Finished Westpac Stadium
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Welsh down Ireland to reach semis
Wales reached the World Cup semi-finals for the first time in 24 years with a 22-10 victory over Ireland in Wellington. More
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Live Commentary
Time:80'- Ireland
- Wales
80' FULL-TIME! Wales reach the World Cup semi-finals for the first time in 24 years with a 22-10 victory over Ireland on a wet and windy evening at the Wellington Regional Stadium.- 79' Wales kick long and it's do or die for Ireland now.
78' James Hook on for Priestland.- 77' More stoic Welsh defending and they get the penalty.
- 76' Sexton throws the ball wide to O’Driscoll but the loop pass inside is anticipated by Huw Bennett. Irish line-out inside the 22.
- 75' Donnacha Ryan and Denis Leamy on for Ferris and Heaslip.
- 74' He hits the left upright from about 30m out – a glimmer for Ireland.
- 73' Heaslip penalised for leaving their feet and Priestland is allowed another shot at the posts.
- 72' Andrew Trimble on for Earls.
- 71' Ireland running from their own 22 – they know they need to do something special and fast.
- 70' Wales kick clear and are 10 minutes away from their first World Cup semi-final in 24 years.
- 69' The heavens have opened once again as Healy is pinged in the scrum.
- 68' Reddan with the quick offload to O’Brien but O’Driscoll with the crucial handing error 5m from the line.
- 67' Ireland are putting the ball through the phases but slow ball.
- 66' Sexton to O’Driscoll and out to Earls and Ireland are inside the Welsh 22.
- 65' Wales have now scored 201 tries in their 117 matches against Ireland, notching up 63 wins in the process.
64' Wales 22-10 Ireland - Priestland lands a superb conversion.
63' WALES TRY! Wales 20-10 Ireland – You had to say it was coming. Wales dominating the breakdown and outside centre Jonathan Davies picks the gap between Healy and Earls and bursts over the line.- 62' Handling error from Reddan inside his own half after a dodgy offload from Earls and Wales can exert more pressure.
- 61' Wales are dominating at the moment. Ireland only made 255 tackles during the pool stages, fewer than any other side.
- 60' Reddan clears to Shane Williams who immediately runs the ball back at the Irish and an expert grubber pins the men in green deep again.
- 59' Phillips kicks through. Ireland have the lineout in their own 22 and this time, under huge pressure, take it cleanly and make some territory.
- 58' Priestland hits the left upright and it is still a one score game.
- 57' Cian Healy penalised as the Irish front row collapses. Warburton invites Priestland to kick at goal.
- 56' An exchange of kicks and Wales have the scrum near the Ireland 22.
- 55' Half-back changes for Ireland with Eoin Reddan and Jonathan Sexton on for O’Gara and Murray.
- 54' Priestland misses the extras from the touchline.
- 53' TRY WALES! Wales 15-10 Ireland – The try is given. Sublime work from the scrum-half who darted around the Ireland cover defence. That all started from a lost Irish lineout.
- 52' Mike Phillips spots a gap, goes down the blindside and goes over in the corner. TMO again!
- 51' Wales attack again with Roberts and then North taking it inside the Irish 22.
- 50' Ireland have run 276m with the ball to just 161m from Wales but all square with 30 minutes remaining.
- 49' But Wales penalised for not releasing the ball, a great turnover from Cian Healy.
- 48' Wales are into Ireland's 22 and Earls down after a clash of heads.
- 47' O'Gara nails the conversion from the touchline - 10-10.
- 46' IRELAND TRY - Wales 10-8 Ireland - The try is awarded by TMO Giulio De Santis. Mike Phillips came across but Earls is adjudged to have touched down before his foot went into touch.
- 45' Ireland attack again, O'Connell bursts forward and offloads to Healy who is up to the 5 metre line. A pass from Murray is not exactly where he intended but great hands from Ferris and he finds Earls who crashes over in the corner.....but we need a TV replay.
- 44' O’Gara’s kick pins Wales deep with Earls chasing down Halfpenny but the Welsh establish a platform and clear.
- 43' The tackle count in the first-half was Wales 89 Ireland 55 to underline how much ball the men in green had.
- 42' Bradley Davies on for Charteris who made 17 tackles in the first-half.
41' Here we go for the second period.- 40' But too many players on the ground and that brings the first-half to an end. Wales lead 10-3.
- 39' Again Ireland inside the Welsh 22.
- 38' Charteris needs treatment but is fit to continue.
- 37' Quick break from Phillips but a penalty against Wales as Luke Charteris fails to release.
- 36' Not yet…..O’Gara’s kick is out on the full and Welsh scrum on halfway.
- 35' More continuity play from Ireland inside the Welsh half but can they find the thrust?
- 34' Roberts still on the pitch incidentally.
- 33' Ireland steal the lineout but Sean O'Brien is penalised for not releasing the ball under pressure from Sam Warburton.
- 32' Wales made an average of 169.5 passes per game in the pool stages, more than any of the other 19 teams in the tournament.
- 31' Gethin Jenkins collects the line-out and Priestland kicks clear.
- 30' Ireland spread the ball wide inside the Welsh half and O’Gara pins Warren Gatland’s side inside the 5m line again with the grubber kick.
- 29' Jamie Roberts is down in midfield with what seems like a shoulder problem.
- 28' Only two of Wales' 11 Rugby World Cup defeats have come against Six Nations opposition (v Ireland in 1995 & England in 2003).
- 27' Wales 10-3 Ireland - A superb kick from the full-back from just inside the Irish half and Wales restore their seven point advantage.
- 26' Ireland concede their first penalty as Paul O'Connell is caught and Leigh Halfpenny will have a long-range kick at the posts.
- 25' Ireland had been behind for only five minutes at the Rugby World Cup 2011, joint shortest time with the All Blacks, before tonight.
- 24' Wales 7-3 Ireland - O'Gara slots the penalty and Ireland are on the scoreboard.
- 23' However Huw Bennett is penalised for joining the ruck incorrectly and O’Gara will have a chance from in front of the posts.
- 22' The up and under from the Welsh almost blows backwards in these conditions and Rob Kearney bursts into the 22 but his offload only finds Jamie Roberts.
- 21' Wales penalised for engaging early in the scrum and O’Gara kicks more successfully this time to put the Irish inside the opposition 22 again.
- 20' O’Gara gets his angles wrong this time with the kick, it runs through on the full and Welsh scrum on halfway.
- 19' Along with France, Ireland had the joint most successful lineout unit in the pool stages of this RWC, winning 91% of their own throws. Clean take from Stephen Ferris sets up another Irish attack.
- 18' Leigh Halfpenny takes the high ball superbly inside his own 22 in this swirling wind.
- 17' Murray up to the tryline but then a costly handling error by O'Gara and Wales repel the Irish again.
- 16' Ireland are held up as Sean O'Brien is unable to get the ball down over the try line and Declan Kidney’s men are forced to settle for the put-in at a 5m scrum.
- 15' Shane Williams is again penalised for leaving his feet and again O’Gara kicks into the corner rather than kicking at goal.
- 14' Now Gordon D'Arcy with the break into the Welsh half.
- 13' O’Driscoll makes the interception but almost immediately Ireland turn the ball over.
- 12' Wales back up to Ireland's 22.
- 11' Mike Ross receiving some medical attention.
- 10' This is the third World Cup meeting between these teams, Ireland won 24-23 in 1995 and Wales won 13-6 in 1987 with both meetings coming in the pool stages.
- 9' The Irish keep it with the forwards and eventually the ball goes loose. Superb defence by Wales on their own line.
- 8' Donncha O'Callaghan goes close and then Tommy Bowe finds North in his way to the line.
- 7' Ferris up to the 5 metre line and it's a penalty to Ireland as George North is penalised for not rolling away from the tackle. O'Gara kicks for the corner - a statement of intent.
- 6' Wales penalised and O’Gara can pin the men in red deep.
- 5' Wales beat Ireland 19-13 in this year’s Six Nations but have not won back to back matches against them since 1988.
- 4' Wales 7-0 Ireland - Priestland adds a great conversion from the touchline.
- 3' WALES TRY! Wales 5-0 Ireland – A spectacular start for the Welsh, all started by that Roberts take. Jonathan Davies takes the ball up to Ireland's 5 metre line before Shane Williams crosses in the right corner.
- 2' Big hit on Rhys Priestland by Brian O'Driscoll early on but Jamie Roberts takes a big up and under and Wales are into Irish territory.
1' And we are off!- - Wales: 15-Leigh Halfpenny, 14-George North, 13-Jonathan Davies, 12-Jamie Roberts, 11-Shane Williams, 10-Rhys Priestland, 9-Mike Phillips, 8-Toby Faletau, 7-Sam Warburton (c), 6-Danny Lydiate, 5-Alun Wyn Jones, 4-Luke Charteris, 3-Adam Jones, 2-Huw Bennett, 1-Gethin Jenkins. /// Replacements: 16-Lloyd Burns, 17-Paul James, 18-Bradley Davies, 19-Ryan Jones, 20-Lloyd Williams, 21-James Hook, 22-Scott Williams. /// Coach: Warren Gatland.
- - Ireland: 15-Rob Kearney, 14-Tommy Bowe, 13-Brian O'Driscoll (c), 12-Gordon D'Arcy, 11-Keith Earls, 10-Ronan O'Gara, 9-Conor Murray, 8-Jamie Heaslip, 7-Sean O'Brien, 6-Stephen Ferris, 5-Paul O'Connell, 4-Donncha O'Callaghan, 3-Mike Ross, 2-Rory Best, 1-Cian Healy. /// Replacements: 16-Sean Cronin, 17-Tom Court, 18-Donnacha Ryan, 19-Denis Leamy, 20-Eoin Reddan, 21-Jonathan Sexton, 22-Andrew Trimble. /// Coach: Declan Kidney.
- 05:55 Tonight's referee is Craig Joubert (South Africa) as the teams come out for the anthems. More on Jobert
- 05:50 It is a wet and windy evening at the Wellington Regional Stadium. Stadium Guide
- 05:45 Ronan O'Gara, the Irish fly-half, will be expected to use his boot to keep the Welsh pinned in their own half and much will be expected of a back-row featuring outstanding flanker Sean O'Brien as the Irish strive to reach a first semi-final. "It will be absolutely massive," said prop Mike Ross. "We've got a real opportunity to do what no Irish team has done and we need to grasp it with both hands."
- 05:40 Winger George North has probably been the find of the tournament but fly-half Rhys Priestland and openside flanker Sam Warburton have also impressed. "The game is exciting because it's 50-50," said Warburton, who celebrated his 23rd birthday on Wednesday. "Both teams believe they can beat each other."
- 05:35 While Ireland's World Cup campaign is likely to be the last for captain Brian O'Driscoll and his golden generation, Wales are looking to youth to get them into the last four for the first time since the inaugural tournament in 1987.
- 05:30 Ireland open the weekend of spectacular rugby with a match-up against their Celtic cousins Wales in Wellington.
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Summary
Ireland versus Wales Earls 45’ Tries Williams 3’, Phillips 51’, Davies 64’ O'Gara 46’ Conversions Priestland 4’, 66’ O'Gara 24’ Penalties Halfpenny 29’ Drops
Live Team Line-Up
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IrelandManager: Declan Kidney
On the Field
- Healy
- Best
- Ross
- O'Callaghan
- O'Connell
- Ferris
- O'Brien
- Heaslip
- Murray
- O'Gara
- Earls
- D'Arcy
- O'Driscoll
- Bowe
- Kearney
Subs
- Reddan
- Leamy
- Trimble
- Sexton
- Ryan
- Court
- Cronin
Injured
None
Suspended
None
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WalesManager: Warren Gatland
On the Field
- Jenkins
- Bennett
- Jones
- Charteris
- Jones
- Lydiate
- Warburton
- Faletau
- Phillips
- Priestland
- Williams
- Roberts
- Davies
- North
- Halfpenny
Subs
- James
- Williams
- Jones
- Hook
- Davies
- Burns
- Williams
Injured
None
Suspended
None