HEARTBREAK FOR WALES AS BOKS SECURE SEMI SPOT

With much hard work being put into surviving the pool of death, along with over-coming numerous significant injuries, Wales kicked off the first of the Quarter Finals against South Africa.

South Africa’s tournament hasn’t been without drama, following their last-gasp loss against Japan in their opening game. This has resulted in each subsequent fixture being a must win game, something that will stand them in good stead for a win today. However, Wales have a reputation for relishing in the Under Dog tag.

With Twickenham a sea of red Wales almost had the perfect start with George North storming down the touch line. Unfortunately he again preferred to hold on to the ball rather than pass and despite keeping possession of the ball Tyler Morgan was unable to gather the ball.

It was South Africa that opened the scoring following a dubious penalty decision from referee Wayne Barnes. Outside Half Handre Pollard’s successful kick gave the Boks a 3 point to 0 lead.

As the Welsh team’s discipline let them down again, Pollard was able to double his tally and his team’s score to 6 points to 0.

A turn-over at the breakdown saw Wales awarded a penalty right in front of the posts, making it easy for Dan Biggar to put the men in red on the score board – 3 points to 6. However, as the penalty count grew, Pollard kicked his third penalty of the match to restore the 6 point lead – 3 points to 9.

A superb solo effort from Dan Biggar who gathered his own kick before off-loading to his half back partner Gareth Davies who touched down for the first try of the game. Biggar added the conversion to give his team the lead for the first time – 9 points to 10.

Unfortunately, yet another soft penalty at the breakdown offered Pollard the opportunity to almost immediately regain the lead. His fourth successful penalty within the first quarter gave South Africa a slender 12 point to 10 advantage.

Despite their lead, Wales continued to look dangerous with ball in hand in comparison to the Boks who seemed to rely on referee Wayne Barnes, the only Englishman to reach the Quarter Finals, and his often bizarre decisions.

As the half neared its end, Biggar was offered the chance to send his team into the changing rooms with a slender winning margin. However, in a repeat of last week, his kick hit the posts. He was able to redeem himself with the half in injury time with a well-struck drop goal that saw the half time score line reading Wales 13, South Africa 12.

South Africa were offered the opportunity to reclaim the lead early in the second half as Pollard lined up yet another penalty, but on this occasion it was a real let off for Wales as his kick drifted to the right of the posts.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Dan Biggar was able to kick his team further ahead and with another successful penalty effort to give Wales a 4 point cushion – South Africa 12, Wales 16, though this was soon cancelled with Pollard adding another penalty to bring South Africa’s points tally up to 15, before his sixth successful penalty gave the Boks the lead once more – 18 points to 16.

Great pressure from Wales saw the men in red counter ruck and secure a penalty of their own immediately. Dan Biggar’s kicked sailed through the centre of the upright to give the Welshmen their one point lead once more, 18 points to 19.

As the game entered the final 10 minutes it was still all to play for and sensibly Wales attempted to keep the game in the South African half as a penalty would be a heart breaking ending to the game. Unfortunately, the Boks were in possession and tested the Welsh defence greatly as play entered the Welsh 22.

It was not a penalty that almost certainly ended the Welsh dream, but a try from South African captain Fourie du Preez who squeezed in the corner gave the Boks an undeserved 23 point to 19 advantage with just 5 minutes left of the clock. Pollard missed the conversion, but it meant that Wales had to attack for their lives in the dying minutes of the game.

A last minute penalty saw replacement Scrum Half Lloyd Williams take the ball quickly and slowly but surely the men in red inched their way out of their own 22, but as the clock reached the 80 minutes, South Africa crucially turned the ball over, leaving captain du Preez the job of kicking the ball dead to seal victory and the all-important spot in the Semi Final against either France or New Zealand.

It was a hard fought victory, with a heroic performance from an injury-ravaged Welsh team that in truth did not deserve to lose that Quarter final game.