Sunday Bloody Sunday

Saturday morning was quite a traumatic experience. I watched the much vaunted All Blacks taken apart by an England side bristling with aggression and purpose and no little skill. Rather like Australia the week before New Zealand didn’t seem to know what to do to counter the English game plan. I don’t think that I have ever seen such inaccuracy from an All Blacks team who rarely managed to set up any form of attacking platform. With their opening salvos, England quickly extinguished any fire that had been generated by the New Zealand Haka. You could only sit back and admire it as England stormed into the RWC final.

When we discussed the match over a pint in the evening, we wondered whether we had witnessed a tipping point in the order of world rugby. Had rugby become that attritional that smaller countries could never have the depth of talent required to compete with those with large populations of rugby players? Equally did the smaller countries have the financial clout to retain their up and coming players when other countries could offer the big bucks? Was it far too easy to, in effect, change nationalities? We didn’t come up with the answers even though we had several more pints. Did this mean that we were worried about Wales’ future in the longer term? – well yes.

A longstanding lunch appointment prevented me from going down to Port Talbot to watch Pontypool taking on Tata Steel in the afternoon. With the amount of rain that had fallen, I was amazed that the game took place. I did manage to keep in touch via twitter and strategically timed comfort breaks. The final result was yet another convincing victory for Pooler with a final score of 7-59. So yet another half century of points and Pooler have now amassed 368 points in 7 matches. By comparison in 2012-13 Pontypool only scored a total of 411 points in 26 matches – it just demonstrates how far the club has come in its quest to return to the Premiership and confirms the argument in terms of strength in depth. Well done to everyone concerned.

As I sit here writing this at 7.30am on a Sunday morning, I am starting to feel nervous about the Wales v South Africa match that is fast approaching. What are our chances? So far in the RWC Wales have managed to win all their matches without looking really convincing in any of them. There have been some brief periods of inspiration when they have shown what they can do but mostly they have dogged it out. They have certainly had to work hard for their victories with last week’s nailbiter against France a case in point. The Springboks look to be a higher hurdle to try and clear than any so far. Can Wales do it? All will be revealed very soon……

…..well that’s the first half done and it is really attritional stuff from the Springboks. A very simple game plan kick and chase and wear down the Welsh pack. Wales are still in it at just 6-9 down but already Francis and North are injured. Not much of spectacle that is for sure. Wales are finding the ultra-physical Boks a real handful. Can Wales find a way or will they end up with too many injuries and get overpowered?......

……well a really brave effort from Wales in a game which could have either way. In the end the South African power and their ability to win penalties just did enough. It was fantastic that the Welsh managed to strike back with a try to equalise at 16-16 with ten minutes or so left but they could not find the score to put them ahead. It was the South Africa who won the all-important penalty with a just a few minutes left that decided the match. It was a poor quality but tense match with an incredible amount of kicking with neither side really prepared to take any risks. Can South Africa trouble England in the final? – not on this evidence. Could be four years of misery heading our way.

Wales will now have to face the wounded animal that is the All Blacks in the third/fourth play-off. This will be a really tough ask with a banged-up squad and little preparation time. It may not be pretty to watch!

No game for Pontypool next week end but then we have a double header against Cardiff Met to look forward to. A cup tie at home and then a league match away. Should be interesting!

Hard luck Wales you gave it everything!

Come on Pooler!