- Tweeter
republish
The French rugby team, reduced to 14 for 30 minutes, fell to Wales in the quarter-finals of the World Cup in Oita, Japan, this Sunday, October 20 (20-19). The Blues led until the 74th minute before the Welsh victory test confirmed after watching the video.
It's cruel. The XV of France, who had won only one game over his last eight against the Welsh, has fed no complex in this quarterfinal. Thanks to a start of thunderous match, the Blues have been racing in the lead almost all the game. But the exclusion of Sebastien Vahaamahina from the start of the second period, has given the go to Wales that ripped the victory and qualifying for the semifinals of the World Cup at the end of the game.
The Blues start strong
The breakthroughs of Damian Penaud and Gaël Fickou sounded the alarm. The Blues have put a lot of pressure on the Welsh camp before being rewarded on a test of Sebastien Vahaamahina (5th): the second line takes the ball at the exit of a ruck near the line and launches the France team (0-5).
The men of Jacques Brunel, released, are enterprising and sink the nail thanks to Charles Ollivon after a breakthrough Virimi Vakatawa found inside Roman Ntamack. Antoine Dupont then inherits the ball and serves the third line which flattens (0-12 in the 8th minute).
The French, defensively applied, prevent the players of Wales to develop their game but are punished against after a loss of ball in contact with Guilhem Guirado, in the middle of the field. The third line Aaron Wainwright took advantage and goes alone under the posts (13th). 7-12 then 10-12 after the penalty of Dan Biggar, the Welsh cling but lose for 10 minutes Ross Moriarty, temporarily excluded for a tackle high on Gael Fickou at half an hour of play. The Blues take advantage and take then nine points ahead thanks to Virimi Vakatawa, one of the men of this meeting, served by Damian Penaud (10-19 in the 31st minute).
The France team leads logically to the break but could have been five points ahead if Romain Ntamack had not found the post on the first transformation of the match and a penalty late in the first period. Points that will prove to be valuable.
Sébastien Vahaamahina leaves his teammates at 14
This is the turning point of the match. Sebastien Vahaamahina, decisive early in the game, lost his nerves at the start of the second period by elbowing Aaron Wainwright (49). After watching the video, the second line is excluded and must leave its partners at 14 for 30 minutes. A penalty later (54th), the leek XV returns to test height (13-19) but mounts on a heroic French defense up to six minutes of the term.
Breathless, the Blues finally crack on a test of Ross Moriarty who catches up in the best manners after his yellow card: the third line takes advantage of the ball ripped Tomos Williams on a French scrum at five meters (74th). After viewing the video, the referee confirms the test transformed by Dan Biggar. 20-19, for the first time in the match, Wales passes and finishes in the semifinals for the third time in its history. The Welsh face the winner of Japan-South Africa on 27 October.
The Blues, they leave the competition after playing match with the winner of the last Six Nations tournament. Frustrating.