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Wales’ World Cup roller-coaster came to an end in the Third-Fourth place play off in Tokyo where an injury-ravaged Welsh side were comfortably beaten by a New Zealand side still reeling from their semi-final loss to England.
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It was the culmination of a seven-week assault on rugby’s biggest prize and although Warren Gatland’s men fell short, they reached only their third semi-final in 32 years, going out to eventual winners, South Africa, through a late 76th minute Handre Pollard penalty. Along the way, some reputations were forged, some diminished as Wales carried a nation’s hopes.
As they ready themselves to head home, here are some decidedly unofficial gongs to hand out…
The ‘world is his oyster’ award – Josh Adams
Josh Adams had enjoyed an encouraging start to his Welsh career in 2018, but that was merely an aperitif. 2019 was a truly transformative year for the Carmarthen-born flyer who was released by his home region, the Scarlets, as a teenager forcing him to refine his game at Worcester Warriors.
Seven tries in seven games made him the top try scorer in Northern Hemisphere history in the tournament but that didn’t tell the full story. He made the most breaks with 18 and came seventh in metres made, with 390. Such is his progression that he will be seen by many as Wayne Pivac’s first choice wing next year. George North, by contrast, endured a quiet tournament and he will know his place is not to be taken for granted. If there was a game where Adams really came of age, it was against Fiji where he endured a torrid opening quarter. Left for roadkill by Josua Tuisova and using a weak shoulder to try and bring down Kini Murimurivalu, he was already reeling when he spilled a pass from Jonathan Davies. For a moment, the Cardiff Blues wing could see his Test career at a crossroads, yet he found the resolve to dig in and was rewarded with a hat-trick. From there, he kicked on and was Wales’ standout player against New Zealand.
The ‘it’s only a little bit of blood’ award – Ken Owens
The Sheriff of Carmarthen throws himself into contact with the reckless abandon of a 20-year-old and his love of close quarter contact meant his forehead was a mass of sweat and blood for a large part of the tournament. His was a flesh wound that wouldn’t heal as he spilled claret for the cause but he didn’t give his eye-catching graze the slightest attention as threw his head into rucks with customary ‘Cannonball Ken’ ferocity. A tub-thumping tournament from Wales’ most capped hooker, and time now to restore his rugged good-looks.
Ken Owens taking the approach that of you come in the field covered in blood you don’t have to leave the field because of blood #WALvRSA pic.twitter.com/p8ADsPNXzx
— Estelle?VOTE LABOUR?Hart (@estellehart) October 27, 2019
The ‘NBA hang time’ award – Tomos Williams
With minutes to go against the Wallabies and with Wales under unbearable pressure, Matt Toomua pumped the ball into the Oita sky, as Australia looked to turn the screw deep in Welsh territory. Fifty metres back lay the smallest Welsh defender – and former basketball player – Tomos Williams.
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In an ode to the considerably taller LeBron James, Williams sprung backwards out of play and flipped the ball infield, in a feat of great dexterity, to a waiting Adams to hoof the ball back with interest. Not too shabby from the Treorchy’s resident jack-in-the-box and a fine tournament ensued.
The ‘flying before you can walk’ award – Hallam Amos
The incoming Cardiff Blues wing-cum-fullback is undoubtedly a talented fellow, as we witnessed with his arcing run around Ben Smith and step inside Richie Mo’Unga to score a classy try against New Zealand but against Uruguay he had the sort of game only a mother could love. Amos had already had two tries disallowed – one for a forward pass and one for a foot in touch – when he had a final chance to redeem himself. The old adage is, ‘third time lucky’, well it didn’t ring true for Amos.
Hallam Amos sees the cracks opening in defence pic.twitter.com/m0qv6n6Hyc
— Sam Larner (@SamLStandsUp) November 1, 2019
When Rhys Carre broke down the left flank like a baby rhino on the loose and whipped a 15m pass off his right hand, 22m out, the wing could see the corner flag. He had time to slide in to score but instead went for the acrobatic mid-air grounding so beloved by photographers. The only problem was he didn’t have a firm grasp on the ball and lost control of it on grounding. Amos trotted away sheepishly, leaving referee to check with the TMO. The replay showed his egregious error, leaving referee Angus Gardiner chuckling. He wasn’t seen for another three games.
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The ‘trussed up like a mummy’ award – Hadleigh Parkes
Hadleigh Parkes has earnt every one of his Welsh caps after the age of 30, and the Huntersville toiler has stretched every sinew for his adopted country. He’s been in the wars, wearing a bloodied headband during the Six Nations, but in this tournament, he has been out on his own in the pain game. He broke a finger against Georgia, having it strapped up for the rest of the tournament, before banging a shoulder against Uruguay and being further padded up just in order to get through games. He was forced to keep on trucking because of Jonathan Davies’ knee injury and it was a small mercy he had 55 minutes respite against New Zealand before coming on. Apart from that, he played in every minute of the tournament, carrying into contact again and again. If there’s any justice, you won’t see Parkes much before Christmas.
In the wake of his victorious final clash against Warren Gatland, Steve Hansen brought into question the departing Welsh head coach's post-World Cup plans. #RWC2019 #NZLvWAL https://t.co/wgP5qsR1pI
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) November 2, 2019
The ‘catch me if you can’ award – Gareth Davies
Ali Price knows all about Gareth Davies. The Scottish scrum-half had his pass read and picked out for Davies to gallop away 80m and score against Scotland in February 2018, so when Will Genia took an extra step to send his pass to Bernard Foley, he knew what was coming. Accelerating out of the line the Scarlet, picked the ball out of the air and sped away from the flailing Wallaby defenders and down the left hand tramline, outpacing Foley, to run in unopposed and give Wales, what proved to be their match-winning score. The lesson was clear, beware of the man they call, ‘Cawdor’.
The ‘Benjamin Button of rugby’ award – Alun Wyn Jones
Bonymaen’s pride and joy wouldn’t let you know he’s raging against the dying light. In fact the Welsh captain probably revels in the fact many people try and keep retiring him. Indeed, as a stubborn bugger of the highest order, it probably motivates him. Just 34, with a contract with the WRU and the Ospreys set to expire in July 2021, Jones thought he should just remind those who doubt him how much oil he has left in the tank by topping the Rugby World Cup tackle charts with 79, or in old money around 17 tackles a game. With a nomination for World Player of the Year bagged and now the holder of the second most Test caps in rugby history, there will be plenty of dust in the eye when Jones finally hangs up his boots, on his own terms.
Great respect between two true legends of the game.
— All Blacks (@AllBlacks) November 1, 2019
The ‘unlikely romance’ award – Jake Ball and Faf de Klerk
Jake Ball had a fine tournament for Wales. The main beneficiary of Cory Hill’s untimely injury, the bearded Scarlets behemoth provided some much-needed go-forward in the middle of the park but Ball saw red when riled by the diminutive Springbok scrum-half, Faf de Klerk, during the tense World Cup semi-final.
Faf de Klerk is such a good scrum half… but what was he doing picking a fight with Jake Ball?! ?? pic.twitter.com/SHrbATWJk3
— Alex Terrell (@alxterrell) October 27, 2019
Grabbing him by his lapels, the 6ft 7in, 19st second row gave de Klerk the sort of look that could curdle cream, while the Sale Sharks scrum-half fluttered his eye-lashes and laughed in his face. It was quite the courting routine and ended with Ball resting his giant forehead against de Klerk as if it to say, ‘there are cameras here, wait until I find a darkened alley, goldilocks’. If a clip could sum up the difference between backs and forwards, this was it.
Press conference with Warren Gatland and Alun Wyn Jones and Gatland’s final game as Wales head coach ended in defeat. New Zealand emphatically won the World Cup bronze medal 40-17 at Tokyo Stadium.
Comments on RugbyPass
Exeter were thumped by 38 points. And they only had to hop on a train.
29 Go to commentsI am De Groot.
1 Go to commentsHad hoped you might write an article on this game, Nick. It’s a good one. Things have not gone as smoothly for ROG since beating Leinster last year at the Aviva in the CC final. LAR had the Top 14 Final won till Raymond Rhule missed a simple tackle on the excellent Ntamack, and Toulouse reaped the rewards of just staying in the fight till the death. Then the disruption of the RWC this season. LAR have not handled that well, but they were not alone, and we saw Pau heading the Top 14 table at one stage early season. I would think one of the reasons for the poor showing would have to be that the younger players coming through, and the more mature amongst the group outside the top 25/30, are not as strong as would be hoped for. I note that Romain Sazy retired at the end of last season. He had been with LAR since 2010, and was thus one of their foundation players when they were promoted to Top 14. Records show he ended up with 336 games played with LAR. That is some experience, some rock in the team. He has been replaced for the most part by Ultan Dillane. At 30, Dillane is not young, but given the chances, he may be a fair enough replacement for Sazy. But that won’be for more than a few years. I honestly know little of the pathways into the LAR setup from within France. I did read somewhere a couple of years ago that on the way up to Top 14, the club very successfully picked up players from the academies of other French teams who were not offered places by those teams. These guys were often great signings…can’t find the article right now, so can’t name any….but the Tadgh Beirne type players. So all in all, it will be interesting to see where the replacements for all the older players come from. Only Lleyd’s and Rhule from SA currently, both backs. So maybe a few SA forwards ?? By contrast, Leinster have a pretty clear line of good players coming through in the majority of positions. Props maybe a weak spot ? And they are very fleet footed and shrewd in appointing very good coaches. Or maybe it is also true that very good coaches do very well in the Leinster setup. So, Nick, I would fully concurr that “On the evidence of Saturday’s semi-final between the two clubs, the rebuild in the Bay of Biscay is going to take longer than it is on the east coast of Ireland”
6 Go to commentsWhat was the excuse for the other knockout blowouts then? Does the result not prove the Saints were just so much better? Wise call to put your eggs in one basket when you’ve got 2 comps simultaneously finishing.
29 Go to commentsReally hope Kuruvoli and his partner rock the Canes.
1 Go to commentsI wonder what impact Samson has had on their attack, as the team seems less prone to trundle it up the middle, take the tackle and then trundle it up again. I lost faith in the coach last year as the Rebelss looked like a 2nd/3rd rate South African team. I also disliked Gordon standing back, often ignored as the forward battle went on and on. Maybe its our Aussie way of not getting off our A***’s until the enemy is at the gate.
83 Go to commentsThanks for the write up. Great to see the Rebs winning, I am a little interested in how they will go against the remaining kiwi teams, I think they’ve only played Hurricanes and Highlanders but how great to see these players performing!! I also see Parling has a job beyond June 30! A good move by RA? Also how do you fix the Rebels previously scratchy defence?
83 Go to commentsbe smart - go black
13 Go to commentsNext week the Crusaders hopefully have Scott Barrett back. Will be great to have the captain back. Hopefully he will be the All Black captain as well.
12 Go to commentsExciting place to be for the young fella. I expected he was French Polynesian when I saw him included in the France 6N squad (after seeing him in NZs), and therefor be strong grounds we might loose him to rugby down here. Good, in that he is good enough to warrant such a profile, and from a journalism’s fan interaction aspect, to finally get a back ground story on the fella. Hope he has settled into NZ OK and that at least one rugby country will fit with him to help his development, which, if so, he should surely continue for a few years, and then that he can experience France to it’s fullest with a bit more maturity and less reliance on family than you would have at his current age. A good 3 or 4 years before he would be ready for International duty if he wanted to wait. Of course he already sounds good enough to accept a call up, and to cap himself, in the more immediate future (he’d have to be very very good in the case of the ABs), and he’ll get a great taste of that being with the Canes who have a bunch who are just a few years further into their career and looking likely Internationals themselves.
13 Go to commentsI remember towards the end of the original broadcasting deal for Super rugby with Newscorp that there was talk about the competition expanding to improve negotiations for more money - more content, more cash. Professional rugby was still in its infancy then and I held an opposing view that if Super rugby was a truly valuable competition then it should attract more broadcasters to bid for the rights, thereby increasing the value without needing to add more teams and games. Unfortunately since the game turned professional, the tension between club, talent and country has only grown further. I would argue we’re already at a point in time where the present is the future. The only international competitions that matter are 6N, RC and RWC. The inter-hemisphere tours are only developmental for those competitions. The games that increasingly matter more to fans, sponsors and broadcasters are between the clubs. Particularly for European fans, there are multiple competitions to follow your teams fortunes every week. SA is not Europe but competes in a single continental competition, so the travel component will always be an impediment. It was worse in the bloated days of Super rugby when teams traversed between four continents - Africa, America, Asia and Australia. The percentage of players who represent their country is less than 5% of the professional player base, so the sense of sacrifice isn’t as strong a motivation for the rest who are more focused on playing professional rugby and earning as much from their body as they can. Rugby like cricket created the conundrum it’s constantly fighting a losing battle with.
4 Go to commentsOh wow… “But as La Rochelle proved in winning in Cape Town this season, a cross-continental away assignment need not spell the end of days.” La Rochelle actually proved quite the opposite. After traveling to Cape town and back they (back-to-back and current champs) got mercilessly thumped the next week. If travel is not the reason, why else would a full-strength powerhouse like La Rochelle get dumped on their @r$e$ one week later?
29 Go to commentsYou know he can land a winning conversion after the full time siren is up. (Even if it takes two attempts.)
5 Go to commentsA very insightful article from Jake. I would love to know how South African’s feel about their move to Europe. Do you prefer playing in Europe or want to go back to Super Rugby?
4 Go to commentspure fire
1 Go to commentsA very well thought out summary of all the relevant complications…agree with your ”refer the Cricket Test versus 20/20 comparison”. More also definitely doesn't necessarily mean better!
4 Go to commentsMust be something when you are only 19 y.o and both NZ and France want you. Btw he wasn’t the only new caledonian in french U20 as Robin Couly also lived in Noumea until 17. Hope he’s successful wherever he chooses to play.
13 Go to comments“Several key players in the Stade Rochelais squad are in their thirties” South Africans are going to hate the implications of that comment!
6 Go to commentsI know Leinster did a job on La Roche but shortly after HT Leinster were 30-13 ahead of them and at a similar time Toulouse were trailing Exeter. At 60 mins Leinster were 27 ahead but after 67 mins Toulouse were only 19 ahead before Exeter collapsed. That’s heavier scoring by Leinster against the Champions. I think people are looking at Toulouses total a little too much. I also think Northhampton are in with a real chance, albeit I’d put Leinster as favourites. If Leinster make the final I expect them to win by more than ten and with control.
6 Go to commentsHey Nick, your match analysis is decent but the top and tail not so much, a bit more random. For a start there’s a seismic difference in regenerating any club side over a test team. EJ pretty much had to urinate with the appendage he’d been given at test level whereas club success is impacted hugely by the budget. Look no further than Boudjellal’s Toulon project for a perfect example. The set ups at La Rochelle and Leinster are like chalk and cheese and you are correct that Leinster are ahead. Leinster are not just slightly ahead though, they are light years ahead on their plans, with the next gen champions cup team already blooded, seasoned and developing at speed from their time manning the fort in the URC while the cream play CC and tests. They have engineered a strong talent conveyor belt into their system, supported by private money funnelled into a couple of Leinster private schools. The really smart move from Leinster and the IRFU however is maximising the Irish Revenue tax breaks (tax relief on the best 10 years earnings refunded at retirement) to help keep all of their stars in Ireland and happy, while simultaneously funding marquee players consistently. And of course Barrett is the latest example. But in no way is he a “replacement for Henshaw”, he’s only there for one season!!! As for Rob Baxter, the best advice you can give him is to start lobbying Parliament and HMRC for a similar state subsidy, but don’t hold your breath… One thing Cullen has been very smart with is his coaching team. Very quickly he realised his need to supplement his skills, there was talk of him exiting after his first couple of years but he was extremely shrewd bringing in Lancaster and now Nienaber. That has worked superbly and added a layer that really has made a tangible difference. Apart from that you were bang on the money… 😉😂
6 Go to comments