Wallabies: End on a high note
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Australia ended their World Cup campaign in third place after getting the better of Wales 21-18 in Friday's battle for bronze at Eden Park.
Both sides crossed the whitewash twice, with Wales bagging a consolation second try on full-time to end the match - but not the tournament - on a high note.
The two teams held nothing back, and went at it hammer and tongs from the kick-off in what was a fast and furious third place play-off encounter that left bodies battered and bruised.
Australia's casualty list was the longer of the two teams - losing playmakers Kurtley Beale and Quade Cooper early on to injuries.
It was a double blow for the Wallabies, who had to change tack somewhat after being forced into a backline reshuffle with Berrick Barnes at pivot, Anthony Faingaa and Robert Horne forming the new midfield partnership and Adam Ashley-Cooper shifted to full-back.
It didn't disrupt Australia's momentum though, with Barnes showing some deft touches and superb vision in Cooper's absence while James O'Connor caused Wales all sorts of trouble out wide with ball in hand as well as from the kicking tee.
Barnes and O'Connor combined to contribute all but five of their side's points - Barnes picking up a try and a drop-goal, while O'Connor slotted two penalties and a conversion.
The same couldn't be said of the Welsh kickers, whose three missed kicks - four if you include a drop-goal - would come back and haunt them - just as it did against France in last weekend's semi-final. Like catches win matches in cricket, so do goal-kicks in rugby.
Leading 7-3 at half-time, the Wallabies relinquished their lead only once in the match when Wales wing Shane Williams went over for a sensational solo try eight minutes after the break. But with the touchline conversion missed, O'Connor put his team back in front with two quick-fire penalties and the Wallabies never looked back.
There was little separating the two teams when the match got underway in front of a capacity crowd in Auckland.
Both sides showed their intentions to run the ball at every opportunity that came their way, which paved the way for a free-flowing spectacle - stopped only for the wounded.
Before Beale and Cooper hobbled off the field, the latter was able to put Barnes over from close range after a delayed pass caught the Welsh off-guard. O'Connor landed the simple conversion, and Australia led by seven points after twelve minutes played.
The Wallabies came close to bagging try number two, only for Ashley-Cooper to spill the ball forward with the tryline begging.
Prop James Slipper was then penalised in the scrum which allowed James Hook to kick the opening points for his team, but then badly missed a straight-forward penalty attempt five minutes after the restart.
O'Connor should have restored Australia's advantage but his penalty effort rebounded back off the posts.
Wales were then off-target with another three-pointer as Leigh Halfpenny's long-range attempt sailed wide, leaving Australia to head into the interval with a four-point lead.
Wales had a chance to cut the deficit to just a point a few minutes into the second half, but once again Hook missed a regulation penalty attempt.
However, Wales gave their red-clad fans hope when they finally took their chance after a stab kick ahead and regather by Hook saw the ball flung wide to Williams who showed his footballing skills to score. The initial pass out wide looked forward but Williams hacked on and won the foot-race to the ball.
Australia replied with two O'Connor penalties in the 54th and 57th minutes respectively to open up a five-point lead, however Wales were let off the hook when his next attempt hit the posts. Barnes, though, gave the Wallabies some breathing space as he slotted over a cheeky drop-goal.
With Hook off and Stephen Jones on, the veteran set up a nail-biting finale with his 70th-minute penalty to take the scores to 11-16 and Wales requiring a converted try to win the match.
Australia should have sealed the deal through Ashley-Cooper with six minutes left on the clock, but a try-saving tackle by Wales wing George North kept his team's chances alive as the ball spilled from the full-back's grasp.
However, the Wallabies launched another raid and weren't to be denied a second time after number eight Ben McCalman made no mistake two minutes later as he took Saia Fainga'a's offload to score in the corner for the match-winner.
O'Connor missed the conversion from far out, but it mattered not as Wales trailed by 10 points with two minutes left.
Wales never gave up though, and were rewarded for their never-say-die attitude after Halfpenny dived over 28 phases later to finish the game on a positive note.
It was Australia's first win at Eden Park since 1986, but not against their Bledisloe Cup rivals New Zealand, who take on France at their fortress in Sunday's final.
This victory meant two-time champions Australia won their first bronze at the World Cup after losing 22-21 to Wales in the play-off for third place at the inaugural 1987 tournament in New Zealand.
Man of the match: For Wales, number eight Ryan Jones was simply superb, whilst James O'Connor was a threat throughout for the Wallabies. But Berrick Barnes delivered a masterly performance after moving from inside centre to fly-half and is deservedly our man of the match.
Moment of the match: It may have been a forward pass that allowed Wales to hit the front, but we're going with that fortuitous try to wing Shane Williams.
Villain of the match: Hmmm... Australia hooker Tatafu Polota-Nau can consider himself lucky for escaping any punishment for his late shoulder charge on Shane Williams that saw the Welsh Wizard go flying behind the touchline.
The scorers:
For Australia:
Tries: Barnes, McCalman
Con: O'Connor
Pens: O'Connor 2
Drop: Barnes
For Wales:
Tries: S Williams, Halfpenny
Pens: Hook, S Jones
Cons: S Jones
Wales: 15 Leigh Halfpenny, 14 George North, 13 Jonathan Davies, 12 Jamie Roberts, 11 Shane Williams, 10 James Hook, 9 Mike Phillips, 8 Ryan Jones, 7 Toby Faletau, 6 Dan Lydiate, 5 Luke Charteris, 4 Bradley Davies, 3 Paul James, 2 Huw Bennett, 1 Gethin Jenkins (c).
Replacements: 16 Lloyd Burns, 17 Ryan Bevington, 18 Alun Wyn Jones, 19 Andy Powell, 20 Lloyd Williams, 21 Stephen Jones, 22 Scott Williams.
Australia: 15 Kurtley Beale, 14 James O'Connor, 13 Adam Ashley-Cooper, 12 Berrick Barnes, 11 Digby Ioane, 10 Quade Cooper, 9 Will Genia, 8 Ben McCalman, 7 David Pocock, 6 Scott Higginbotham, 5 Nathan Sharpe, 4 James Horwill (c), 3 Salesi Ma'afu, 2 Tatafu Polota-Nau, 1 James Slipper.
Replacements: 16 Saia Faingaa, 17 Ben Alexander, 18 Rob Simmons, 19 Radike Samo, 20 Luke Burgess, 21 Anthony Faingaa, 22 Robert Horne.
Referee: Wayne Barnes (England)
Comments
ThinkingGame says...
@isthatrightref and anyone who shares the opinion Rolland was right with that red:
Law 6.4.A (a) The referee is the sole judge of fact and Law. The referee must apply all of the Laws of the Game during every match.
and
Law 10.4(j) reads: "Lifting a player from the ground and dropping or driving that player into the ground whilst that player's feet are still off the ground, such that the player's head and/or upper body come into contact with the ground, is dangerous play. Sanction: Penalty kick."
Sanction: Penalty Kick.
The fact that the IRB said four years ago that this was dangerous play and asked referees to punish harshly for it, does not change the Laws. Before the ELVs came in, and before gouging became the talk of the town, before Bloodgate, the IRB asked for tip tackling to be punished harshly. The referee is still, however, able to penalise that tackle with a yellow, a red, a penalty, or consult with both touch judges before deciding, according to the Laws. Why are any of these sanctions available if they do not affect the outcome of the match? If the team that gets one of these sanctions loses by a point, how can the sanction not have been the main factor in the result?
WHAT IS THE POINT OF A RED CARD IF THE TEAM THAT GETS IT DOES NOT SUFFER MEANINGFULLY ON THE PITCH?
As for the "He could have injured Vincent Clerc," argument, had Clerc been seriously injured or worse, then the referee stepping over his corpse/stricken body to give Warburton a red as the last act of an abandoned game would have been so ridiculous that it would never have happened. Warburton would have retired broken, and even a citing panel would not be able to impose a sanction equal to THE DEATH OF AN OPPONENT.
There are far more dangerous offences in the Lawbook than what Warburton did, and Rolland had a choice of what sanction to use and got it wrong. That is all.
Posted 18:00 23rd October 2011
makemehappy says...
@islandpower - spot on - someone who appreciates that this is a contact sport!
@isthatrightref - wrong - most refs haven't and wouldn't have given that a red card. AR gives too many reds for non-offences (see Frtiz HCup), without being reprimanded for that. Also wrong that the welsh never think they should have lost. I've almost always thought it when we've played NZ. I didn't think we deserved to lose some of the matches in the RWC. Losing and thinking you deserved to are too different things.
Posted 08:27 23rd October 2011
isthatrightref says...
@sbfc... actually Wales lost all 3 games because their kickers were crap, even Gatland & Halfpenny have had the decency to admit as much, perhaps you should as well, or risk turning into BVD.
The alleged penalty v SA missed; Warburton gave Rolland no option but to red-card him yet you could still have won had the last-minute penalty cleared the bar instead of going under; and you were only in touch with the Wobblies because of the worst forweard-pass-leading-to-a-try since a certain game Cardiff back in '07 (same referee, go figure).
As an old-school AB once said, you never beat Wales you just score more points!
Sad to see Cooper so badly injured, he may be a prat but no-one deserves a blown ACL - apologies to our Oz cousins for the booing as he was being taken off, 90% of KIwis (I hope) think those who did it are tossers. Didn't Barnes make a difference though? Seriously, how much better off would the Wobblies have been had Cooper's knee blown out weeks/ months ago?
Oh and one more thing, GO BLACK, it's Redemption Day & if you need a lazy three points to get up for the win, kick the freaking drop goal it's NOT un-AB!
Posted 05:20 23rd October 2011
makemehappy says...
@rugbylover - i apologise for discussing more than one issue. Obviously some people struggle with this, such as yourself. You stated 'It was thrown forward by about a metre & then rolled further forward. ' I merely pointed out that the rolling forward added nothing to your comment, or that you incorrectly think the ball has to roll forward for a forward pass to be given. Too late for you to correct your error now though! Now please stop trying to critise me when you have made a mistake.
Posted 16:44 22nd October 2011
rugbylover says...
@makemehappy
.........er, what?
I was talking about the forward pass, you appear to wish to discuss the world, its people, the meaning of life & what's it all about [OK I admit it - I stopped reading after the first 3 paras]. Just one subject old chap - to allow people like you to concentrate.
Too late.
Posted 11:20 22nd October 2011
makemehappy says...
@rugbylover - it was a forward pass, but the rolling forward after isnt relevant in terms of perception or the rules.
Posted 11:05 22nd October 2011
melkdave says...
I have to agree with the earlier post about this match being irrevalant its a match no team wants and dosent really want to play in and would be better not to have it .Both teams today had to try and motavate themselves after a massive disappointment and thats very hard considering it has nothing to really play for. Now if it was a shield/bowl final for the teams finishing 3rd-4th in the pools it would have alot to recommend it.Both teams would be motavated and it would have something tangable to play for (bowl/shield) i think the IRB should really look into having a format at the RWC where all the teams have something to play for( ESPICALLY THE DEVELOPING TEAMS) .It would increase the number of matches for us fans and TV ,give the delveloping teams like Russia -Canada -Samoa ect annother goal and reason to qualify for RWC apart from playing the big boys every 4 years and as a by product increase the income for the host nation or nations from matches and hopfully speed up the intrest in the game worldwide ..To my mind a 7s format has a lot to recommend its self to the 15s permier tourament .As it was both teams tried to give us a good game to watch and it was a full blown test match with the right result Australia deserved their win
Posted 10:40 22nd October 2011
jonesy2 says...
oh and by the way this is the worst match report ive ever read. TPN villian of the match? he was trying to charge down the kick! the officials in charge should have been the villian of the match for allowing 2 tries that were for the first one, offside and and forward pass and the second one that was well into touch.
Posted 10:22 22nd October 2011
rugbylover says...
@sbfc
............er, lost in translation from Cymraeg I fear.
Note to nurse: increase this patient's medication, & don't let him out again!
Posted 10:14 22nd October 2011
makemehappy says...
@rugby lover - thanks for supplying a detailed argument. I trust as mine is detailed and logical, and yours is non existent that you really admit Im right. True rugby lovers like a physical element to the game. Removing accidental incidents like the Warburton one from the game will be detrimental to the game. If you love H&S issues, why wasn't yesterdays tackle on shane punished with a red. Why isn't pulling down in the line out punished with the red? The answer isn't H&S its just that there was a lot of media hype over the O'Driscoll tackle on the Lions tour. The line out issue I mentioned above is well known as being more dangerous, yet I don't see cards being dished out for that. So come on, if you want to argue put some substance into it. If not then let me and many other have our opinion, or are you so dictatorial that you can only believe you are right?
Posted 09:56 22nd October 2011
makemehappy says...
@sincero - you obviously listened to a very different media source to me, and I listtened to many. When accusing me of making childish statements, please put forward an argument as to why this is the case. I have put forward several detailed arguments, and fortunately most people have agreed with me. If you want a non-contact game, keep going with your argument, and thats where you will end up - THE END!
Posted 09:52 22nd October 2011
cannonball01 says...
@rugbysupport
when you constantly do cheap shots on certain people you get payback. old days he would get a beat down. he thought it was all sh. ts and giggles at the start of cup . on positive note dont think there will b any more boooing ,,boys learnt a lesson his behaviour bought a lot of unwanted attention to his country
@sprogrugby
if a pass goes foward from where you pass it to anothere player in the air or dribbles on ground its a foward'' the pass you talk about a'good 1.5meter foward
should have gone to specsavers
Posted 09:15 22nd October 2011
rugbylover says...
@Sprogrugby
Look, [sorry, no pun intended] I am not talking about some match in the Sussex league between Eastbourne & Folkestone in 1968 when the pass may or may not have gone forward or appeared to or appeared not to. No dear Sprogrugby, I am talking about the pass by Wales which DID go forward which lead directly to a Welsh try ¿ it appeared to go forward because of that actual, physical event. Got it?
Posted 09:01 22nd October 2011
rugbylover says...
@Sprogrugby
'there are none so blind...............'
and you're PROUD of it.
" flat..." indeed "......marginally forward......."
It was thrown forward by about a metre & then rolled further forward.
Poor blind Pugh [or ir it prat?]
Posted 08:19 22nd October 2011
rugbylover says...
I watched a replay [one of about ten thousand]. The forward pass leading to the Welsh try is even more apparent than it appeared, live, at the time. Moreover, Barnes then compounded his error by calling O¿Connor¿s inside pass forward when it manifestly was not. I couldn't tell from my seat.
My Kiwi & Aussie ¿mates¿ tell me Barnes is a prat [not their word] & those Kiwis think Kaplan is the best around ¿ even to the extent of refereeing any match between the AB¿s & the Springboks.
Now for some well-earned rest. I am ¿munted¿ & it's the ¿biggie¿ tomorrow. C¿mon NZ.
Posted 08:15 22nd October 2011
sbfc says...
Wales lost to SA because the ref refused to give points for a penalty that went through the posts. They lost to France because the ref sent the captain off, and lost to Australia because their inspirational captain was not available. New Zealand are the luckiest team in the World Cup!
Posted 07:26 22nd October 2011
Ramage says...
@ Trinuts you have raised a very good point over an inconsistency in the laws of the game when you raise the issue over the stripping Ashley-Cooper of the ball. Unfortunately in Union it is ruled too often that the player who has the ball has lost it and if it goes forward then the scrum is set unless the other side get an advantage. In my mind North stripped Ashley-Cooper of the ball and was the last player to play the ball. That being so where did the ball go? It was propelled towards the Australian goal line.That being so it was a Welsh knock on. So scrum to Australia. I will need to rewatch it to see whether the ball at anytime went towards to the Welsh goal line. However it is a lottery as Barnes the referee has shown quite clearly he has no idea of what constitutes a forward pass or is so slow he is never in a position to rule correctly. This stripping action however is and can be one of the hardest to detect in Union and if brought in would open referees to more controversy.
I believe also the booing of Cooper needs to cease he has done his time the public have expressed their feelings about him but to continue would be to become boorish. I hope he recuperates well and comes back a better person for it.One thing for sure the Reds will certainly miss him for at that level he was very effective. The Australian coach in waiting will find it hard to replace him.
Thanks also for your best wishes to NZ for Sunday's final.
Posted 05:09 22nd October 2011
Ramage says...
@coronach yes we watched the presentation on tv following the game. All players got the medal as guys in suits went up on the platform. The coaching staff got the medals as well as the support staff such as waterboys. Makes you wonder what would have happened if England with its discredited support staff would have done were they not unceremoniously dumped out of the cup by France.
Posted 04:34 22nd October 2011
Sprogrugby says...
Rugbylover...
I don't believe I passed a judgement in whether it was forward or not, simply pointing out that there is a fine line often blurred between what may travel forwards and what may be a forward pass, and I wonder who remembers the difference. The reason i make that point is that many 'obvious' forward passes are not actually so. I think that pass was very close, and from our angle on balance yes i think it was flat / marginally forward out of hand, however i don't enjoy the vitriol that comes spewing because it may not have been adjudged as that. Your comment as to my possible physical or willful visual impairment is such an example :p (I'd prefer to call it objectivity)
Posted 02:21 22nd October 2011
hayj05 says...
The editor says.... olepete: I can confirm that BokVanDam is NOT a PR staffer. The truth be told, we reject more of his comments than we allow through...that should give you an idea of just how big an idiot he is. Unfortunately, everyone is allowed an opinion...
Haha... Love it!
Posted 01:43 22nd October 2011