Six Nations - Wales edge Ireland in thriller
Leigh Halfpenny's last-minute penalty gave Wales a 23-21 win over Ireland in an enthralling Six Nations see-saw battle in Dublin.
The match looked to have turned in Ireland's favour after Wales were reduced to 14 men with Bradley Davies penalised for a dangerous spear tackle on Donnacha Ryan. Ireland made their man advantage count as Tommy Bowe latched onto Rob Kearney's precise pass to go over in the corner for a 21-15 home lead going into the final five minutes.
But a late George North try reduced the deficit to one and then a yellow card in the final minute for Stephen Ferris saw Halfpenny stroke home the penalty and give Wales the victory in a pulsating match.
After an early Jonathan Sexton penalty for an infringement in the ruck, Wales looked like the side who beat Ireland so convincingly in the World Cup, dominating possession and territory.
Following a sniping run from Mike Phillips from the base of the ruck, Ryan Jones bulldozed his way over the line, only for the TMO to adjudge him to have been held up on the line.
Following yet more phase play, Wales had their reward in the 13th minute, Rhys Priestland feeding Jonathan Davies down the left wing and the centre going over in the corner. Wales should have been further ahead moments later but the usually reliable Priestland missed a penalty right in front of the posts to let Ireland off the hook.
Sexton followed suit, missing a penalty to put Ireland ahead after a late hit from Phillips on Bowe. But despite more Welsh pressure, the hosts went ahead somewhat against the run of play minutes before the break. Slick passing through the backs found Bowe, who released Rory Best to go over in the corner for a 10-5 interval lead.
Ireland put clear daylight between themselves and Wales early in the second half, Sexton stroking over another penalty for an infringement by Rhys Gill in the scrum. But a Wales penalty moments later was followed by the move that put them ahead for the first time, North offloading brilliantly to send Jonathan Davies over.
Paul O'Connell then failed to get the ball away with a gaping overlap to his right but a further penalty edged Ireland back ahead at 16-15. And Ireland's chances of victory further increased when Bradley Davies was lucky to avoid a red card for a horrendous spear tackle on Ryan, the replays suggesting the offence to be far worse that Sam Warbuton's fateful tackle on Vincent Clerc in the World Cup.
Ireland made their advantage tell only three minutes later as Bowe scored in the corner but Sexton missed the conversion to give Wales hope at 21-15.
Despite their disadvantage in numbers, Wales continued to take the game to Ireland and North bulldozed his way over the line despite the attention of three Ireland tacklers.
Halfpenny's conversion miss should have been decisive but with the clock ticking down, Ferris saw yellow for a dangerous tackle on Ian Evans and this time the full-back did not miss.
Comment 233 - 252 of 252
I love Irish rugby, I remember a great try we scored against the All Blacks where they just carved them in two. We didn't win, but they showed what can be done if you just go for it. Welsh rugby is stepping up and taking on the same spirit of attack and solid defence started by Ireland a decade ago. However, beating the ABs is something else (at least where the ref doesn't throw the game which regrettably English refs have done in more than one world cup). We will beat them one day, but I want the Irish team to beat them, I don't want us to be given the game by dirty refs. Wales were unlucky not to beat old Ireland a couple of years back when referee Barns (a pillar of honesty and integrity in world rugby) gave them a penalty for god knows what in the last minute of the game. The Welsh kicker missed and the six nations went where it belonged. This time, referee Barns
(a pillar of honesty and integrity in world rugby) managed to find another penalty in the last minute of the game to give Wales the game. Good to see he, being a pillar of honesty and integrity in world rugby, is consistent. It is a shame the IRB disciplinary committee didn't agree with his opinion, what with him being a pillar of honesty and integrity in world rugby. It is further a shame that he is being demoted so that he can no longer hand out game winning penalties against the Irish or any other team his child-like public school boy mentality decides to dislike.
Violent Torpedo Of Truth, THE ALL BLACKS ARE NOT GOOD ENOUGH FOR THIS TOURNAMENT, THEY ARE BETTER OFF STAYING WHERE THE IRB CAN PROTECT THEM FROM THE RUGBY RULES ,IT IS A MUCH HARDER GAME WHEN BOTH TEAMS HAVE TO ABIDE BY THE SAME RULES , THE IRB SEEM TO PROTECT THE KIWIS AND THE AUSSIES FROM THE SAME RULE THE REST OF US HAVE TO PLAY BY .
haaa somebody got a computer for christmas, I think we will have to give (torpedo) time to get used to the keyboard, seems he is still trying to master the new words , ah well they allow anybody to have an opinion so once he has one , I hope we can understand it .
wales and ireland pedo's together
NH @#$%.boys
NH @#$%.Boys
All Blacks
All Blacks
All Blacks
All Blacks
all blacks
all blacks
all blacks
Well I have to admit ,I really enjoyed that game , is it just me but are not all the Celtic games good to watch?. but well played Ireland and Wales , it just shows you how little margins can be the diff between a win and to lose. Scotland are becoming experts in this . but I did think Ireland had it in the bag. I am not surprised the Irish fans were annoyed at losing the game in this way. but we move on .
I really cannot understand the need for spear tackles, they do not stop the player passing the ball but can potentially cause serious injuries. These tackles together with taking a man out whilst he is in the air should be banned before someone is crippled or even killed.
I also find it quite interesting that referees do not penalise players who just throw themselves at their opponents in close quarter play with no attempt to put their arms around the opponent. This action is generally penalised in more open play but is still just as dangerous (probably more so to the tackler than his opponent !!).
its easy - (i) Ryan, Yellow card and penalty for flying in to the ruck dangerously.
(ii) Davies - Red card and reverse the penalty for spear tackle off the ball.
(iii) Ferris - Yellow card and penalty, the only reason that did not look more reckless, was another welsh player grabbed Evans as he toppled over, intent was still there.
Wales deserved the will and i think the above would have made to more clear cut.
yes he did stick the knee in as the try was being scored that should have been a red card
Think that's the first time I've ever thumbed up a comment from Pink Pig! Haha. A very good point about Davies swearing... Having watched it in the pub it was quite funny at the time but certainly not a good thing. Abusing refs is a bad aspect of football sneaking into the game of rugby. Noticed a lot of it at the world cup too.
Big Rich. You are right about that. I saw the attempt at a dead leg on Davies too. Funny Warburton had to go off with a dead leg, hit twice in the same place apparently. Part of the Irish game plan is it?
Very entertaining game. Wales definitely maintaining their potential for the whole game. Strength in depth proven, despite pundits thinking otherwise about the injuries. Scotland and England must have looked at that performance and thought 'bloody hell we have got a lot of work to do before we play either of them'. Not sure the work will make a lot of difference either! North and Roberts looked so strong.
Howard T. 'dwarves,.royal..ferry blah blah' seems funny and obviously helps your own inadequacies to write such stuff but do not be little the behaviour of Bradley.
When it was done to BOD, off the ball on the lions tour of New Zealand, that tackle sickened me. So did this one. john b you are wrong to compare RWC with Sunday. Warburton was in the heat of battle and the man had the ball. No excuses for Bradley, as there were none for Umaga and Mealamu
Just a thought, why has no-one mentioned the Irish scrum half (Conor something) dropping the knee into Jon Davies when he scored his second try ?
I repeat my earlier post #200. It was a nailed on red card and Bradley will get a hefty ban for it (6-8 weeks). But the difference between him getting a red or a yellow was 4 minutes playing time and he had no impact on the game in that time. Red wouldn't have changed a thing. Ferris' tackle was a close call but once you lift a players leg above the head you're running a big risk. Ferris took one when he had no need to and paid the almost ultimate penalty. Even so, the drop goal was on if the penalty hadn't been given so, I'm sorry Greenstandard, NOT a win for Ireland.
ryans charge into adam jones should have been a yellow card ; bradley jones dropped ryan on his head no damage done whats the problem
John B - why are you singling out Welsh players? yes i agree it should have been a red card, but are you telling me that Wales are the only team that have been guilty of this. - I don't think so, check your rugby facts.
if you watch how the southern hemisphere teams play you would see a lot more dirty tackles - they are known for it. Am I right in presuming you are English? If so I am sure you are very proud of England winning a very mediocre match.
David Peter,
suck a boiled sweet to take the bitter taste out of your mouth, Wales played a better game than England and you know it. be a man and take it on the chin.
I haven't had time to read all posts on here, but I think a good few people are missing the point. It was not a penalty at the end. The rule states that if the tackled player lands horizontally and the tackler maintains control over the tackled player, the tackle is legal. Ferris kept hold of the welsh player and he landed at a greater than horizontal angle. Wayne Barnes mistake. No penalty. Ireland win. What a shame that such a great match had to end like that.
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