Rugby videos of tackles, tries, funny incidents and more: Wales and Fiji battle it out for a disappointing draw

Saturday, November 20, 2010

Wales and Fiji battle it out for a disappointing draw

Wales and Fiji played to a 16-16 draw last night at the Millennium Stadium in what was a result that felt more like a loss for the home side, who gave away an easy penalty in injury time.

Ryan Jones, the guilty party, has since been dropped as captain after the lacklustre and leaderless performance by the Welsh in front of a disappointed home crowd. The game failed to live up to expectation and it was Fiji who surprised the Welsh by leading 13-6 at half time.

The game ended in drama once again as Wales, who came back through a penalty try, hung on for another exciting finish but yet again the crowd left frustrated.

"We have let them down," said coach Warren Gatland. "We feel a bit embarrassed by the performance. It would have been nice to send the kids and families here tonight away with a win and we were not good enough to do it," he added.

Wales have now not won any of their last six games under Gatland and have only won twice in their last 12. “As coach I’m always under pressure, But I prepare a team as well as I can... I can’t go out there and play the game for them.

"It’s up to the players, but you have to take the good with the bad. And this was bad. We have to take it on the chin and look forward to New Zealand."

James Hook said the result was definitely one of their lows since Gatland took over.

"We did not win the game and we drew, but it seems like a defeat. Warren did not have to say too much after the game because the players and coaches were gutted," he said.

A good result for Fiji though, who showed that they’re no pushovers.

Time: 05:36
Note: Better quality highlights will be posted sometime soon

terrible performance by the welsh, although from what i saw i thought hook did well enough

By Anonymous, at November 20, 2010 3:33 pm
First.................!!

By Anonymous, at November 20, 2010 3:38 pm
Why the penalty try?

Wales turned Fiji around in the scrum, and it tlooked like the Fijians flanker went for the ball too soon, but either one is a penalty or a reverse but the Fijians didn't collapse so why is it a penalty try?

SR

By Anonymous, at November 20, 2010 3:45 pm
bakkies botha injuring scott macleod off the ball....surely not? not surprising at all...

By Anonymous, at November 20, 2010 4:11 pm
That was a penalty try because Fiji had already collapsed like 10 successive scrums. That one shouldn't even had happened as the ref shoul have awarded the penalty try and yellowed fijian prop b4 he was substitued.

By Carlos Costa, at November 20, 2010 4:21 pm
The Fijians made 8 changes to their starting XV with several key players missing. Apparently this is supposed to be their A side and still the Welsh struggled. The physicality of the Fijians was like watching a horror flick, they have no care for their own safety throwing their body's at anything that moves with the ball.lol

By Anonymous, at November 20, 2010 7:29 pm
Wales were a joke and so was the ref, he missed so many high tackles and forward passes from both teams.
Lydiate deserved his MOM award, he tackled everything.
We'll put a better team out against new zealand and should do better.

By WelshOsprey, at November 20, 2010 9:17 pm
Was at the match. The half time entertainment pretty much made my night. A half decent turnout with 52,000 people making the effort. Pi55 poor performance.

By Anonymous, at November 20, 2010 10:00 pm
WelshOsprey said:

"We'll put a better team out against new zealand and should do better."

Do better than a draw? So you'll win against NZ?

By Moi, at November 20, 2010 10:04 pm
That was a penalty try because Fiji had already collapsed like 10 successive scrums.

---------------

Looked like Jones was collapsing the scrum and engaging too early for me.

By chris, at November 20, 2010 10:04 pm
its a sad day for rugby when fiji of all teams go for the fraw

By Anonymous, at November 20, 2010 10:33 pm
*draw

By Anonymous, at November 20, 2010 10:34 pm
Wales are an absolute shambles at the moment. i am ashamed.

We're so much better than this.. pathetic!

By David, at November 20, 2010 10:58 pm
LOL @ Wales. Next Saturday will be an abortion.
Seriously though, when will Jones get pinged for his constant illegal scrummaging technique? Its a pisstake.

By Anonymous, at November 20, 2010 11:14 pm
i agree, Fiji should have gone for the try, there was nothing to loose anyways

By Anonymous, at November 20, 2010 11:20 pm
Wales were a joke and so was the ref, he missed so many high tackles and forward passes from both teams.
------

But mainly from the Welsh side. Allowing ample forward passes while constantly pinging Fiji for flat passes.

Lets not forget Wales were only in the position to get a penalty try after the ref called back Fiji for kicking outside their 22, despite the kick clearly being inside their 22.

By Anonymous, at November 20, 2010 11:34 pm
there was no control in that welsh team. I think it was due the Ospreys line up eg. Biggar, Bishop, Hook. The Ospreys play such a loose game they make so many mistakes.
I thought George North had a good game and he was probabably the best welsh player in the 1st half.
We could always look on the bright side. last time they lost to fiji then one a grandslam.

By Anonymous, at November 21, 2010 1:57 am
thats not 'well done allan jones'. thats lucky wales that the ball squirted out wrong out the side and the ref got it wrong.

By Ty Tuckett, at November 21, 2010 2:00 am
Could be worse, could have lost to Scotland like SA.

They need to let them take their banned substances again.

By Anonymous, at November 21, 2010 2:04 am
Poor game. I think it's best to stay well away from the once-yearly Friday night autumn international in Cardiff. Wales always wear the alternative kit and always play poorly, whether it be against Canada or Fiji. So predictable that there would be little atmosphere and no intensity to the Welsh play.

By John F, at November 21, 2010 2:08 am
Anonymous said...
its a sad day for rugby when fiji of all teams go for the draw.

Whatever Wales' current form might be, when Fiji gets a more than honorable draw against one of the great traditional rugby nations on their home turf, I don't think the Fijian fans back home would see it as a sad day.

By secondfive, at November 21, 2010 3:15 am
fuck this wales commentators talkin negative trash about fiji!!!...cant take the pressure than shut the fuck up!!!

By boogie, at November 21, 2010 4:29 am
The Welsh scrum were the ones collapsing the scrums.
It's a trick refs need to become aware of, some European teams, knowing they are percieved as having a stronger scrum are intentionalyl collpasing, and the ref is rewarding them for it.
They are either binding on the arm to twist the opposition tight head's posture and collpase, or boring in on the angle to splinter the opposition scrum.
It's ilegal.

By Tom, at November 21, 2010 4:50 am
Look at the scrum that got Wales their try.
Look where Adam Jones is binding, on the upper arm, look how it twists the Fijian props body and destabilises the scrum.
Completely ilegal, Fiji should have got the penalty.
You must bind on the body, Wales weren't.

By Tom, at November 21, 2010 4:53 am
penalty tries are not awarded because a scrum collapses, they are awarded if the defending team commits a proffessional foul within 5mtrs of the line or in open play if the last defender performas a professional foul. The Fijian put his hand in and pulled the ball out of the welsh scrum, strictly speaking he should have been carded, but the penalty try was the right decision.

By Anonymous, at November 21, 2010 9:28 am
good post @ Tom

Totally agree with you on this,

re: Commentators
These guys need to to kicked in the nuts repeatedly.

By Anonymous, at November 21, 2010 12:27 pm
We'll not see Wales play this badly again. There won't be an upset next weekend against NZ, but expect them to run them closer that Ireland did.

www.borntoruck.com

By BornToRuck, at November 21, 2010 1:02 pm
Go Fiji!

By Anonymous, at November 21, 2010 2:37 pm
Well done Fiji. That's all.

By Mike, at November 21, 2010 4:21 pm
well for now, even with the recent run of poor form Ireland is still a higher ranked team with quite a bit of potential. Would like to see an upset from Wales though, I think it would be good for the All Blacks, give them something to work on before the world cup.

By Anonymous, at November 21, 2010 7:54 pm
Its a shame Isa Nacewa isn't playing for Fiji, it would be good to have him and a couple of others in the squad.

The commentators were definitely a bit arrogant.

By olwakachangchang, at November 21, 2010 8:05 pm
Anonymous said... "The kick was clearly inside the 22". that is correct, however the ball had been passed back into the 22 which as of last year (if i'm not mistaken) means that you cannot kick directly into touch unless you have had one phase of play after bringing the ball back into your 22 i.e. ruck, maul.

But yeah shoddy by wales really. fiji didn't actually look as strong as they could do. great to see them just going all guns blazing at everything.

By Unknown, at November 21, 2010 10:26 pm
"I dont think they will go for the scrum" he says.. Wales are playing horrendus rugby, but the front row is good! hmm..

I think that Welsh bigot Jonathan Davis is missing the bigger picture. Perhaps the fact that Welsh rugby is at a huge low.

By Anonymous, at November 21, 2010 10:35 pm
shite highlights

By Anonymous, at November 22, 2010 12:00 am
At WelshOsprey.....your team is a joke...we dont have the money and resources yet we almost crush your team to pieces. We will do now what you have been doing to us for the last 20 years.

By Anonymous, at November 22, 2010 12:27 am
WHERES THE BIG HITS RB??

By I win, at November 22, 2010 1:17 am
Fiji had a man yellow-carded for a perfect textbook tackle, conceded a penalty try that was dubious (looked like the ball squirted out of the scrum), and then conceded 3 points from a penalty for a 'high tackle' that never got replayed, but looked totally fine from the first camera angle

I'd say Wales were lucky to get a draw

By RedYeti, at November 22, 2010 2:07 am
I agree RedYeti, the Fijians definatly got the rough end of the stick.
I get they want the game to prosper in Europe, but that doesn't mean refs should favour them.

By Tom, at November 22, 2010 2:33 am
Fiji played with 14 men for 10mins, they physically man-shamed the Welsh in every ruck/maul/breakdown but the commentators chose to forget all that and focused on scrums. They should be asking themselves if there Welsh rugby players have any heart. SHAMEFUL!

By Anonymous, at November 22, 2010 2:24 pm
welsh rugby = english football

players too comfortable, coach too arrogant, incompetant governing body

By Anonymous, at November 22, 2010 4:17 pm
A frustratingly crap performance and we were in no danger of winning.

To me it did look like Brew's arm was under the ball when Fiji got awarded the try (at least it was someone's brown-skinned arm) and as for that "spear tackle" against him, the Fijian was unlucky but did lift Brew's legs too high. Consider if Brew had reached back with his arm to soften the impact - you're then in a situation like O'Discoll on the Lions tour.

Good result Fiji.

By A Welsh Man, at November 22, 2010 5:27 pm
It wasn't a spear.
The Welsh were cheating in the scrums, binding on the arm is illegal.
Pathetic from Wales.

By Bill, at November 22, 2010 11:17 pm
First up im an English man but...

I really hope that next year Wales take a full fit squad to the world cup, Wale's problem has alwys been a lack of depth (squad size).

A fully Fit squad of first choice players would see an awesome line up. I thought a lack of williams - who simply stands a defence up, andy powell who for me is one of the worlds stand out back rowers and the calm head of jones at 10 was so noticable(although he was brought on).

Dispite a disappointing result I think the future is bright for Wales - George North is such an exciting player to watch. And perhaps even the return of a certain saracen centre or is it fly half now? - although he's a permatan poser he's a cracking player!

I'll be routing for Wales this weekend.

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By Anonymous, at November 23, 2010 4:44 pm
After what he got away with doing to DTH Van Der Merve earlier this season, i don't think Aled Brew can complain in any way shape or form about that perfectly legal tackle!

By Believer, at November 24, 2010 10:09 pm