I spent a lot of yesterday watching rugby. This is not something I would normally do in early July but it was the start of the new fangled international rugby tournament. Whilst there was some overlap, it was possible to watch almost six complete matches on the TV.
I have to
say the general entertainment value was much greater than the Football World
Cup. At the top end the encounters between New Zealand and France and Australia
and Ireland were close matches with plenty of gripping rugby with New Zealand
and Ireland just sneaking wins. South Africa duly thumped England as they
continue to look the side that is setting the standards.
And so to
Wales who were playing Fiji. Fiji were actually the home side although the
match was taking place at the Cardiff City Stadium. Cardiff tried its best to
turn itself into Suva for the day but at the end of the day Wales still had
home advantage. The crowd was certainly colourful if quite sparse. I have to
confess I was not one of them as I was firmly planted on the couch in front of
the TV.
Fiji
started by playing their distinctive style of running and offloading rugby and
it looked for all the world that they would blow Wales away. That Fiji did not
run up a winning lead in the first half was down to some sturdy defence but
more down to over-indulgence from Fiji. Wales grimly hung on to the Fijian coat
tails and showed that by capitalising on their superiority in the set pieces
coupled with an effective driving maul they could score points of their own.
The score
at half time was actually 10-10 with Wales having scored two tries for Jac
Morgan from driven mauls to one from Fiji. Wales could probably feel quite
relieved to still be well in the game.
The second
half saw Wales gradually take control with the scrum continuing to dominate. At
one stage they looked to be pulling clear with tries from Carre and Adams.
Edwards did not have his kicking boots on so three conversions were missed. He did
convert a penalty to give Wales a 10-25 lead.
Wales
might have been guilty of taking their foot of the gas and Fiji came roaring
back with two converted tries. Suddenly it was 24-25 and it was very much game
on.
The Welsh
bench proved to have more impact that the Fijian bench and Wales steadied the
ship and managed to pull clear with a try from Elias from a driven lineout that
was converted by Costelow who had replaced Edwards. It was left to James to add
a last gasp try under the posts from short range to cap a great victory for
Wales. Final score Fiji 24 : Wales 39.
The Welsh
forwards were the heroes of the day with Morgan and Wainwright leading the way
but all of the pack and replacements playing their part. There still seems a
reluctance to run the ball behind with too many kicks leading to nothing. It is
certainly not the best option to kick the ball to the Fijians who can create mayhem from anywhere on the
field.
Wales now
face demanding trips to Argentina and then South Africa over the next few weeks
as the tournament proceeds. Scotland did manage to secure a deserved victory in
Argentina so perhaps it is possible for Wales to sneak a win. A win in South
Africa is probably well beyond Wales as they continue to rebuild.
The other
match in the first round saw Japan beat Italy 27-10 in Tokyo so the final tally
was Northern Hemisphere 3 wins Southern Hemisphere 3 wins.
The summer
is moving on apace and we will soon be back into Pooler action with the
pre-season friendlies. Here’s hoping for a better season than the last one.
