Wales taste revenge
Wales scrambled into the Rugby World Cup semi-finals with a nail-biting 20-19 win over 14-man France on Sunday.
Ross Moriarty's late try clinched it as Wales avenged their 2011 semi-final loss to France with a mirror-image result - after they also had a man sent off and lost by a point eight years ago.
Two tries in three minutes got France off to a flying start as Sebastien Vahaamahina and then Charles Ollivon, in glorious style, both crossed inside the first 10 minutes of a helter-skelter first half. Wales' Aaron Wainwright pounced on a loose ball and Dan Biggar stroked the conversion and then a penalty to make it 12-10, but Virimi Vakatawa dived over after several phases to put France 19-10 up at the break. But in the 49th minute Vahaamahina was given a red card for his elbow to Wainwright's face in a maul, echoing then Wales captain Sam Warburton's sending-off in the 2011 semi-final, won 9-8 by France. A Biggar penalty reduced the arrears, but France bravely held out until six minutes from time, when Moriarty bundled over and Biggar knocked over the vital conversion to snatch it for the Welsh. “I think the better team lost today, but that red card was obviously significant. The great thing about our boys is they don't give up,” Wales coach Warren Gatland said.
For regular updates on the Japan Rugby World Cup please log onto http://rwc.my.na
NAMPA/AFP
Ross Moriarty's late try clinched it as Wales avenged their 2011 semi-final loss to France with a mirror-image result - after they also had a man sent off and lost by a point eight years ago.
Two tries in three minutes got France off to a flying start as Sebastien Vahaamahina and then Charles Ollivon, in glorious style, both crossed inside the first 10 minutes of a helter-skelter first half. Wales' Aaron Wainwright pounced on a loose ball and Dan Biggar stroked the conversion and then a penalty to make it 12-10, but Virimi Vakatawa dived over after several phases to put France 19-10 up at the break. But in the 49th minute Vahaamahina was given a red card for his elbow to Wainwright's face in a maul, echoing then Wales captain Sam Warburton's sending-off in the 2011 semi-final, won 9-8 by France. A Biggar penalty reduced the arrears, but France bravely held out until six minutes from time, when Moriarty bundled over and Biggar knocked over the vital conversion to snatch it for the Welsh. “I think the better team lost today, but that red card was obviously significant. The great thing about our boys is they don't give up,” Wales coach Warren Gatland said.
For regular updates on the Japan Rugby World Cup please log onto http://rwc.my.na
NAMPA/AFP
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