Six Nations 2017: Scores, Updated Table After Friday's Round 4 Result
Mar 10, 2017
CARDIFF, WALES - MARCH 10: George North of Wales evades a tackle by Garry Ringrose of Ireland during the Six Nations match between Wales and Ireland at the Principality Stadium on March 10, 2017 in Cardiff, Wales. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)
Wales put Ireland to the sword in the 2017 Six Nations, defeating the visitors 22-9 in a pulsating game in Cardiff on Friday night.
The victory improves table-topping England's chance to reclaim the title if they defeat fourth-placed Scotland on Saturday.
In a punishing display that saw both teams fight with incredible ferocity, the hosts had to withstand a late drive by Ireland as they battled to the limit.
CARDIFF, WALES - MARCH 10: George North of Wales evades a tackle by Garry Ringrose of Ireland during the Six Nations match between Wales and Ireland at the Principality Stadium on March 10, 2017 in Cardiff, Wales. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)
Wales climbed to third in the standings after a bruising encounter under the lights at the Principality Stadium, defeating an Irish side that simply wouldn't give up.
After a cagey and close first half, the hosts took control shortly after the second-half restart as George North scored two tries to help open up a nine-point lead.
Ireland immediately responded, and with Johnny Sexton in splendid form, they pinned back Wales with constant attacks.
North continued to cause the Irish problems with powerful wing play, but it was Jamie Roberts' try two minutes from time that settled the contest.
CARDIFF, WALES - MARCH 10: Leigh Halfpenny of Wales kicks at goal during the Six Nations match between Wales and Ireland at the Principality Stadium on March 10, 2017 in Cardiff, Wales. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)
The ever-reliable boot of Leigh Halfpenny helped the Welsh over the line, just as Ireland had begun to gain momentum in the contest.
Tom Rostance of BBC Sport quoted Wales coach Rob Howley after the battle, who congratulated his team on a hard win:
We knew there would be a reaction and against one of the best sides in rugby you have to play like that both with and without the ball.
I'm delighted for the players, they have taken a lot of stick and we beat Ireland emphatically.
George North? When you praise them too much they sit back, if you criticise them too much they go into their shell so it's a fine balance.
It was a great advert for Six Nations rugby.
I'm delighted and proud. Between 68 and 72 minutes was the key, we held Ireland up, had a fortunate penalty and got out of trouble.
Former England international Matt Dawson was in awe at the full-time whistle:
Holy moly what a test match..... I feel shattered just winching at those collisions. A few hobbles tomorrow I reckon. #WALvIRE#TopMoment
The result opens the door for England to win the championship on Saturday, but a shock result for Scotland will throw up a host of differing scenarios. A win would give the Red Rose at least a seven-point margin, rendering their final match at Ireland on March 18 moot.
The English have home advantage in their match, and the Twickenham crowd will be in full voice as coach Eddie Jones sends his men out to claim glory.Â
Six Nations 2017: Updated Table, Results and Round 2 Fixtures
Feb 5, 2017
ROME, ITALY - FEBRUARY 05: (R-L) Liam Wiliams of Wales is congratulated by teammates Rhys Webb and Sam Davies afer scoring his team's second try during the RBS Six Nations match between Italy and Wales at the Stadio Olimpico on February 5, 2017 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)
Wales grabbed their first win of the 2017 Six Nations on Sunday, beating Italy 33-7 in Rome.
The Azzurri were the better team during the first half but crumbled after the break, while Wales improved dramatically and made the most of their chances.
Wales will host defending champions England in Round 2, while Italy host Ireland, who suffered an upset at the hands of Scotland on Saturday.
Here's a look at the Six Nations standings:
Pos
Team
PL
W
D
L
PF:PA
Pts
1.
Wales
1
1
0
0
33:7
4
2.
Scotland
1
1
0
0
27:22
4
3.
England
1
1
0
0
19:16
4
4.
France
1
0
0
1
16:19
1
5.
Ireland
1
0
0
1
22:27
1
6.
Italy
1
0
0
1
7:33
0
The schedule for Round 2:
Date
Time (GMT)
Home
Away
Saturday, Feb. 11
2:25 p.m.
Italy
Ireland
Saturday, Feb. 11
4:50 p.m.
Wales
England
Sunday, Feb. 12
3 p.m.
France
Scotland
 Â
Recap, Preview
Wales were far from their best on Sunday and trailed the hosts 7-3 entering half-time, but stand-in head coach Rob Howley's troops got the job done.
Edoardo Gori opened the scoring after 29 minutes, and per Rugby World, it was his first try in a Six Nations match:
A first Six Nations try by Edoardo Gori, converted by Canna, gives Italy 7-0 lead over Wales in Rome. 34 mins gone #ITAvWAL
Carlo Canna added the conversion to make the score 7-0, and while Leigh Halfpenny reduced the deficit minutes later with a penalty goal, Italy navigated the first half rather easily.
The Welsh fans were anything but happy, and Welsh Girl Problems summed things up like this:
The visitors improved after the break, however, and Halfpenny reduced the deficit to a single point after just six minutes. Wales patiently prodded away in the Italy half and dominated the set pieces, forcing the hosts into making mistakes.
Halfpenny kept up his strong form with two more penalties in quick succession, and per the Six Nations' official Twitter account, his accuracy was on point:
— Guinness Men's Six Nations (@SixNationsRugby) February 5, 2017
Andrea Lovotti was sin-binned after an hour of play, all but dooming the hosts' chances of grabbing a win. Jonathan Davies scored Wales' first try just a minute later, and Halfpenny's conversion stretched the lead to 12 points.
Liam Williams added a try of his own, and George North's try put the final score on the board. The Welsh came close to adding a bonus point in the final minutes, but TMO Rowan Kitt disagreed.
ROME, ITALY - FEBRUARY 05: George North of Wales outpaces Luke McLean of Italy to score his team's third try during the RBS Six Nations match between Italy and Wales at the Stadio Olimpico on February 5, 2017 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by David Rogers/Getty
The victory should give Wales the confidence they need when they host rivals England in Week 2. The defending champions were far from convincing in their win against France but remain the favourites for this year's title.
Per the team's official Twitter account, head coach Eddie Jones was blunt in his assessment of the first half against Les Bleus:
Want to know what Eddie Jones made of England's performance against France?
England have the uncanny ability to stay alive in matches after slow starts, something that was once again evident at Twickenham Stadium. Wales did a superb job in the second half on Sunday, but England will present a whole different challenge than Italy did.
The Azzurri will face Ireland in Round 2 in what should be a similar match. France are set to take on Scotland, who started the Six Nations with a surprise win over the Irish.
New Zealand vs. Wales: Score, Reaction from 2016 International Tour Test, Game 1
Jun 11, 2016
AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND - JUNE 11: All Blacks captain Kieran Read (C) scores a try congratulated by Brodie Retallick (CR) Aaron Cruden (R) and Beauden Barrett (L) during the International Test match between the New Zealand All Blacks and Wales at Eden Park on June 11, 2016 in Auckland, New Zealand. (Photo by Fiona Goodall/Getty Images)
The new generation of New Zealand All Blacks showed the world why they’re still the best in the business courtesy of a stunning 39-21 victory over Wales at Eden Park.Â
Steve Hansen’s men trailed 18-15 at half-time, but they came rallying back in style to take a deserved 1-0 series lead.
The first half was enthralling, with New Zealand predictably doing all the early pressing. Wales were penned into their own half in the opening exchanges, and it wasn’t long before the All Blacks were on the board.
Aaron Cruden, who was drafted in to replace the retired Dan Carter at fly-half, kicked over the posts to establish a 3-0 lead, but all that succeeded in doing was waking Wales up from their slumber.
AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND - JUNE 11: All Blacks captain Kieran Read (R) heads in to score a try tackled by Gareth Anscombe of Wales (L) during the International Test match between the New Zealand All Blacks and Wales at Eden Park on June 11, 2016 in Auckland
And with just 11 minutes on the clock, Wales scored the first try of the day through Taulupe Faletau.
A flowing Wales move left Hallam Amos in space on the left side, and he timed his pass perfectly to Faletau, who had the simple task of dotting down.
Waisake Naholo needlessly dived in on Amos to gift Faletau some space, but you can take nothing away from the brilliance of the build-up.
Cruden then stamped his authority on the match with an inch-perfect try assist for Julian Savea, who gave the All Blacks the lead.
New Zealand journalist Veitchy commented on the fly-half’s excellent kick:
Clever , clever, clever from Aaron Cruden to set up Julian Savea. Try time.
In the 19th minute, Naholo made amends for his earlier error with a well-taken try to make it 15-5, before Dan Biggar reduced arrears with two penalties.
The end-to-end rugby was incredible to watch, with both sets of players leaving everything on the field.
Wales were particularly impressive after their shaky start, and they got the reward their performance deserved just before half-time through the ever-impressive Liam Williams and Rhys Webb.
AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND - JUNE 11: George North of Wales (R) is tackled by Malakai Fekitoa of the All Blacks (L) during the International Test match between the New Zealand All Blacks and Wales at Eden Park on June 11, 2016 in Auckland, New Zealand. (Phot
Williams cut New Zealand open with a moment of brilliance coming out of his own half, and he then had the presence of mind to send Webb over the line.
At the break, Wales held a precious 18-15 lead, and although they started the second half on the front foot, their joy was short-lived.
With 12 minutes remaining, Naholo chalked up his second try of the match.
Quick thinking from Aaron Smith played the Highlanders man in, and he showed incredible power to force his way over. BBC Sport’s Jonathan Davies commented on Naholo’s strength:
At 25-21, Wales were still very much in the match, but their hopes of taking a 1-0 series lead were all-but eliminated by All Blacks captain Kieran Read.
Patrick Tuipulotu retained the ball superbly just inside the Wales half before playing Read clean through to make sure of the victory. Nathan Harris just had time to get his name on the scoresheet and add further gloss to the result.
The 39-21 scoreline was a little harsh on Wales, who were clinical and professional in the first half, but the All Blacks’ class just shone through.
Naholo, Cruden and Tuipulotu stole the show, and they’ll be looking for repeat performances in the second Test on Saturday June 18 in Wellington.
Reaction
AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND - JUNE 11: Sam Warburton of Wales looks on during the International Test match between the New Zealand All Blacks and Wales at Eden Park on June 11, 2016 in Auckland, New Zealand. (Photo by Anthony Au-Yeung/Getty Images)
Following the match, Wales skipper Sam Warburton told BBC Sport that the scoreline didn't reflect the match at Eden Park and that Wales played well:
"The message was we couldn't come here and play safe and I thought some of our counter-attacking was excellent. We're really disappointed to concede seven at the end and make the scoreboard look a little bit ugly."
In the All Blacks camp, meanwhile, captain Read was full of praise for his side's second-half performance:
"It was what we expected. Wales were fired up and it was a reminder you've got to work hard. The boys had a really good attitude in the second half.
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South Africa vs. Wales: Preview, Live Stream, TV Info for Rugby World Cup QF
Oct 17, 2015
Wales' captain Sam Warburton, right, shakes hands with Dan Biggar after the Rugby World Cup Pool A match between Australia and Wales at Twickenham stadium in London, Saturday, Oct. 10, 2015. Australia won the match 15-6. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
Wales face the Springboks at Twickenham on Saturday afternoon with the World Cup semi-final just 80 minutes away for the winner.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9PP-QX6EUkY
The pair met in the 2011 tournament in the pool phase and South Africa escaped with a 17-16 win that saw them snatch the group.
That year, it turned out to be something of a poisoned chalice, pushing the Boks into a quarter-final with Australia, which they lost, while Wales went on to beat Ireland before the agony of a narrow defeat to France in the last four.
Four years on, South Africa arrive having been on the wrong end of the greatest shock rugby has ever seen in losing to Japan, while Wales have been losing key men to injury on what has often seemed a daily basis.
They at least have the knowledge that they put one over Heyneke Meyer’s men in Cardiff less than a year ago.
This clash, however, will hinge on whether a patched-up Welsh back line can cope with the heavy artillery coming their way, and whether their scrum, which has creaked and groaned at times in this competition, can front up to the two-time world champion pack.
As Adrian Warner of rugbyworldcup.com pointed out, history, as well as that lengthy injury list, is not on Wales’ side.
Wales have beaten the Springboks only twice since 1906 and have a disappointing record against the big three southern hemisphere teams at the World Cup, recording a single victory against Australia in 1987. Throw in the worst set of injuries that any team has suffered at England 2015 and most neutrals think the Springboks are more likely to reach the last four.
Welsh coach Warren Gatland also articulated the challenge as he sees it for his players, who, prior to their win in Cardiff last November, had lost by a single point to the Boks in the second Test of their 2014 summer tour:
"They are an incredibly physical team up front. We have got to match them at scrum time and in the driving lineout.They have got over the shock of losing to Japan and that has galvanised them as a team and a squad."
Match details
Date: Saturday, October 17
Time: 4 p.m. BST/11 a.m. EST
Venue: Twickenham
TV Info: UK, ITV1; Australia, Fox SPORTS; NZ, SkySports; South Africa, SuperSports
Wales beat Italy in that costly final warm-up game that lost them the services of Leigh Halfpenny and Rhys Webb.
They comfortably saw off Uruguay, but added to their injury woes with the loss of Corey Allen and a number of other knocks. England were hit by a smash and grab raid as yet more Welsh bodies were carted to the treatment table, with Scott Williams ruled out and Liam Williams concussed.
The team backed up with a hard-fought win over Fiji, and it was all they could do to get 15 bodies out on the field for the Pool A decider with Australia.
A brutal 15-6 defeat was the result, despite hammering away at a 13-man defence without scoring a point for an eight-minute spell in the second half.
That defeat meant it would be South Africa, and not the far less daunting challenge of Scotland, for Gatland’s staggered troops.
South Africa endured a miserable build up, finishing bottom of the Rugby Championship with three defeats, but atoned in some way with a final warm-up win over Argentina.
They then opened their Pool B campaign with that dramatic loss to Japan. But their reaction has been impressive, with large margins of victory over Samoa, Scotland and the USA.
The Springboks have not entirely escaped the injury blight, losing captain Jean de Villiers to a broken jaw, but they have absorbed that blow and are looking like the powerful Bok machine of old.
October 10
Australia 15-6 Wales
October 1
Wales 23-13 Fiji
September 26
England 25-28 Wales
September 20
Wales 54-9 Uruguay
September 5
Wales 23-19 Italy
October 7
South Africa 64-0 USA
October 3
South Africa 34-16 Scotland
September 26
South Africa 46-6 Samoa
September 19
Japan 34-32 South Africa
August 15
Argentina 12-26 South Africa
Team lineups
Dan Lydiate, rested against Australia, comes back to add his extra bulk in the Welsh back row, while the decimated back line is supplemented by Tyler Morgan at outside centre, chosen ahead of the more experienced James Hook.
Morgan was called into the squad after the injury to Scott Williams at Twickenham, and he remains the next cab off the rank, despite Hook’s vastly superior experience, Gatland told BBC Sport
"We thought Tyler played very well against Fiji for a young 20-year-old and we're putting that faith in him to back him again. He's an out and out 13 and he's definitely a player for the future and it's a great opportunity for him. I can't see where the debate is about that selection."
South Africa have named the same lineup that saw off Scotland barring a change at wing, with JP Pietersen coming into the starting lineup.
Wales: Gareth Anscombe, Alex Cuthbert, Tyler Morgan, Jamie Roberts, George North; Dan Biggar, Gareth Davies; Gethin Jenkins, Scott Baldwin, Samson Lee, Luke Charteris, Alun Wyn Jones, Dan Lydiate, Sam Warburton, Taulupe Faletau.
Jones wins his 100th Welsh cap in this match, and he will need all his energy and work rate to match the marauding South African pair of locks, Eben Etzebeth and Lood de Jager. The Ospreys captain has earned plaudits from his captain Sam Warburton this week, per walesonline:
If people asked me who are some of the handful of the best players I have played with, I would say Gethin Jenkins, Shane Williams, Martyn Williams and Alun Wyn Jones would be in that bracket. We are very fortunate to have a player of his experience and stature and he is not slowing down any time soon.
Jones has to ensure the Welsh lineout functions under pressure and also that the South African penchant for bringing their big runners onto the ball in waves, phase after phase, does not cause the Welsh fringe defence to cave in.
Damian de Allende
From fringe player to first-choice No. 12, it has been a rapid ascent for Damian de Allende, and Saturday that rise meets Jamie Roberts, head-on.
De Allende has stepped into the shoes of Jean de Villiers and struck up a promising partnership with fellow young gun Jesse Kriel.
SA Rugby's Jon Cardinelli summed up the double-edged sword De Allende and his mate face in this tie, having to deal with the physical assault sure to come from the Lion, but also taking the chance to exploit the inexperienced Morgan outside him.
De Allende and Kriel's success or failure at these two tasks could have a significant bearing on the outcome of this contest.
