RWC 2011 QF1: Ireland v Wales (W Pool C v RU Pool D)

[Skippy]

When we lost to Ireland, I thought that, but I reckon Wales would have beaten us today, and probably SA too. Ireland were no mugs, but Wales belted them up pretty damn well. At least we know what we gonna get tomorrow. Countering it is the next step.

Mate your spot on. All this 'easier' side of the draw is bullshit. Wales/England/France would have all given us a hell of a hard time up front and spoiled/slowed down the game to the point of frustration for Australia. Our forwards would have been out muscled, beaten up and bullied... and then if we somehow managed to get through to the final we would then have NZ or SA to contend with.

We are better off with the Tri Nations teams. We know their game, they tend to allow us to play our game more so than the NH teams and on the basis of 2011's form are atleast able to achieve parity in the forwards against SA and NZ (helped by injuries to their best available teams obviously).

We need to show more respect to NH teams. Not for 'how they play' the game but for how they stop us, disrupt, deny or even simply affect our ability to play our game.

 

[No4918]

Well done to the Welsh but something struck me at the end of the game. Recently I was reading George Gregan's book and he talked about how he was not happy the team 'over celebrated' when they beat the All Blacks in the 2003 semi final.

Did anyone else think the Welsh 'over celebrated' their victory?

What I mean is... was that their final? Will they be able to mentally get up for another 2 wins? It looked to me like they were thrilled to win that game, that they have exceeded their expectations etc. Mental preparation is vitally important and I was suprised the Welsh didn't keep a lid on things and remain focussed on the fact they have a long way to go just yet.

A more sombre 'celebration' is called for in QF's and SF's so that the team appreciates the job is not done yet and still has a long way to go. Keep your head etc.

The Wobs had been there done it before a couple of times. The welsh are entering unchartered territory so i dont really think you can compare the two. they have been playing great rugby all tournament so i cant see them not being up for it.

 

[macg101]

My heart is broken, good game, Wales won in most facets of play and really looked good. Especially in kick chase, in the tackle area and breakdown

Goodbye Drico, Goodbye ROG... great careers and great servants to your country. Shame we won't see you at another WC.

BTW I am reverting to supporting my Celtic brethern for the remaining games... although I hope we exact some kind of revenge come 6 nations.:'(

 

[Dan54]

NO4918, I have seen France go out in WC after beating ABs, you could see they weren't going to win again, I had said to mate I watched game with exactly same thing, but will depend how older heads pull them up tonight.
macg, bad luck on losing your team, can understand you moving support to Wales, enjoy the games anyway, and I sorry to say I hope you get one more disappointment before end!

 

[qwerty51]

Well done Wales on making the final. Hope Charteris is okay, what a tournament he is having!

 

[pete88]

Well done to the Welsh but something struck me at the end of the game. Recently I was reading George Gregan's book and he talked about how he was not happy the team 'over celebrated' when they beat the All Blacks in the 2003 semi final.

Did anyone else think the Welsh 'over celebrated' their victory?

What I mean is... was that their final? Will they be able to mentally get up for another 2 wins? It looked to me like they were thrilled to win that game, that they have exceeded their expectations etc. Mental preparation is vitally important and I was suprised the Welsh didn't keep a lid on things and remain focussed on the fact they have a long way to go just yet.

A more sombre 'celebration' is called for in QF's and SF's so that the team appreciates the job is not done yet and still has a long way to go. Keep your head etc.

Worth remembering we punched well above our weight in that final as well. Wales have been playing this well all tournament and France haven't, I'd say this was France's final more than Wales's. They might be playing their final next week, and we'll cruise it by 25 points at the big dance. Of course. However in all seriousness I'd be lying if I ever said I've seen Wales play better than that, and I don't really know what the ramifications of that are. Absolutely fantastic stuff from the Taffs, the Irish were hardly off their game in my opinion.

Also, totally agree with the people saying we would have struggled to win either of those quarters. It would have needed our A-game for sure, and I don't think the Saffers will let us get away with anything less either.

 

[Hugonaut]

Wales put in a great performance today, we were well beaten and can have no complaints. Brilliant work-rate, aggression and technique in defense from the Welsh throughout the game, and took their scores very well. They had two kicks that came off the post and it could definitely have been a bigger margin of victory.

Disappointing to go out at a quarter-final stage having won all the group games and played some good rugby, but we were outplayed in all facets of the game today - line-out, scrum [certainly in the second half], reclaiming possession at kick-off all went to Wales, and most importantly, they scored three tries to our one ... and they made us work very bloody hard for that one. An outstanding defensive effort when we had the pill as well ... we very rarely broke the gainline. We were in good form coming into the game, and our big injury worry [hooker Rory Best] put in a trojan performance and played well through a lot of pain. The Welsh precision and effort were simply outstanding for 80 mins.

Simply beaten by a better team on the day and now out of the tournament - that's knockout rugby. Hats off to the Welsh team and staff, a great performance.

 

[#1 Tah]

That was possibly the best complete team performance I have seen all RWC, well done Wales, I cannot wait to see you play next week and am suddenly happy we lost to the Irish

 

[Scotty]

Joubert is certainly one of the most controlled and consistent referees going around. I don't agree with his tendency to favour the defensive team on occasion (not rolling away and players not really taking their own weight over the ball) but I would have him any day of the week over Lawrence, even if we were playing the Boks.

 

[tigerland12]

Tell ya what, putting a sneaky $20 on Wales to win the cup wouldn't be a bad idea right now.

 

[pete88]

Joubert is certainly one of the most controlled and consistent referees going around. I don't agree with his tendency to favour the defensive team on occasion (not rolling away and players not really taking their own weight over the ball) but I would have him any day of the week over Lawrence, even if we were playing the Boks.

I think both refs had very good games today, I've always thought Joubert's fairly decent.

 

[Cardiffblue]

Bois we did it! Just staggered back home. Feel like I just stepped out of some kind of dream world thing where Wales were back in the top four of the World - oh no! it wasn't a dream!!!

Gnome out of control.

was heading to RWC site to rewatch it all again but not up for 24hrs. am sure it will be even better on 2nd viewing as it was all a bit of a blur.

Loved the orcs losing too. However, game v france will be difficult. Vs France in 6N we were cr@p!

Thought the tarmac boys were excellent too. God only knows how we kept them out. What a F@cking brilliant RWC!

Oh and btw Dai Pickering, can we have Joubert as ref again?

 

[Langthorne]

Great game. Both teams were excellent. What a shame one of them had to go.

 

[Cardiffblue]

this winning thing is infectious. Now even the soccer team has pulled itself off bottom of Euro group 2-0 against Swiss! Oh bliss!!!!! Now if Cardiff City win and Swansea City can engineer another loss.....

So what do we really think? I thought we were quite good today but not as good as they have the potential to be. England were pants on the whole and the french often looked messy themselves. My feeling is that we should beat them. Am I just channelling the gnome?

 

[Mr Doug]

Well played Wales, still disappointed that there were no members of the Thomas family (my Mother's) playing, however, great to see so many young players in the team. That is supposed to be why the Wallabies can't win the RWC: too many young players.... I sense those age-specific critics have now been silenced! Will we see a Wales vs. Wobs final?!

 

[Cardiffblue]

Well played Wales, still disappointed that there were no members of the Thomas family (my Mother's) playing, however, great to see so many young players in the team. That is supposed to be why the Wallabies can't win the RWC: too many young players.... I sense those age-specific critics have now been silenced! Will we see a Wales vs. Wobs final?!

We'll know better in a few hours. If it were to happen, would be awesome. LAst time we got to the semis, we lost a generation of players to league. Not going to happen now. Just think, Both these teams will be intact for the next RWC.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

Not entirely true that the Wobs will be intact.

While the nucleus of the team will be at RWC 2015, I can see a couple of the current batch of forwards not hanging around for "Four More Years Boys". Sharpe, Vickerman, Elsom. I also worry about Sook Face's issues with concussions.

 

[Hawko]

Not entirely true that the Wobs will be intact.

While the nucleus of the team will be at RWC 2015, I can see a couple of the current batch of forwards not hanging around for "Four More Years Boys". Sharpe, Vickerman, Elsom. I also worry about Sook Face's issues with concussions.

Does this mean you are expecting Samo at 39 to front up again?

 

[Lee Grant]

I thought Wales would shade this one and they are putting together a body of work starting from the RWC trials, and including their unlucky loss against the Boks that is impressive in its consistency of performance.

I am sad that Ireland lost but they only have themselves to blame. J. Davies' try, the clincher in hindsight, was caused not so much by Healy's not tackling the ball carrier - props are often beaten by fullbacks - but by Earls not committing to him. He ran towards Davies, then stopped and looked. Kearney had arrived in time to mark Halfpenny, the outside man, and Earls should have committed to the area of greatest need - defending against the ball carrier, Davies.

By not committing to helping Healey by tackling Davies, and anyway not being in position once he hesitated to tackle Halfpenny, had he got the pill, Earls became a like the invisible man. He wasn't there.

 

[the plastic paddy]

Bois we did it! Just staggered back home. Feel like I just stepped out of some kind of dream world thing where Wales were back in the top four of the World - oh no! it wasn't a dream!!!

Gnome out of control.

was heading to RWC site to rewatch it all again but not up for 24hrs. am sure it will be even better on 2nd viewing as it was all a bit of a blur.

Loved the orcs losing too. However, game v france will be difficult. Vs France in 6N we were cr@p!

Thought the tarmac boys were excellent too. God only knows how we kept them out. What a F@cking brilliant RWC!

Oh and btw Dai Pickering, can we have Joubert as ref again?

Congtaulations to you Welsh boys, the better team on the day won no excuses. We have only ourselves to blame for what happened in the first game of the tournament when we failed to take the bonus point against the US and ultimately that gave the Italians and Mallett something to work with in the final group game. But I don't think that would not have mattered as this Welsh team exhibited a desire that was overwhelming. It was a cracking game and I hope the injuries to Charteris and Roberts do not prevent them playing against the French. Onwards to 2015, Ireland have got some rebuilding to do but there are a fair proportion of our fellas who will be about in 4 years time. With Munster losing to the Chavs it wasn't a great day but so be it, no one died. Go on the Welsh, I will be shouting for you against the French. Should be a cracker.