Six Nations champions fortunate in narrow one-point victory
Wales beat Fiji 11-10 in Cardiff on Friday, but were fortunate to escape even with that after a simply dismal performance which will have South Africans rubbing their hands with anticipation.
Wales came out in funeral black, a shade of things to come it seemed when they ended the bitty first half trailing 7-0. They had had the better of possession and territory, dominated the scrums, won two of five Fijian line-outs and better chances to score but it was the big, creative Fijians who did the best of the meagre scoring.
In the end it was the Welsh forwards that made the victory possible, but it was a match that the determined Fijians could well have won.
For some reason in enclosed Millennium Stadium, the goal-kicking was poor. Fiji missed four penalty attempts in the match, Wales two and a conversion, two of them easy kicks. But in the end it was a kick that saved Wales's bacon and that came with just five minutes left to play. Fiji came that close.
Fiji lost but may well have found more satisfaction in the match than the victorious Welsh would have, for Wales so spluttered and bumbled that they looked nothing like the Grand Slammers of last season.
At one stage in the first half Wales did lots of phased attacking and a try looked inevitable till a flicked on pass landed at Martyn Williams's feet and he knocked on. Sonny Parker had a great break but his pass to Martyn Williams was awry. Shane Williams actually got over the line, but he had started his dance and dart with a knock-on on the 22 -- a fatal error as it tuned out.
From the ensuing scrum on their 22 the Fijians did three passes close to the scrum till big lock Ifereimi Rawaqa stuck out a prehensile arm at the popped pass and drew the ball in. Then the massive lock strode down the middle of the field, heading straight for the goal posts, whilst black-clad Welshmen sank away in his wake. He strode some 60 metres, the tall man with the long legs before sinking to earth for the try. Chunky Julian Vulakoro converted and two minutes before half-time Fiji led 7-0.
Kevin Morgan went speeding away over the 22, looking likely to score till fullback Norman Ligairi hunted him down. The other individual moment was a sharp break from a scrum by Gareth Cooper who may have erred in cutting in. Fiji also had their moments early on and twice Shane Williams covered and flykicked a dangerous grubber into touch. And it was Fiji who pulled further ahead when flyhalf Seremeaia Bai left-footed a neat drop over the bar.
For the next 20 minutes Wales attacked and Fiji defended, knocking down Welshman after Welshman. Under the pressure the Fijian discipline appeared to slip.
First a penalty was marched 10 metres on to gibe Nicky Robinson a simple kick to make the score 10-3. Then lock Isoa Domolailai stayed lying on a tackled player and was given a yellow card -- a fatal yellow as it turned out.
While he was sitting in the bin to contemplate his sins, Wales opted for a five-metre scrum instead of a simple penalty. Michael Owen held the ball at the back, but the scrum went down. It was reset and again Owen held the ball at the back and this time Wales scored. The conversion, not a hard one, was pulled to the right and Fiji still, miraculously, led 10-8.
That was the score when Domolailai came back from the bin despite many earnest efforts by Wales. But with five minutes to go Robinson stroked a left-footed drop over.
Fiji were better in those last five minutes as they threw the ball about in search of a try, but Wales did not budge and Fijian handling and scrumming left them in the lurch.
But for the fight of the Flying Fijians, it was not a memorable match at all -- except for that try.
Man of the match: For Fiji Norman Ligairi was outstanding on attack and defence and scrumhalf Mosese Rauluni was courageous enough to win medals. Matthew Watkins was the pick of the Welsh backs who had problems with finishing but our Man of the Match is the hairless prop, Jon Yapp. It was the Welsh scrumming, more than any other activity, which won the match for Wales and he still had time for an energetic and skilled performance around the field.
Moment of the Match: The try by Ifereimi Rawaqa, which may just be the greatest try you have ever seen by a lock forward.
Villain of the Match: For his yellow card it would be Isoa Domolailai though prop Chris Horsman had sully moments.
The scorers:
For Wales:
Try: Owen
Pen: Robinson
Drop goal: Robinson
For Fiji:
Try: Rawaqa
Con: Vulakoro
Drop goal: Bai
Wales: 15 Lee Byrne (Llanelli Scarlets), 14 Kevin Morgan (Newport-Gwent Dragons), 13 Matthew Watkins (Llanelli Scarlets), 12 Sonny Parker (Ospreys), 11 Shane Williams (Ospreys), 10 Nicky Robinson (Cardiff Blues), 9 Gareth Cooper (Newport-Gwent Dragons), 8 Michael Owen (Newport Gwent Dragons, captain), 7 Martyn Williams (Cardiff Blues), 6 Dafydd Jones (Llanelli Scarlets), 5 Luke Charteris (Newport-Gwent Dragons), 4 Brent Cockbain (Ospreys), 3 Chris Horsman (Worcester Warriors), 2 Rhys Thomas (Cardiff Blues), 1 John Yapp (Cardiff Blues).
Replacements: 16 Huw Bennett (Ospreys), 17 Adam Jones (Ospreys), 18 Ian Gough (Newport-Gwent Dragons), 19 Alix Popham (Llanelli Scarlets), 20 Robin Sowden-Taylor (Cardiff Blues), 21 Michael Phillips (Cardiff Blues), 22 Ceri Sweeney (Newport-Gwent Dragons).
Fiji: 15 Norman Ligairi (Secom, Japan), 14 Mosese Luveitasau (Naitasiri), 13 Epeli Ruivadra (World, Japan), 12 Julian Vulakoro (Suva), 11 Sireli Bobo (Biarritz, France), 10 Seremaia Bai (Secom, Japan), 9 Mosese Rauluni (captain, Saracens, England), 8 Sisa Koyamaibole (Taranaki, NZ), 7 Aca Ratuva (Agen, France), 6 Alifereti Doviverata (Yamaha, Japan), 5 Isoa Domolailai (Northland, NZ), 4 Ifereimi Rawaqa (World, Japan), 3 Apisai Nagi (Lautoka), 2 Sunia Koto (Ovalau), 1 Josese Bale (St Nazaire, France).
Replacements: 16 Bill Gadolo (Suva), 17 Jiko Matawalu (Nadroga), 18 Kele Leawere (Nadroga), 19 Kiniviliame Salabogi (Nadroga), 20 Mosese Volavola (Nadroga), 21 Aporosa Vata (Ovalau), 22 Kameli Ratuvou (Tailevu).
Referee: Rob Dickson (Scotland)
No comments:
Post a Comment