Wales are back!
Wales completed their clean sweep of the RBS Six Nations with an inspired 32-20 victory over Ireland in Cardiff on Saturday. Wales -- 40/1 to win the tournament a the start of the year -- walk away with the title, the Triple Crown and the Grand Slam.
What a place to be -- Millennium Stadium in Cardiff on 19 March, 2005, as Wales put 27 years of hurt behind them!
The great crowd in the great ground in the Welsh capital grew redder and redder as the moments ticked away and it became obvious that victory belonged to Wales -- victory and far more -- honour and glory, a restitution of Welsh pride and nationhood and a a revitalisation of rugby as an adventurous game for all.
There they stood -- red jerseys, chests out proud, a beer in one hand, a daffodil in the other, head up singing a hymn with fervour.
Every Welshman in the Principality became a king!
Ireland were beaten, but their energy and skill during the last twenty minutes of this encounter made the match a thriller. The end of that match was full of determination and resolve.
The roof was open, the sun shone on a shirt-sleeve day, the anthems were ardent, Cwm Rhondda prayerful. And Wales kicked off to start this match of destiny. Would it be Wales? Would it be Ireland? And in the background was the spectre of France and their big win over Italy which could still bring them the championship.
Ireland got early into the Welsh half and Robert Sidoli was penalised for toppling the Irish jumper. Ronan O'Gara goaled. 3-0 after three minutes.
A minute later Stephen Jones missed a penalty kick and the whole Welsh world groaned. But then as the Welsh attacked with lots of cleverness, Gavin Henson kicked a dropped goal under pressure. 3-3 after 13 minutes.
Not long afterwards came a turning point in the match. O'Gara sat back to kick and Gethin Jenkins charged the kick down. It was a classic hands-out charge-down from the mobile prop. Then with skill no prop is entitled to have, he footed gently on. At the line he slowed with patience and fell on the ball for the match's first try.
Stephen Jones converted and Wales led 10-3 after 17 minutes, and their confidence grew and grew.
The stadium then swelled with pride as Henson goaled a penalty goal from 52 metres away, the ball glancing in off the left upright. 13-3.
Ireland had a golden moment when Denis Hickie came off the left wing and took a neat inside pass from Brian O'Driscoll. Hickie sped through. As Kevin Morgan tackled him he gave to Geordan Murphy. Murphy gave to Girvan Dempsey and right at the line Stephen Jones and Mark Taylor pulled him down.
There was then a five-metre scrum to Ireland -- and Wales won it. Yes, it was going to be Wales's day!
Stephen Jones made it 16-3 when O'Driscoll was penalised at a tackle but O'Gara made it 16-6 at half-time when Robert Sidoli was penalised for holding on.
When O'Gara was penalised for being off-side -- and was cross about it -- Stephen Jones made it 19-6.
Ireland attacked but Wales ran from their own line and set Tom Shanklin free. He kicked long and only Anthony Foley was there to save.
After Shane Williams countered off an Irish grubber and kicked high, Ireland knocked on and Wales were on hectic attack. They had a huge overlap -- five against two but Martyn Williams knocked on.
When Ireland were penalised, Dwayne Peel tapped and ran and Martyn Williams cut through. It ended with a penalty by Stephen Jones which made it 22-6 after 51 minutes.
At this stage Ireland pulled O'Gara off and sent David Humphreys on. Whether it was cause and effect or just desperation, from then on Ireland mounted attack after attack -- eventually with a measure of success.
They made many passes but always, it seemed, there were more defenders than passes. Big Anthony Foley pounded for the corner but little Shane Williams forced him out.
Back came the Welsh, and Michael Owen made a charge. The ball came back to Shanklin who cut straight through. He passed to his left to Kevin Morgan who went off at an incline to score. Stephen Jones converted. 29-6 with 22 minutes to play.
The crowd were still tense and tension would grow as Irish effort intensified.
At this stage Ireland changed as much of its pack as it could. They got to the Welsh line and Peter Stringer flicked a pass to Marcus Horan who burst between Adam Jones and Gethin Jenkins to score Ireland's first try. Humphreys converted. 29-13 with 14 minutes to play.
Ireland were then back on attack, but Morgan managed to hack the ball free. Shane Williams chased and Brent Cockbain was there to put pressure. At a scrum Horan infringed seriously and Stephen Jones made it 32-13 with nine minutes left.
Those nine minutes were Irish as they flung attack after attack at the Welsh line which stood in the priority of Rorkes Drift.
Humphreys kicked a high diagonal towards little Shane Williams's wing. Ireland won the air battle and Murphy went over for a try, Humphreys converted. 32-20 with seven minutes to go.
Those minutes passed like hours in Welsh hearts until Martyn Jenkins got the ball and hoofed it into the red-clad crowd, the final whistle went and Welshmen started rejoicing -- this day will last lifetimes.
Man of the Match: It would be silly and unfair to single out a single Welsh hero on this wonderful day in Wales.
Moment of the Match: There were many, but two stood out as a sign of Welsh intent -- one was a tackle by Tom Shanklin on Brian O'Driscoll. The other occurred when Kevin Morgan footed through and Shane Williams chased. The ball was on the ground about to come into contest when Brent Cockbain, swooped onto the ball. They were fifty-fifty moments, which clearly meant more to Wales than to Ireland.
Villain of the Match: Paul O'Connell and Robert Sidoli went in for some juvenile wrestling in touch, but worse than that was Gavin Henson's attempted trip on Denis Hickie.
The scorers:
For Wales:
Tries: G Jenkins, Morgan
Cons: S Jones 2
Pens: S Jones 4, Henson
Drop: Henson
For Ireland:
Tries: Horan, Murphy
Cons: Humphreys 2
Pens: O'Gara
The teams:
Wales: 15 Kevin Morgan, 14 Mark Taylor, 13 Tom Shanklin, 12 Gavin Hanson, 11 Shane Williams, 10 Stephen Jones, 9 Dwayne Peel, 8 Michael Owen (captain), 7 Martyn Williams, 6 Ryan Jones, 5 Robert Sidoli, 4 Brent Cockbain, 3 Adam Jones (John Yapp, 67), 2 Mefin Davies (Robin McBryde, 69), 1 Gethin Jenkins.
Unused replacements: 18 Jonathan Thomas, 19 Robin Sowden-Taylor, 20 Mike Phillips, 21 Ceri Sweeney, 22 Haldane Luscombe.
Ireland: 15 Geordan Murphy, 14 Girvan Dempsey, 13 Brian O'Driscoll (captain), 12 Kevin Maggs, 11 Denis Hickie, 10 Ronan O'Gara (David Humphreys, 51), 9 Peter Stringer, 8 Anthony Foley (Eric Miller, 59), 7 Johnny O'Connor,6 Simon Easterby, 5 Paul O'Connell (Donncha O'Callaghan, 63), 4 Malcolm O'Kelly, 3 John Hayes, 2 Shane Byrne ( Frankie Sheahan, 63), 1 Reggie Corrigan (Marcus Horan, 59).
Unused replacements: 20 Guy Easterby, 22 Gavin Duffy.
Referee: Chris White (England)
Touch judges: Joël Jutge (France), Carlo Damasco (Italy)
Assessor: Ian Scotney (Australia)
Television match official: Malcolm Changleng (Scotland)
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