Escape to Victory

Wales England 19-26 Wales. How ever did we manage that?

Wales were utterly woeful in the first half. The lineout wasn’t functioning. They were getting driven off the ball at every ruck. And their management of the restarts appeared to be completely without thought or commitment. The only reason that England were not 3 or 4 tries to the good is that, like all four teams we have seen on show today, they were rusty. The moves were not working as they should. There was no lack of opportunities. And just like Jake White, I was expecting the floodgates to open in the second half.

When a team is getting as beaten as badly as that, all they can hope to do in the second half is not lose heart. They still have to compete. If they do, a miracle may happen. And so it did. I have seen England teams play poorly before now, but I have never seem one give away a game from such a position of dominance in such an abject manner. All Wales had to do was keep playing, get the basics right (if I may be permitted a cliché), and the points would come.

For the Welsh, I thought that Lee Byrne had a particularly good game. Phillips, Hook, Henson and the two wings showed flashes of what they are capable of. The pack did OK, but has to work hard on the lineouts and rucks. I’d still start Shanklin ahead of Sony Parker. The entire England team should be made to sit in the corner with dunce caps on their heads.

After all the nonsense about not winning at Twickenham for 20 years (which is true, but the English conveniently forget the game at Wembley in 1999) this was a particularly satisfying win. Now here’s hoping that Gatland and Edwards can turn this piece of good fortune into some solid good play for the rest of the tournament.

There was, of course, a game in Ireland too. Italy were not good, but as usual they relied on a lot of strength and passion to carry them through. Ireland were not good either, and can count themselves lucky to get away with a 16-11 win. Eoin Reddan was impressive, as was Rob Kearney when he came on. But Ireland have a long way to go to confirm their ranking as one of the favorites for the title.

7 thoughts on “Escape to Victory

  1. I was not happy with that. How could a team implode so easily? There was no leadership, and dozens of mistakes made. Gomarsall was a real problem. A lot of bad decisions and bad passes. Still, some promise in Vainikolo who looks more like a prop then a winger, but has such talent. Sorry to see Strettle off so early after that blistering run. There’s nothing worse than leaving an English pub to a chorus of Wales fans.

  2. There’s nothing worse than leaving an English pub to a chorus of Wales fans

    Except possibly leaving an English pub after the hated English have just won the World Cup.

  3. As Wales won last year, my English friend Kate shuddered and said, “God. Now they’ll start singing.”

    So, Cheryl, did you sing?

    And a question from an ignorant Yank: Is the Irish team made up of Republicans entirely? Is there nowhere for Ulster’s rugby players to get in on the six nations? I’d be surprised (but pleased) to hear that the Irish side came from all parts of the island.

  4. That’s an interesting point about the hated English. It tends to be largely in rugby where you get the intense hatred of the England team from the other nations. Still, despite that, it’s probably the most friendly type of hatred you get in sports.

  5. Bruce:

    Prepare to be delighted. Ulster’s rugby players do indeed play for the Irish national side. Not only that, the Irish have written a special anthem for the combined Ireland team. National pride requires me to insist that the Welsh national anthem is a better piece of music, but for a song that has to be performed by a military band and tens of thousands of sports fans, “Ireland’s Call” can’t be beaten.

    YouTube has a bunch of samples. You can listen to the song itself here and hear it performed live by the crowd at Croke Park here.

    As for me, I’m afraid I have managed to miss out on the singing gene. However, when there’s no one around to hear me I’m as fond of singing as any of my compatriots. Besides, I think a few rousing choruses of “Men of Harlech” are called for, don’t you?

    Now avenging Briton,
    Smite as he has smitten
    Let your rage on history’s page
    In Saxon blood be written.

    Yes, that will do.

  6. Mark:

    You are right that ruby fans are, in general, a very friendly lot. We don’t throw broken bottles at rival fans or anything like that. But never underestimate what 1,000 years of subjugation can do to people. Nor what a decade of humiliation at the hands of Gareth Edwards & co. can do to an English rugby fan.

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