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Recap: New Zealand vs Wales LIVE | Rugby World Cup
Follow all the action on the RugbyPass live blog from the World Cup bronze medal play-off match between New Zealand versus Wales in Tokyo. Keep up to date with the latest score, stats and join the conversation from anywhere in the world in our Live Match Centre (click here).
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Ahead of the play-off, Wales captain Alun Wyn Jones said that Warren Gatland created expectation “that has gone through the roof” during his time as head coach.
Gatland’s twelve-year Wales reign ends with the bronze medal match and Jones, who has won 115 of his 133 Wales caps during the Gatland era, said: “He has created expectation – there is always expectation playing rugby for Wales – but that has gone through the roof in the last twelve years over his tenure. That is a privilege.
“He has always had one eye on that [Wales’ future]. He is fiercely loyal, not only to players but to the country and the job. When the pressure has come on, he has stuck to his guns. When you talk about change, he has been reluctant to do that at times and it has paid off.
“He’s had the Midas touch at times. It is a credit to him as a person – more than as a rugby coach or anything like that – that he wants to give the next (coaching) regime the best chance possible.
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“It also puts the pressure on. That expectation is always going to be there. I can see him wanting to pave the way and for someone to carry on from the foundations he has set. I am fortunate to be involved in his tenure. He is one of, if not the most successful northern hemisphere coaches ever.
“Obviously, an appearance on Saturday (in the World Cup final) has eluded us. That would have been the jewel in the crown. From where we were in 2007 to where we are now – one quarter-final, two semi-finals, three Grand Slams and a Six Nations championship – it’s a far cry from where we were. Those markers speak volumes, rather than one individual performance.”
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Jones will lead a much-changed Wales team into action against the All Blacks, with Wales having a twin incentive of equalling their best World Cup finish – third in 1987 – and chasing a first victory over New Zealand for 66 years. “The show goes on, doesn’t it? It’s not the show we wanted, but we have got to move on,” added 34-year-old Jones. “Make no bones about it, I am one of the eight to 10 (Wales players) who isn’t going to have another World Cup.
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“From a selfish point of view I will acknowledge that, and that’s probably why this one (World Cup) meant so much. It is what it is. We have another game and a lot of the guys here will have another opportunity. I will be right behind them in whatever guise I have when that time comes around.
“When you are in this position, you want to do it for as long as possible. I’ve got a bit longer yet. The family is out here (in Japan) at the minute, so I will spend time with them and when we get back, sort some stuff out and reset the focus.”
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Gatland’s counterpart Steve Hansen, who is stepping down as All Blacks coach following the play-off game in Tokyo, admitted that New Zealand’s character has been tested following their semi-final defeat against England. That result sent New Zealand to Tokyo, rather than contesting a third successive World Cup final in Yokohama on Saturday.
Losing hurts and it all got a bit too much at a media conference for Dane Coles of the All Blacks https://t.co/h6u7ENWwUV
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) October 31, 2019
“The most important thing we can do this week is play at the highest standard we can play, to coach to the highest standard you can coach or be the best manager you can be,” Hansen said. “Doing that, we show ourselves and our team-mates and our country that we’ve got some character. It’s easy to have character when you are winning all the time because it’s not tested. Our character has been tested this week.
“The most important thing we can do now is show that if your character is tested, you can stand up to it. That’s the greatest success we can take out of this tournament. It’s the greatest success we can show young people in New Zealand who want to be aspiring All Blacks or aspiring anything. You’ve got to have character.”
Hansen has made seven changes to the team beaten by semi-final opponents England, with Ben Smith, Rieko Ioane, Ryan Crotty, Sonny Bill Williams, Dane Coles, Shannon Frizell and Sam Cane all starting. “It’s about resetting the button and making sure that we go and have a performance that not only we can be proud of, but every New Zealander around the world and every fan of the All Blacks,” added Hansen.
Best alternative yet to having to play the New Zealand vs Wales match that no-one wants on Friday https://t.co/eAx4ddnJDE
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) October 31, 2019
“If we win the game, then we will take that. If not, we will go away and work a bit harder. Success creates a lot of perceptions, but it’s not always true. There is a perception out there that I am a great coach, but that’s only because I’ve won a lot of games, but there are not that many people who know if I’m a great coach or not because they haven’t been in our environment.
“I will have plenty of time after Friday night to reflect on all sorts of stuff. I’m going somewhere else after this (to work in Japan), which we all know, and I will have plenty of time to reflect then with a cold beer in my hand and a hot towel.”
WATCH: Warren Gatland speaks to the media ahead of Wales’ bronze medal play-off game against New Zealand
Comments on RugbyPass
Big difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
3 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
29 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
1 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusaders , you can keep going.
3 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
29 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
29 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
29 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
9 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
29 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to comments