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'I was thinking to myself: If he gives me a red card, this is the end of me'
Ross Moriarty has revealed he thought it would be “the end of me” had referee Jaco Peyper sent him off in Wales’ World Cup quarter-final against France.
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Moriarty had only been on the pitch for 90 seconds, replacing an injured Josh Navidi, when he was yellow-carded for a high tackle on Les Bleus centre Gael Fickou.
Wales went on to triumph 20-19, with No8 Moriarty scoring the winning try – but only after an incident that left him sweating, especially when Peyper called in captain Alun Wyn Jones.
“I was just thinking, ‘Please, please don’t be a red’. I knew how bad that would be for the team,” Moriarty said. “I have been in that situation before and it is not a nice feeling. I never go into a game intending to do anything that would get me a card or put the team at any risk of not winning.
“That was definitely a big moment. I had only been on for 90 seconds and I was thinking to myself: ‘If he gives me a red card, this is the end of me’. It was a mistimed tackle. I closed my eyes and thought he was going to run around me, but he stopped and ducked under me.
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“It was very nerve-wracking then to come back on and make sure there were no more mistakes and no penalties. That’s what I did, and to be able to put the ball down (for a try) towards the end of the game was a very good feeling.
“It [the tackle] definitely wasn’t intentional. I didn’t cause any damage or injury, and it was nice for me to know I didn’t cause any damage. I talked to him [Fickou] after the game and he was absolutely fine. We had a good laugh.
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“As soon as I realised I had hit him in the chin – I thought I had hit him in the shoulder – I was worried. I knew I had to come (back) on and be very, very squeaky clean and make sure I didn’t do any more damage to the team and myself. That was on my mind.
The bereaved Robin McBryde is showing tremendous character to help keep the Wales show on the road at the World Cup https://t.co/YiYFlE6cuB
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) October 22, 2019
“I was thinking, ‘Please, no-one come near me’. Sometimes people slip up in tackles, players duck and dive. It’s a contact sport, it’s inevitable sometimes. Fortunately, there were no other incidents in the game.”
Moriarty has similarly vivid memories of his match-clinching touch down, which followed a concerted spell of pressure near France’s line. “I was running towards the ball and just thinking, ‘I can’t mess this up’,” he added.
“I didn’t even want to reach out in case someone came from nowhere and kicked the ball out of my hands, so I just landed on my head first and got the ball under my chest to make sure no-one could come in and get it. It was probably the easiest try I have ever scored, but probably the most nervous I have been scoring one.”
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A major blow for Wales ahead of their World Cup semi-final against South Africa. https://t.co/ANQbfilDaL
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) October 21, 2019
Moriarty is set to take hamstring injury victim Navidi’s place against semi-final opponents South Africa on Sunday. His father Paul and uncle Richard both played when Wales faced New Zealand in the 1987 World Cup semi-final, so another red-letter day awaits the Moriarty family.
“We all know the All Blacks are very physical, but South Africa are renowned for being a physical team, too,” he added. “This is a game I look forward to. I know what their forwards thrive on, which is being physical, and that’s what I thrive on as well. Some players go hiding when it gets tough, but I think I get better in those situations.”
– Press Association
WATCH: Former Wales international Jamie Roberts sits down with RugbyPass in an episode of Rugby World Cup Memories
Comments on RugbyPass
Super rugby is struggling but that has little to do with sabbaticals. 1. Too many teams from Aust and NZ - should be 3 and 4 respectively, add in 2 from Japan, 1 possibly 2 from Argentina. 2. Inconsistent and poor refereeing, admittedly not restricted to Super rugby. Only one team was reffed at the breakdown in Reds v H’Landers match. Scrum penalty awarded in Canes v Drua when No 8 had the ball in the open with little defence nearby - ideal opportunity to play advantage. Coming back to Reds match - same scrum situation but ref played advantage - Landers made 10 yards and were penalised at the breakdown when the ref should have returned to scrum penalty. 3. Marketing is weak and losing ground to AFL and NRL. Playing 2 days compared with 4. 4. Scheduling is unattractive to family attendance. Have any franchises heard of Sundays 2pm?
8 Go to commentsAbsolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
9 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
8 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
4 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
22 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
4 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
9 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
14 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
14 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
14 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
4 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to commentsWhat a player! Not long until he’s in the England side, surely?
5 Go to commentsHe seems to have the same aura as Marcus Smith - by which I mean he’s consistently judged as if he’s several years younger than he actually is. Mngomezulu has played 24 times for the Stormers. When Pollard was his age he had played 24 times for South Africa! He has more time to develop, but he has also had time to do some developing already, and he hasn’t demonstrated nearly as much talent in that time as one would expect. If he is a generational talent, then it must be a pretty poor generation.
6 Go to commentsThe greatest Springbok coach of all time is entirely on the money. Rassie and Jacques have given the south african public a great few years, but the success of the springbok selection policy will need to be judged in light of what comes next. The poor condition that the provincial system is currently in doesn’t bode well for the next few years of international rugby, and the insane 2026 schedule that the Boks have lined up could also really harm both provincial and international consistency.
22 Go to commentsJake White is a brilliant coach and a master in the press. This is another masterclass in media relations and PR but its also a very narrow view with arguments that dont always hold water. White wants his team to win, he wants the best players in SA and wants his team competitive. You however have to face up to the reality of a poor exchange rate and big clubs with big budgets. SA Rugby cant compete and unless it can find more money SA players will keep leaving regardless of Springbok eligibility and this happened in 2015 - 2017. Also rugby is not cricket. Cricket has 3 formats and T20 cricket is where the money is at. When it comes to club vs country the IPL is king but that wont happen because the international calendar does not clash with the club calendar in rugby. So the argument about rugby going down the same path as cricket is really a non-starter
22 Go to commentsNZ rugby seem not to have learnt anything from professional rugby. Super rugby was dying and SA left before they died with the competition. SA rugby did a u turn on their approach to international players playing overseas and such players are now selected for Bok teams. As much as each country would love to retain their players playing in local competitions, this is the way the world is evolving my friends. Move with it or stay 20 years behind the times. One more thing. NZ rugby hierarchy think they are the big cheese. Take a more humble approach guys. You do not seem to have your players best interests at heart.
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