were
some great performances in the Welsh pack with Ken Owens outstanding and Ball
and Navidi bringing plenty of physicality to back up the redoubtable Alun Wyn Jones.
Biggar orchestrated thing well at outside half and was named man of the match.
Perhaps the best thing is that there did not seem to be any more major injury
worries for Wales despite a really tough and bruising encounter. James Davies did
have to leave the field with a head injury and of course Liam Williams pulled
out at the last minute with a tight hamstring but hopefully neither are too
serious.
Wales have
a week off before two matches against Ireland which will be an opportunity for
some of the other squad members to have a run out. It is very stressful watching
rugby at the moment as your heart sinks every time Alun Wyn is slow getting up
or Biggar clutches his shoulder. Roll on the World Cup.
Pontypool
fans need a rugby fix and thankfully the season is fast approaching. There is
only one pre-season fixture left with Pooler entertaining Canterbury on the 31st
August before the league season opener on the 7th September against Beddau.
The first few weeks of the season contain some mouth-watering matches with Pooler
taking on Neath (home) and Narberth (away) as well as a home cup tie against
Swansea. I can’t wait!
Come on
Pooler!
Come on Wales!
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