Wales vs Fiji
This is the fourth instalment in WYWG’s series of liveblogs of the Welsh campaign at the 2011 Rugby World Cup. WYWG is aware of the irony involved in calling something posted over a week after the match a “live” blog. As always, these words are written by WYWG, [and these words are written by WYWG-collaborator, Tom.]
The strangely muffled ITV announcer is talking as though this game is a mere formality. If I hadn’t already inadvertently seen the result that would worry me immensely.
Fiji’s national anthem is a pretty good tune! Not as good as Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau, of course. The Fijian war dance—the Cibi—isn’t very long.
Your friend and mine, Wayne Barnes, is reffing. Commentating are Simon Ward and Michael Owen. [Unless, that is, you have taken matters into your own hands and are listening to Talksport (John Taylor and Brian Moore) on the laptop via headphones, whilst watching on the (muted) telly. In the dark, at 6am, in your dressing gown. Like a boss. But also watch the ITV highlights later on to catch a flavour of the commentary for these here blogging purposes, of course.]
Wales start the game by giving away a penalty. Fiji win a lineout, but then make a bad handling error in the backs, and then throw the ball back to the Welsh. They win another lineout, but again a handling error gives Wales the ball. Wales’s attack comes to nothing, though.
Wales win a lineout and Warburton streaks [not naked] down the pitch, but he loses the ball forwards in the tackle.
Wales attacking lineout. They win it, and attack in the middle of the pitch and then on the left. A penalty takes the pressure off momentarily, but then Jamie Roberts strolls unimpeded through the Fijian line and scores under the posts. Priestland has no problems making the easy kick.
Wales 7 - 0 Fiji
Ward points out that Fiji need to beat Wales by 85 points (and score four tries) to progress to the quarter finals, and then says that’s unlikely to occur. Don’t tempt fate, Simon!
Fiji attack, but the left winger’s kick is too hard and crosses the dead ball line.
Priestland fails to make touch [A once a game habit at the moment—doesn’t he know Lee Byrne’s got that skill set covered?] from a penalty kick and Fiji attack.
North tackles Vulivuli and then Gethin “Twinkletoes” Jenkins annihilates someone in midfield. That was a big hit. Fiji keep the ball though, and a few phases later Wales concede a penalty. Nicky Little, playing in his 67th cap for Fiji, narrowly misses the kick. [A little deflating for Fiji that miss, as they are well in this match so far.]
Fifteen minutes in, Fiji have had over 70% of the territory and almost 70% of the possession. Wales don’t seem to have really got started yet.
Ward claims that Jamie Roberts is “6′3″, 6′4″, 6′5″.” Welsh scrum DOMINATES Fiji and wins a penalty. They fluff the lineout though. [Seems that unless Bennett hits his first lineout, he can quite quickly go to pot. Again, why play Charteris if you’re not gonna throw the first four lineouts to him?]
Nice try! Good interplay between the backs, making a series of passes within 5m of the touchline [George North! Soft hands for a big lad!] and then Scott “Don’t call me Shane” Williams beats the final defender comprehensively. Priestland converts.
Wales 14 - 0 Fiji
Ward, discussing the fact that half the Welsh team were still in school during the last world cup in which Fiji beat Wales, effectively knocking them out of the tournament: “There are no psychological scars for those guys because they know no fear!” That doesn’t make any sense, Simon. [Especially seeing as getting knocked out by Fiji in the parallel fixture 4 years ago was fairly effective at mentally scarring the entire nation…]
Wales attack, Fiji go offside, and Priestland nudges his kicking record for the match to 3 from 3.
Wales 17 - 0 Fiji
You cannot tackle George North! with just one man. He is just too epic.
Michael Owen is an entirely competent colour commentator. He’s not particularly entertaining with those long, long sentences of his, and he doesn’t offer any particularly sparkling insight, but he at least he speaks sense. [Over on Talksport Taylor and Moore are doing a fine job—although the approx 7 second delay is somewhat jarring. But given we’re clearly going to win, it’s no biggie. Might be too much to cope with for the QF, though.] Like WYWG, though, he appears not to know anything about any of the teams other than Wales in the tournament. [Speak for yourself, viz my impressive command of the Samoan names a couple of weeks back, etc.] He certainly never mentions any of the opposing team in his monologues.
Fiji attack from a scrum, but Halfpenny dumps the Fijian 7 on his ass, and Wales turn it over.
Bradley Davies is injured, and there’s a long break in play while the doctors check him out. He’s okay, though.
Another dominant Welsh scrum, they attack, and after a hilarious dummy from Bennett and a couple of blatantly forward passes, North goes over for a try, which Priestland converts. [You’d think Wayne would be a bit sensitive on the old forward passes whilst reffing in NZ, given his previous…]
Wales 24 - 0 Fiji
Barnes doesn’t seem to be policing the forward pass rule at all today, as Wales get away with a couple more fairly egregious examples. Ward makes an inane joke about them “playing American Football.”
Bennett limps off (twisted his ankle throwing the dummy), and Burns comes on. [Compulsory mention of his recent acquaintance with the world of bricklaying—check!]
Wales fluff another lineout slightly, but North gathers the tap-back and screams through the Fijian defence. Warburton’s in support, and Wales score again. Both the previous tries, Ward has stated that the scoring player “pins his ears back.”
Priestland continues his 100% kicking record, and Wales go into half time with a commanding lead.
Half time score: Wales 31 - 0 Fiji
Second Half
Byrne gets smashed by Lovobalavu. [This is shown repeatedly on the old super slo-mo—Mr Cash-for-Gold looks strangely serene as he is ploughed into the turf by the rampaging Gaby Lovobalavu. Yes, “Gaby”—like Logan.] Talei steals the ball from the back of a ruck and tears down the pitch. He boots ahead, but the Welsh defence have no problems gathering it.
Fiji attack down the blind side. The Fijian kicks ahead, and Byrne shoulder charges him to the ground, late. Looked pretty illegal to me (as it did when he did the exact same thing in the first half), but Barnes doesn’t think so.
Byrne fumbles a high ball, and now Fiji have numbers outside! Wales defend well, and win a turnover, but then knock it on.
Barnes awards Fiji a free kick at the scrum (Wales pushing too early). Fiji take it quickly and attack. Wales turn it over at a ruck. Priestland clears it, Fiji take a quick throw in, but lose the ball immediately.
All of a sudden, North slices through the Fijian defence. A nice sidestep and he beats the fullback. Then a couple of passes later (one of which, again, looked forward to me), Jamie Roberts scores, and Simon Ward says, “The doctor will see you now!” He’s clearly been saving that one up. [On Talksport, Brian Moore makes direct reference to those listeners watching the telly turned down “because our commentary is better”—calls ‘em like he sees ‘em. (And he’s not wrong either).]
Wales 38 - 0 Fiji
Nasty head clash between Halfpenny and a Fijian. [Bizarre on the replay, as it seems that somehow a seam or knot on Leigh’s scrum-cap has just opened up Lovobalavu’s face. The contact was glancing, but the claret spilled is substantial. Leigh is not normally an opener of wounds TBF.] The latter comes off, and so do Phillips and Faletau. This means that Andy Powell is now on the pitch. [Praise be.]
Fatiaki breaks the Welsh line but knocks on in the tackle. Lots of handling errors from Fiji today.
Priestland puts a probing kick through the Fijian defence, and Buatava is forced to take the ball into touch just outside his own try-line. Priestland is subbed off, as is Ryan Jones.
Wales win the lineout, and a mass of Welsh players go over the line, with Burns (and the ball) at the bottom of it. [That is the best try he’s scored since back when he was a brickie…] Jones continues as Priestland left off.
Wales 45 - 0 Fiji
Fijian lineout doesn’t look straight, but it might just be the stupid camera angle ITV are showing it from.
Fiji win a penalty at a scrum about ten yards out from the Welsh line. They tap and go. Wales defend doggedly. Turnover! Wales kick to take the pressure off. Roberts comes off.
Gethin Jenkins attempts to kick the ball with his right foot, misses, and tries to kick it with his left instead. Then he’s brought down, and, whilst he’s on his hands and knees, the Fijian that picks the ball up falls over him. He’s a comedy genius as well as the best rugby player in the world! [Him and the Fijian do in fact have a little laugh about how rubbish that was as they regain their feet…]
Wales are defending so well now that Fiji are losing about ten yards with every phase. Gethin Jenkins finds himself with the ball on the Welsh 22 and redeems his earlier slapstick with a successful kick for territory. [A sixty yard HOWITZER!] Halfpenny gets to it first and runs in the try.
Wales 52 - 0 Fiji
It is now completely pissing it down with rain.
Wales roll a maul to within a few yards of the Fijian line. Fiji go offside. Wales elect to take a scrum. It wheels, and Wales are awarded another penalty, and take another scrum. This one starts to wheel, too, the ball pops out, and Lloyd Williams scoops it up, and dashes for the line and a try. Jones, undeterred by the monsoon, converts. [Impervious to the elements, because he is half-vampire.]
Wales 59 - 0 Fiji
Gethin Jenkins comes off. Warburton comes off too, which means Wales will voluntarily play the last five minutes with only 14 men as they’re now out of subs. [Is this practice for getting someone carded against Ireland?]
Fiji attempt to capitalise, and attack for several phases. The Welsh defence holds, though, and eventually Fiji knock it on.
With time already up, Wales turn the ball over. Having already seen the score, I know how this is going to turn out. Jonathan Davies breaks the Fijian line and scores the try, “the icing on a very tasty cake.” Welsh kickers will be 100% for the match, as Jones slots it over.
Final Score: Wales 66 - 0 Fiji
Conclusion: Wales make it through to the quarter finals! Where they will face Ireland. Exciting!
[Conclusion: Exciting? My stomach is already in a knot with the FEAR at the thought of the Irish game. I may have to watch somewhere outside the house (ooh, like a pub!), as silence cannot be guaranteed for this one. Will it still be okay to watch in my PJs and dressing gown though?]
[Also, to paraphrase Phil Vickery, COME ON WALES! Insightful, aren’t I…]
